The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis)

The Book of Pontiffs (Liber Pontificalis). The Ancient Biographies of the First Ninety Roman Bishops to AD 715, trans. Raymond Davis (Liverpool, 1989) pp. 16–24

In his time the emperor Constantine built these churches and adorned them:

The Constantinian Basilica, where he placed these gifts:

A hammered silver fastigium--on the front it has the Saviour seated on a chair, 5 ft in size, weighing 120 lb, and 12 apostles each 5 ft and weighing 90 lb with crowns of finest silver; for someone in the apse looking at it from behind, it has the Saviour sitting on a throne, 5 ft in size, of finest silver weighing 140 lb, and 4 spear-carrying silver angels, each 5 ft and weighing 105 lb, with jewels of Alabanda in their eyes; the fastigium itself <where the angels and apostles stand> weighing 2025 lb of burnished silver; the apse-vault of finest gold; and hanging beneath the fastigium, a light of finest gold with 50 dolphins, of finest gold weighing 50 lb, with chains weighing 25 lb.

4 crowns of finest gold with 20 dolphins, each weighing 15 lb; the apse-vault of the basilica, of gold-foil in both directions, 500 lb;

7 altars of finest silver each weighing 200 lb;

7 gold patens each weighing 30 lb;

16 silver patens each weighing 30 lb;

7 scyphi of finest gold each weighing 10 lb;

a special scyphus of hard coral, adorned on all sides with prase and jacinth jewels, inlaid with gold, weighing in all its parts 20 lb 3 oz;

20 silver scyphi each weighing 15 lb;

2 amae of finest gold each weighing 50 lb, capacity 3 medimni each;

20 silver amae each weighing 10 lb, capacity 1 medimnus each;

40 smaller chalices of finest gold each weighing 1 lb;

50 smaller service chalices each weighing 2 lb.

Adornment in the basilica:

a chandelier of finest gold in front of the altar, in which pure nard-oil is burnt, with 80 dolphins, weighing 30 lb;

a silver chandelier with 20 dolphins, weighing 50 lb, in which pure nard-oil is burnt;

45 silver chandeliers in the centre of the basilica, each weighing 30 lb, in which the same oil is burnt;

40 silver lights on the right of the basilica, each weighing 20 lb;

25 silver chandeliers on the left of the basilica, each weighing 20 lb;

50 silver candlestick chandeliers in the centre of the basilica, each weighing 20 lb;

3 metretae of finest silver each weighing 300 lb, capacity 10 medimni <each>;

7 brass candelabra in front of the altars, 10 ft in size, adorned with medallions of the prophets inlaid with silver, each weighing 300 lb.

For these he assigned to provide for the lights:

the estate Gargiliana, territory of Suessa, <annual> revenue 400 solidi;

the estate Bauronica, territory of Suessa, revenue 360 solidi;

the estate Auriana, territory of Laurentum, revenue 500 solidi;

the estate Urbana, territory of Antium, revenue 240 solidi;

the estate Castis, territory of Catina, revenue 1000 solidi;

the estate Trapeas, territory of Catina, revenue 1650 solidi;

2 censers of finest gold weighing 30 lb;

a gift of spices in front of the altars, 150 lb annually.

The holy Font where the emperor Constantine was baptized <by the same bishop Silvester>, of porphyry stone, covered with finest silver on every side, inside and out, on top and the part which contains the water, 3008 lb;

in the middle of the Font, a porphyry column which supports a golden basin in which there is a candle, finest gold, weighing 52 lb, where at Eastertide 200 lb of balsam is burnt, while the wick is of coarse earth-flax;

at the edge of the Font of the Baptistery a golden lamb pouring water, weighing 30 lb;

on the right of the lamb, the Saviour in finest silver, 5 ft in size, weighing 170 lb;

on the left of the lamb, a silver St John the Baptist, 5 ft in size, bearing the inscription BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD, BEHOLD HIM WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD, weighing 125 lb;

7 silver stags pouring water, each weighing 80 lb;

a censer of finest gold with 49 erase jewels, weighing 15 lb;

Presented to the holy Font:

the estate of Festus <chief of the imperial bedchamber, given by the emperor Constantine>, territory of Praeneste, revenue 300 solidi;

the estate Gaba, territory of Gabii, revenue 202 solidi;

the estate Pictas, same territory, revenue 205 solidi;

the estate Statiliana, territory of Cora, revenue 300 solidi;

the estate Taurana, in Sicily, territory Paramnense [of Tauromenium?], revenue 500 solidi;

inside Rome, houses and granaries, revenue 2300 solidi;

the farm of Bassus, revenue 120 solidi;

the estate Laninas, territory of Carseoli, revenue 200 solidi;

the farm Caculas, territory of Nomentum, revenue 50 solidi;

the estate Statiana, Sabine territory, revenue 350 solidi;

the estate Murinas, territory of Albanum on the Via Appia, revenue 300 solidi;

the estate Virginis, territory of Cora, revenue 200 solidi;

