This volume investigates how the historical reality of Constantine the Great has been obscured and reshaped by centuries of historiographical interpretation and myth-making. Authors Dominic Montserrat and Samuel N. C. Lieu utilize a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the transition of Constantine from a fourth-century Roman emperor to a symbolic figurehead in medieval legend. By examining primary sources alongside later cultural representations, the authors argue that the emperor's legacy is as much a product of religious and political construction as it is of documented fact.

Experts recognize this work as a valuable synthesis for those interested in the intersection of late antique history and the evolution of historical narrative. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the text, which provides a balanced view of Constantine's complex legacy without relying on simplistic interpretations.