ROMANS, BARBARIANS AND CHRISTIANS

 

 

  1. In 3rd Century the Roman Empire began to disintegrate
    1. Civil War (235 – 284)
    2. “Barracks’ Emperors”
  2. Diocletian (ruled 284 – 305) from Spalato
    1. Reorganized administrative structure

                                                               i.      Empire divided into Eastern and Western halves - Tetrarchy

1.      East – Diocletian – Dominus

2.      West – Maximian – Augustus

3.      Each man assisted by Caesar

                                                             ii.      Each half divided into prefectures (prefect); divided into dioceses (vicarius); divided into provinces (governor)

    1. Transformed emperor

                                                               i.      Princeps – absolute monarchy

                                                             ii.      Jovius (son of Jupiter)

    1. Structured economy                                                                           i mobility, wages, prices
    2. Attacked Christians
  1. Constantine (306 – 337) – ruled 324 – 337
    1. Recognition of Christianity as legitimate
    2. Christian building program in Rome
    3. New capital – Byzantium aConstantinople

 

(Western Roman Empire)         WnE               (Byzantine Empire)

 

  1. 4th Century – Germanic/Barbarian Migrations
    1. Motivations? – overpopulation/threat of Huns
    2. Goths ask Emperor Valens for permission aEmpire
    3. 378 Battle of Adrianople
    4. 476 Romulus Augustus aOdoacer

 

3000 BC                      End of Ancient World                           500 AD

 

  1. Germanic Culture
    1. Franks/Clovis (ruled 481 – 511)/Gaul

                                                               i.      496 conversion to Christianity

                                                             ii.      Intermarriage of Barbarians and Romans

    1. Christendom (France, Belgium, Rhineland, Britain, Northern Italy)
    2. Basic social unit – kin (non-nuclear family)
    3. Law – custom – wergeld
    4. Kings - warriors

See Tacitus, Germania