ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on direct attention to various themes relating to bishops. The most important extra-ecclesiastical power Constantine gave bishops was the right to hear court cases a responsibility that could prove to be a mixed blessing, at least for the bishops who took their duties seriously. The following extract from the longest of the newer letters of Augustine presents a cautionary tale on the need for great care in the selection of bishops. Accordingly, whether a case involves minors or adults, we wish responsibility for the implementation of decisions made by bishops to rest with, which holds the highest position in judicial matters, and with all other judicial authorities. This mosaic inscription, set in the floor of the cemetery chapel at Tipasa in North Africa, commemorates one of the town's bishops from the late fourth or early fifth century, emphasising in particular his charitable activities.
