This edited collection on the three sons of Constantine the Great (r. 306–337) – Constantine II (r. 337–340), Constantius II (r. 337–361) and Constans (r. 337–350) – provides a generally comprehensive approach to the neglected 24 years between the death of Constantine I in 337 and the accession of Julian in 361 ce. The volume has its origins in several conference sessions in 2011–14, and its aims are apparent from its subtitle, ‘In the Shadows of Constantine and Julian’, which presents an accurate reflection of the general state of scholarship for the Constantinian period. The collection approaches this period through four distinct parts: ‘Creating a Dynasty’; ‘Representations of Authority’; ‘Administration and Governance’; and ‘Religion and Culture’.

Baker-Brian and Tougher's introduction provides a solid overview of the current scholarly state of play on this period and its over-emphasis on Constantius II. The introduction notes the importance of dynasty for the study of the sons of Constantine and provides a comprehensive history of scholarship on this period, as well as presenting the relevant ancient sources including the later Roman and Byzantine histories.

Part 1 comprises two chapters discussing the formative stages of the joint reign of the three sons, which only lasted three years. The first chapter, by J. Vanderspoel, provides a comprehensive narrative introduction and overview of the dynasty from its tetrarchic roots to the death of Constantius II. Vanderspoel discusses the key events surrounding the accession of the sons, while acknowledging the mysterious rise and fall of Constantine's first son, Crispus. The survey also explores the infamous dynastic purge of summer 337 and attempts to identify the mysterious bride of Constantine II. Vanderspoel's extensive use of material evidence demonstrates the many layers of the dynastic formation and legitimacy that the sons required following their father's death.

W. Lewis's chapter on Constantine II and the fraternal civil war of 340 provides the first comprehensive study of this event in English and demonstrates its hitherto unexamined complexities. Lewis provides a clear framework for reconsidering the often glossed-over factors that led to the death of Constantine II in 340, including the possible motivation of administrative ambition, which is usually ignored in favour of imperial and territorial ambition. Lewis concludes that the traditional narrative that Constantine II's motivation for the civil war was driven by his desire for control over Constans’ territory was most likely created by the court of Constans after the death of Constantine II at the hands of Constans’ army.

Part 2 includes contributions on imperial imagery, ideology and legitimacy. E. Varner's chapter on the portraiture and imagery of the Constantinian family offers a broad-ranging study of the material evidence for this period, including discussions of statues, cameos, coinage and the archaeological landscape. Varner suggests that dynastic representations of the imperial house granted the imperial family further authority, which was extended through the promotion of the imperial women of the dynasty. Varner's discussion of the material evidence, particularly the physical landscape, is accompanied by consideration of literary references to these monuments and places these representations into a wider social and political context.

C. Greenlee discusses the representation of imperial unity in the panegyrics of Themistius and Libanius and surveys their formation of the ideology of unity. Greenlee suggests a new date of 342 for Themistius’ Oration 1, which falls within a time of great fraternal discord, if we are to believe Themistius’ presentation of events. Greenlee also discusses Libanius’ lengthy Oration 59 and provides a clear and concise explanation of its contents. Greenlee's conclusions surrounding the presentation of imperial unity within these works suggest that the panegyrics of the Constantinian dynasty were often ‘intellectual narratives’, constructed to (intellectually) solve the issues of disunity that came with the joint reigns of the sons of Constantine.

M. Humphries discusses the significant impact of the Battle of Mursa in 351. Humphries presents an overview of the ‘litany of crises’ that affected the reigns of the sons and considers how Constantius’ final victory over Magnentius in 353 ended a period of civil strife at a military and ideological level. Humphries's conclusions suggest that Constantius made efforts to commemorate the victory and that the emperor used this for his imperial legitimacy following a period that saw his authority deeply contested. Humphries presents the convincing conclusion that the narratives around this decisive battle were used to privilege the positions of authority, both imperial and authorial.

Tougher reconsiders the roles of women and eunuchs at the courts of the sons, as these figures have, as he states, been generally neglected. Tougher argues that imperial women should not be seen as ‘loose ends’ and considers their roles in tandem with those of eunuchs. Tougher concludes that the imperial women of the Constantinian house, in particular, have been overlooked by modern scholars, and that their roles need to be re-examined in terms of their political influence and importance, signalling a welcome shift in modern scholarly traditions.