Overseas: in the districts of Africa:

the estate luncis, Mucarian territory, revenue 800 solidi;

the estate Capsis, territory of Capsis, revenue 600 solidi;

the estate Varia Sardana, Mimnensian territory, revenue 500 solidi;

the estate Camaras, territory Cryptalupi, revenue 405 solidi;

the estate Numas, territory of Numidia, revenue 650 solidi;

the estate Sulphorata, territory of Numidia, revenue 720 solidi;

the estate of Walzarus, an oil plantation, territory of Numidia, revenue 810 solidi;

in Greece, <territory of Crete,> the estate Cefalina <in Crete>, revenue 500 solidi;

in Mengaulus, the estate Amazon, revenue 222 solidi.

Then the emperor Constantine built- <at bishop Silvester's request> a basilica to St Peter the Apostle, at the temple of Apollo, where he buried the tomb with St Peter's body in this way: the actual tomb he sealed on all sides with copper to make it immovable, 5 ft each at the head, the feet, the right and left sides, the bottom and the top; thus he enclosed St Peter's body and buried it. Above he decorated it with porphyry and other vinescroll columns which he brought from Greece. He also built the basilica's apse-vault of shining gold-foil; and over St Peter's body, above the bronze in which he had sealed it, he provided a cross of finest gold weighing 150 lb, made to measure; on the cross itself is written in <fine> nielloed letters CONSTANTINE AUGUSTUS AND
HELENA AUGUSTA. HE SURROUNDS THIS HOUSE WITH A ROYAL HALL GLEAMING WITH EQUAL SPLENDOUR.

He also provided 4 brass candelabra, 10 ft in size, finished in silver with silver medallions of the acts of the apostles, each weighing 300 lb;

3 gold chalices, <each> with 45 prase and jacinth jewels, each weighing 12 lb;

2 silver metretae weighing 200 lb;

20 silver chalices each weighing 10 lb;

2 gold amae each weighing 10 lb;

5 silver amae each weighing 20 lb;

a gold paten with a tower of finest gold and a dove, adorned with prase and jacinth jewels and with pearls, 215 in number, weighing 30 lb;

5 silver patens each weighing 15 lb;

a gold crown in front of the body, which is a chandelier, with 50 dolphins, weighing 35 lb;

32 silver lights in the centre of the basilica, with dolphins, each weighing 10 lb;

on the right of the basilica, 30 silver lights each weighing 8 lb;

the altar itself, of silver chased with gold, weighing 350 lb, decorated on all sides with prase and jacinth jewels and pearls, the jewels 400 in number;

a censer of finest gold, decorated on all sides with jewels, 60 in number, weighing 15 lb;

Also, for revenue, the presentation made by the emperor Constantine to the apostle St Peter:

in the diocese of the East: in the city of Antioch:

the house of Datianus, revenue 240 solidi;

a small house in Caene, revenue 20 solidi, 1 tremiss;

rooms in Aphrodisia, revenue 20 solidi;

a bath in Cerataea, revenue 42 solidi;

a bakery in the same place, revenue 23 solidi;

a tavern in the same place, revenue 10 solidi;

the garden of Maro, revenue 10 solidi;

a garden in the same place, revenue 11 solidi;

in the suburbs of Antioch:

the property Sybilles, presented to the emperor, revenue 322 solidi, 150 decads of paper, 200 lb spices, 200 lb nardoil, 35 lb balsam;

in the suburbs of Alexandria:

the property Timialica, given to the emperor Constantine by Ambronius, revenue 620 solidi, 300 decads of paper, 300 lb nard-oil, 60 lb balsam, 150 lb spices, 50 lb Isaurian storax;

the escheated property of Euthymius, revenue 500 solidi, 70 decads of paper; in Egypt,

in the suburbs of Armenia [Hermonthis?]:

the property of Agapius, which he gave to the emperor Constantine;

the property Passinopolimse, revenue 800 solidi, 400 decads of paper, 50 medimni of pepper, 100 lb saffron, 150 lb storax, 200 lb cassia spices, 300 lb nard-oil, 100 lb balsam, 100 sacks of linen, 150 lb cloves, 100 lb cyprus-oil, 1000 clean papyrus stalks;

the property which Hybromius gave to the emperor Constantine, revenue 450 solidi, 200 decads of paper, 50 lb cassia spices, 200 lb nard-oil, 50 lb balsam;

in the province of Euphratensis, in the suburbs of Cyrrhus:

the property Armanazon, revenue 380 solidi;

the property Obariae, revenue 260 solidi.

