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

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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
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The 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
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• 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)

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• 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.

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• 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.

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The 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.

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• 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

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http//en.allexperts.com/e/r/ro/roman_empire.htm
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• 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.

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• 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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Q 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?
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• For next class
• An overview of the relations of the Roman
  Republic and Empire with its neighbors internal
  relations and international relations.