Fall of Roman Empire
Survival in east as Byzantium
Barbarian invasions and kingdoms set up on ruins of rom empire
Triumph of Christianity
Survive extinction
Crisis of Roman Empire
Legacy peculiar
Pope Latin
Catholic Church best preserver of Roman Empire now
After 5th century
Byzantium
Abandon Latin for Greek 6th
1453 end
Other preserver is Islam
Islam in area of Roman Empire
Egypt Syria turkey Balkans
How it endured for so long
Why did it fail
Why did it fall to more primitive
Power of religious ideas
Personally social politically
The good emperors
Edward Gibon
96 to 180
Happiness of people sole goal of government
Roman Empire was not designed to reward ordinary people
It’s laws were designed to protect the property of the rich
Surprisingly tolerant
Anyone could be citizens but must conform
Diocletian
Constantine
Roman Empire was enduring, stable
410 pillaging – first time in 800 years. Empire 400 years old
Only power to control all the Mediterranean. Others only 40%
England to Sahara
Spain to Armenia
Gibon says Christianity was the cause of fall (18th century writing)
Not accepted any more
Rome tolerant but drew the line at Christianity
Brought in Gods – Zeus one day Isis next
Half of budget on empire
Urban civilisation
Cities had local gods and administration
All cities laid out. You’d know laid out on grid – where market, law courts were etc
Flaws
Imbalance between rural and urban
Drain land of vitality
East more prosperous than west
Third century. Army realises it can make and break emperors
Questions should be in back of your mind?
Fall – foreign threats or internal weakness
Continuity vs change
How did the rise of Christianity affect the empire
How does it triumph, seems so alien
284 – 305
Diocletian
Solved a number of problems
That threatened the empire