Fifty Men Chosen to Carry the Cross

So he chose the men of his bodyguard who were most outstanding for bodily strength, courage and godliness, and gave them the sole care and defense of the standard. There were no fewer than fifty men whose only duty was to surround the standard and guard it watchfully, carrying it on their shoulders each in turn. The emperor himself told these things to the writer of this account in his leisure hours, long after the events took place. And he added another incident well worth recording.