Then the emperor Constantine <and the lord emperor Constantius> built a basilica to St Paul the apostle at the suggestion of bishop Silvester; and he buried and sealed his body in bronze just like St Peter's. To this basilica he presented the following gift:

in Cilicia, in the suburbs of Tarsus, the island Cordionon, revenue 800 solidi.

He placed and arranged all the sacred vessels of gold, silver and bronze at St Paul's basilica just as at St Peter's basilica. He also put a gold cross over the burial place of the apostle St Paul, weighing 150 lb:

in the suburbs of Tyre:

the property Comitum, revenue 550 solidi;

the property Timia, revenue 250 solidi;

the property Fronimusa, revenue 700 solidi, 70 lb nard-oil, 50 lb spices, 50 lb cassia;

in the suburbs of Aegyptia [?]:

the property Cyrios, revenue 710 solidi, 70 lb nard--oil, 30 lb balsam, 70 lb spices, 30 lb storax, 150 lb stacte;

the property Basilea, revenue 550 solidi, 50 lb spices, 60 lb nard-oil, 20 lb balsam, 60 lb saffron;

the property of the island Maccabes, revenue 510 solidi, 500 clean papyrus stalks, 300 sacks of linen.

Then the emperor Constantine built a basilica in the Sessorian Palace; there he placed some of the wood of our Lord Jesus Christ's holy Cross and sealed it with gold and jewels; and from this he chose the name for the dedication of the church, which today is still called Jerusalem. In this place he assigned the following gift:

4 candelabra shining in front of the holy Wood, to match the number of the 4 gospels, each weighing 80 lb;

50 silver chandeliers each weighing 15 lb;

a gold scyphus weighing 10 lb;

5 gold service chalices each weighing 1 lb;

3 silver scyphi each weighing 8 lb;

10 silver service chalices each weighing 2 lb;

a silver paten chased with gold, and with jewels, weighing 50 lb;

a silver altar weighing 250 lb;

3 silver amae each weighing 20 lb;

and he presented to the church all the lands close to the Palace itself;

also the property Sponsas, Via Labicana, revenue 263 solidi;

in the suburbs of Laurentum, the property Patras, revenue 120 solidi;

in the suburbs of Nepet, the property Anglesis, revenue 150 solidi;

in the suburbs of the same city, the property Terega, revenue 160 solidi;

in the suburbs of Falerii, the property Nymphas, revenue 115 solidi;

also in the suburbs of Falerii, the property of Herculius, which he gave to the emperor and the emperor presented to the Jerusalem church, revenue 140 solidi; in the suburbs of Tuder, the property Angulas, revenue 153 solidi.

Then he built a basilica to the martyr St Agnes at the request of his daughter <Constantia>, and a baptistery in the same place, where his sister Constantia was baptized along with the emperor's daughter by bishop Silvester. And there he assigned the following gift:

a paten of finest gold weighing 20 lb;

a gold chalice weighing 10 lb;

a crown chandelier of finest gold, with 30 dolphins, weighing 15 lb;

2 silver patens each weighing 20 lb;

5 silver chalices each weighing 10 lb;

30 silver chandeliers each weighing 8 lb;

40 brass chandeliers;

40 brass candlesticks, chased with silver, with medallions;

a gold lantern with 12 wicks, above the font, weighing 15 lb; and the gift for revenue:

all the land around the city of Fidenae, revenue 160 solidi;

on the Via Salaria all the land beneath the old walls as far as St Agnes', revenue 105 solidi;

the land of Mucius, revenue 80 solidi;

the property Vicus Pisonis, revenue 250 solidi;

the land Casulas, revenue 100 solidi.

Then the emperor Constantine built a basilica to the martyr St Laurence on the Via Tiburtina at the Ager Veranus, above the arenarium of the crypt; to reach the body of the martyr St Laurence he built steps for going up and down. In that place he built an apse and decorated it with purple marble, and above the burial place he sealed it with silver, and decorated it with railings of finest silver weighing 1000 lb; and in front of the actual burial place in the crypt he placed a lantern of finest gold with 10 wicks, weighing 20 lb, a crown of finest silver, with 50 dolphins, weighing 30 lb, 2 bronze candelabra 10 ft in size, each weighing 300 lb; in front of the body of the martyr St Laurence, his passio in medallions chased with silver, with six-wick silver lanterns each weighing 15 lb. <The gift he presented:>

