Helena, mother of Constantine I
Flavia Julia Helena (/ˈhɛlənə/; Greek: Ἑλένη, Helénē; AD c. 246/248 – c. 330), or Saint Helena, was the mother of Roman emperor Constantine the Great. She was born outside of the noble classes,[1] a Greek, possibly in the Greek city of Drepana, Bithynia in Asia Minor.
Helena ranks as an important figure in the history of Christianity and of the world due to her influence on her son. In her final years, she made a religious tour of Syria Palaestina and Jerusalem, during which ancient tradition claims that she discovered the True Cross. The Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Catholic Church, and the Anglican Communion revere her as a saint; the Lutheran Church commemorates her.
Helena’s birthplace is not known with certainty. The 6th-century historian Procopius is the earliest authority for the statement that Helena was a native Greek of Drepanum, in the province of Bithynia in Asia Minor. Her son Constantine renamed the city “Helenopolis” after her death around 330 AD, which supports the belief that the city was indeed her birthplace.[2]
The Byzantinist Cyril Mango has, however, argued that Helenopolis was refounded to strengthen the communication network around Constantine’s new capital in Constantinople, and was renamed simply to honor Helena, not to necessarily mark her birthplace.[3] There was also a Helenopolis in Palestine[4] and a Helenopolis in Lydia.[5] These cities, and the province of Helenopontus in the Pontus, were probably all named after Constantine’s mother.[2]
The bishop and historian Eusebius of Caesarea states that Helena was about 80 on her return from Palestine.[6] Since that journey has been dated to 326–28 AD, she was probably born around 246 to 248 AD. However, little is known of her early life.[7]
Fourth-century sources, following Eutropius’ Breviarium, record that she came from a humble background. Bishop Ambrose of Milan, writing in the late 4th century was the first to call her a stabularia, a term translated as “stable-maid” or “inn-keeper”. He makes this comment a virtue, calling Helena a bona stabularia, a “good stable-maid”.[8] Other sources, especially those written after Constantine’s proclamation as emperor, gloss over or ignore her background.[7]
Both Geoffrey of Monmouth and Henry of Huntingdon promoted a popular tradition that Helena was a British princess and the daughter of “Old King Cole”. This led to the later dedication of 135 churches in England to her, many in around the area of Yorkshire,[9] and revived as a suggestion in the 20th century in the novels of Evelyn Waugh.
