E00404: The Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome in the 530s, and re-edited before 546, recounts the founding and endowment of the basilica of St *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S00037) on the via Tiburtina outside Rome by the emperor Constantine (312-337).

Liber Pontificalis 34.24

For the following passage it is impossible to reconstruct the text of the first edition.

Second edition

24. Eodem tempore fecit basilicam sancto Laurentio martyri via Tiburtina in agrum Veranum supra arenario cryptae et usque ad corpus sancti Laurenti fecit grados ascensionis et descensionis. In quo loco construxit absidam et exornavit marmoribus purphyreticis et desuper loci conclusit de argento et cancellos de argento purissimo ornavit, qui pen. lib. Ī ; et ante ipsum locum in crypta posuit lucernam ex auro purissimo cum delfinos L, pens. lib. XX;
coronam ex argento purissimo cum delfinos L, pens. lib. XXX;
candelabra aerea II in pedibus denos, pens. sing. lib. CC;
ante corpus beati Laurenti martyris argento clusas sigillis passionem ipsius cum lucernas binixes argenteas, pens. sing. lib. XV.
Donum quod obtulit:
patenam auream, pens. lib. XX;
patenas argenteas II, pens. lib. XXX;
sciphum ex auro purissimo, pens. lib. XV;
sciphos argenteos II, pens. lib. X;
calices argenteos ministeriales X, pens. sing. lib. II;
amas argenteas II, pens. sing. lib. X;
fara argentea XXX, pens. sing. lib. XX;
metreta ex argento, pens. lib. CL, portanate medemnos II;

'24. Then he [Constantine] built a basilica to the martyr saint Laurence on the via Tiburtina at the Ager Veranus, above the arenarium of the crypt; to reach the body of the martyr saint 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 saint Laurence, his martyrdom (passio) in medallions chased with silver, with 6-wick silver lanterns each weighing 15 lb.
The gift he presented:
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.'

There follows a list of the endowments of saint Laurence' s basilica.


Text: Duchesne 1886, 181-182. Translation: Davis 2010, 21, lightly modified. Summary: Robert Wiśniewski.