In the same place, the property of one Cyriaces, a religious woman, of which the fisc had taken possession in the time of the persecution, the farm Veranus, revenue 160 solidi;

the property Aqua Tuscia alongside, revenue 153 solidi;

the property of Augustus, Sabine territory, revenue to the account of the Christians, 120 solidi;

the property Micinas of Augustus, revenue 110 solidi;

the property Termulas, revenue 60 solidi;

the property Aranas, revenue 70 solidi;

<the property Septimiti, revenue 130 solidi;> a gold paten weighing 20 lb;

2 silver patens each weighing 30 lb;

a scyphus of finest gold weighing 15 lb;

2 silver scyphi each weighing 10 lb;

10 silver service chalices each weighing 2 lb;

2 silver amae each weighing 10 lb;

30 silver lights each weighing 20 lb;

a metreta of silver weighing 150 lb, capacity 2 medimni.

Then the emperor Constantine built a basilica to the martyrs Saints Marcellinus the priest and Peter the exorcist on the land between the Two Laurels, and a mausoleum where his own <blessed> mother the empress Helena was buried <in a porphyry sarcophagus>, on the Via Labicana at the 3rd mile. There, both for love of his mother and to honour the saints, he placed his votive gifts:

a paten of finest gold weighing 35 lb;

4 silver candelabra chased with gold, 12 ft in size, each weighing 200 lb;

a gold crown, which is a chandelier, with 120 dolphins, weighing 30 lb;

3 gold chalices each weighing 10 lb, with prase and jacinth jewels;

2 gold amae each weighing 40 lb;

an altar of finest silver weighing 200 lb in front of the tomb of the blessed empress Helena-the tomb itself is of hard porphyry, carved with medallions;

20 silver chandeliers each weighing 20 lb;

Also in the basilica of Saints Peter and Marcellinus, the gift he gave:

an altar of finest silver weighing 200 lb;

2 patens of finest gold each weighing 15 lb;

2 silver patens each weighing 15 lb;

a larger gold scyphus, with the imperial name represented on it, weighing 20 lb;

a smaller gold scyphus weighing 10 lb;

5 silver scyphi each weighing 12 lb;

20 silver service chalices each weighing 3 lb;

4 silver amae each weighing 15 lb;

every year 900 16 pure nard-oil, 100 lb balsam, 100 lb spices for incense for the above martyrs Saints Marcellinus and Peter;

the farm Laurentum close to the aqueduct, with a bath and all the land from the Porta Sessoriana as far as the Via Praenestina, by the route of the Via Latina as far as Mons Gabus, the property of the empress Helena, revenue 1120 solidi;

the island of Sardinia, with all the properties pertaining to that island, revenue 1024 solidi;

the island of Misenum, with the properties pertaining to that island, revenue 810 solidi;

the island of Matidia, which is Mons Argentarius, revenue 600 solidi;

the property called Duae Casae, Sabine territory, under Mons Lucretilis, revenue 200 solidi.

Then the emperor Constantine <at the suggestion of bishop Silvester> built in the city of Ostia close to Portus Romanus the basilica of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul and of John the Baptist, where he presented the following gifts:

a silver paten weighing 30 lb;

10 silver chalices each weighing 2 lb;

2 silver amae each weighing 10 lb;

30 silver chandeliers each weighing 5 lb;

2 silver scyphi each weighing 8 lb;

a single silver chrism-paten weighing 10 lb;

a silver basin for baptism, weighing 20 lb;

the island called Assis between Portus and Ostia, all the coastal properties as far as Digitus Solis, revenue 300 solidi;

the property of the Greeks, territory of Ardea, revenue 80 solidi;

the property Quiriti, territory of Ostia, revenue 311 solidi;

the property Balneolum, territory of Ostia, revenue 42 solidi;

the property Nymfulas, revenue 30 solidi.

Also what Gallicanus presented to the above basilica of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and of John the Baptist; he presented the following:

a silver crown with dolphins, weighing 20 lb;

a silver chalice decorated in relief, weighing 15 lb;

a silver ama weighing 18 lb;

the estate Mallianum, Sabine territory, revenue 115 solidi, 1 tremiss;

the farm Picturas, territory of Velitrae, revenue 43 solidi;

the farm of the Suri on the Via Claudia, territory of Veii, revenue 56 solidi;

the estate Gargiliana, territory of Suessa, revenue 655 solidi.

Then the emperor Constantine built in the city of Albanum the basilica of St John the Baptist, where he placed the following:
a silver paten weighing 30 lb;

a silver-gilt scyphus weighing 12 lb;

10 silver service chalices each weighing 3 lb;

2 silver amae each weighing 20 lb;

the property Lacus Turni with the adjacent plains, revenue 60 solidi;

the farm Molas, revenue 50 solidi;