Part 3, on administration in this period, opens with C. Davenport's chapter on administrative and imperial collegiality and the division of administrative power under the sons. The importance of the imperial college and the relationship between centre and periphery, especially through the appointed praetorian prefects, is at the core of this chapter. Davenport provides a useful overview of the court structures of the sons as well as the roles of the praetorian prefects and their importance in the demonstration of imperial authority and unity. Davenport considers the unity of the governing bodies of the empire and concludes that the overall aim of the government of Constans and Constantius was to be ‘unified and far-reaching’ (p. 250), which is often overlooked by modern scholars who favour the narrative of division.

D. Slootjes considers the long-term effects of the Diocletianic split of the empire, and how this can help explain the initial division of territory under the sons of Constantine. Slootjes notes the tendency of scholarship to omit the period following Constantine when discussing territorial allocations, and examines the importance of these divisions, assessing how the Diocletianic reforms were implemented. Slootjes argues that the administrations of the period saw these reforms ‘embedded into the existing structures’, making excellent use of prosopography to demonstrate these changes through the career of a number of governors.

M. McEvoy's contribution assesses the importance and role of the various imperial capitals during the period and surveys the itineraries of the sons, first as Caesars under their father and later as Augusti. McEvoy discusses the importance of imperial patronage through building programmes, both ecclesiastical and secular, and ambitions for the long-term visibility of imperial generosity in the form of mausolea. McEvoy concludes by exploring Constantius’ relationships with the cities of the empire following his defeat of Magnentius, arguing that the need for a positive relationship was important not only for the emperor, but also for the cities receiving his patronage.

M. Kulikowski discusses the complicated foreign policy under the sons, who faced the threat of incursion on almost every frontier. Kulikowski suggests that Constantine's policy of ‘attack, everywhere and often’ (p. 324) was not sustainable and was heavily affected by intrafamilial disputes and fallouts, such that it was only during the sole reign of Constantius II that any clear foreign policy became possible. Kulikowski concludes that, had there been a consistent policy of a reactive nature, it could have maintained the Persian and Balkan frontiers, which had caused great difficulty for the Constantinian dynasts.

In the final chapter of this section P. Sarris discusses the economic climate during the reigns of the sons and suggests, after a review of recent literature, that scholars need to find a more responsible model for the economic environment of the period. Sarris's chapter considers changes in monetary and fiscal policy under Constantius, where the ‘take off’ of a ‘gold-based fiscal economy’ occurred. Sarris argues that this came at the cost of the ‘ordinary’ people of the empire, while Constantius used its benefits to placate members of the new service aristocracy, which was the result of a shift in administrative design. The economic policy of Constantius, Sarris argues, was largely enabled by the ‘series of remarkable alienations of land derived from the city, temple and crown’ (p. 342).

Part 4, on religion, is the shortest section of the collection, and while the paucity of entries may strike some as unusual, it is, however, welcome. Scholarship on this period tends to be overcrowded around the religious and theological tensions. Baker-Brian's chapter on epistolary relations provides a clear overview of the use of imperial letters by the towering ecclesiastical figures of Athanasius of Alexandria and Hilary of Poitiers. The use of embedded letters in these Christian narratives is common, but Baker-Brian breaks this down into consideration of the Athanasian narratives and versions of history, also noting that the letters and their placements in these ecclesiastical works are of great importance. The focus of the chapter is primarily upon Constantius, but this is not surprising given the paucity of epistolary evidence for the other sons.

The final chapter, by J. Stenger, studies the role of paganism and the surviving voices of pagans from this period. Stenger considers the imperial policy towards pagans and the often accepted notion of religious intolerance under the sons. The chapter makes use of the surviving legislation in the Theodosian Code and of the examples of what Stenger terms ‘verbal anti-pagan violence’, especially in the work of the Christian convert Firmicus Maternus. The survival of pagan practices, despite the alleged imperial decisions against Christianity, is further considered by Stenger and placed against the surviving pagan perspectives of the period, which Stenger concludes can be seen as evidence of the transformation and intellectualisation of traditional religious practices. Stenger rightly concludes that the intellectual discourses of Christian vs pagan have led to perceptions of an ‘us’ and ‘them’ dichotomy, which often accompanies readings of Christian and pagan texts.

Baker-Brian and Tougher's volume is welcome. As is the case with most scholarship on this period, the collection remains overall Constantius-centric. The collection is aware of this issue, and the editors frequently note the issue of crowding around Constantius, especially due to his longevity and ecclesiastically controversial reign. However, the inclusion of a number of understudied aspects of this rich and interesting period makes a valuable contribution to the state of scholarship. In particular, the volume provides a springboard for future studies of the overlooked figures of Constantine II and Constans. The collection is a service to Constantinian studies, and opens many doors and avenues for the future study of the undervalued sons of Constantine.