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In 1440, Lorenzo Valla used Humanist philology to prove that the "Donation of Constantine" (giving the Pope much of Italy) was a forgery; the Latin was from 400 years after the claimed date. What were the specific anachronisms he found? Do we know his sources for 4th vs. 8th century Latin?

by /u/ChubbyHistorian in /r/AskHistorians

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