Title: T h e A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s i t y o f R o m e HST 201 Survey of Western Civilization I
1 T h e A m e r i c a n U n i v e r s i t y o f
R o m e HST 201 - Survey of Western
Civilization I
Session 9 Late Antiquity and the Decline of the
Western Roman Empire
2The euphemism of the Pax Romana
With Augustus
200
The Crisis
In provincial regions
New structure
337
The start of the long final crisis
Romes legacy continues in the East
Theodosius
p.99
3- Crisis in the empire during the 3rd century
- Political events
- gt Succession, Marcus Aurelius-Commodus
- gt Civil and military unrestMilitary reinforce
their hold of power, dictatorship (as we know it
now) Septimus Severus (Forma Urbis) - gt Caracalla gives Roman citizenship to all free
citizens (out of the blue), is able to enlarge
tax base Dio, cited by Garnsey (200., 134)
4- Crisis in the empire during the 3rd century
- Political events (more)
- gt The central role of women in the imperial
Severan family does not help - gt 235-284 Period of civil war, barrack
emperors - (http//www.livius.org/ei-er/emperors/emperors0
3.html) - gt First serious invasions, 251, Goths. Then 260
defeat by the Sassanid Persians (Valerian) and
then Roman vengeance (Gallienus, his son). - gt Disillusion of the population-citizens with the
idea of Rome and its welfare regional
differences within the empire secessionist
movements.
5- lt Gallienus and the representation of emperors in
the age on anxiety - gt The western provinces of Gaul and Germany set
up their own Gallic Empire under Postumus. - gt Claudius II, called Gothicus, and the next
emperor, Aurelian (270), self-proclaimed
'restorer of the world', brought the divergent
parts of the empire back under their control. But
the reunification did not halt the constant
usurpations and rebellions.
6The Role of Emperor
- The tradition was that since the first emperor,
Augustus, Roman emperors had drawn upon dynastic,
military and religious legitimization when
presenting their position of power. - De Jong, studying Egyptian documents (Egypt is
still a Roman province), suggests that from
Diocletian onwards, the position of emperor
clearly acquired a different character the
emperor became more of an absolute monarch and
ruled by the grace of god. This is closely
related to the crisis and upheaval in the empire. - Constantine and his Christian entourage will show
the change.
7- Crisis in the empire during the 3rd century
- Economic facts
- gt Debasement of currencygrants to the armies
(Enrich the armiesscorn the rest) Inflation - gt Excessive taxation of civilians in the
provinces. Then, low productivity in all
activities - gt Decline of civic prosperity
- gt Disease and plague in the provinces
- gt Slave population decreases low birth rates
- gt Increase in the burden of compulsory public
service - gt Increased demands for annona militaris
- gt Reversion to taxation in kind
- gt Decrease in agricultural productivity
- gt Technological advances in a slave-based
society
8http//en.allexperts.com/e/r/ro/roman_empire.htm
9- Solution to the crisis Reorganization of the
Empire, Diocletians Tetrarchy, 284 AD - gt From princeps (the first citizen, the
caretaker) to dominus (lord), the openly
autocratic emperor bombastic propaganda - gt Rules of succession and sharing governing
(and defense) responsibilities. Creates Augusti
and Caesars. Followed, after his death, however,
by war of succession - gt Separate military from civilian spheres of
power (Senate in completely overshadowed)distanci
ng the military from decision-making (kingmaker)
roles - gt Regulation of the economy (but, also
hereditary professions, including the army) - gt Reforms tax systemsspecial corps
- gt Moves administration to Nicomedia, because of
the wealth and prosperity of the east.
10http//byfiles.storage.live.com/y1p4iRkswKU_U9yfAU
Elks2H6CXgAGblb0-duJt3FSmdlU1WBWC7MJW7nyjhvg7d00Xp
Qip9iP67j8
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12- Constantine, and his harmful restructuring of the
Empire (if he had had the survival of the West in
mind) - gt Christianity enters into the political
playemperor not only as god, but by the will of
god - gt Reunifies the empire. Fights against his peer
to gain control of all the lands - gt Then, reinstitutes hereditary succession. He is
succeeded by his three sons that divide the
territories, and immediately confront each other
in politic as well as religious issues (just as
the father had done) - gt Combined with the political decision to
concentrate his efforts on the richest and most
promising areas the structure of Italian Rome
has become too complex (i.e. too much invested in
private interests - gt Theodosius concludes another period on
instability by reunifying the empire and
declaring Christianity official. But the peace is
short lived as he divides also the
empirenatural/cultural east-west divisionsplus
secessionist adventures
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14Q of chapter 6 gt What where the principles by
which Diocletian reformed the Roman empire? gt How
did Christianity become the majority religion
within the Roman empire? gt What major changes did
Christianity undergo during the fourth century? gt
Why did the Germanic invasions succeed? gt What
distinctive themes of western Christian thought
were emerging during the 4th and 5th centuries? gt
How was classical culture Christianized? gt Why
did Justinian's plan to reunite the Roman empire
fail? gt How many stages can you establish in the
management strategies of the Roman empire?
15- For next class
- An overview of the relations of the Roman
Republic and Empire with its neighbors internal
relations and international relations.