todays notes

Decline of the Roman Empire

AD 180: Rome has problems

• Economic (trade became risky; taxes were too high; food supply was dropping)
• Military (frontiers were hard to patrol; Roman generals fought for control; soldiers' loyalty declined and mercenaries appeared)
• Mercenaries- soldiers that work for money

Diocletian divided the empire into 2

• Greek-speaking East (had more resources)
• Latin-speaking West (Rome, tradition)

Decline Part 2

• AD 324- Constantine becomes emperor over both halves of the empire
• Moves the capital from Rome to byzantium (renamed Constantinople), where Asia met Europe (now Turkey)
• After his death, empire is divided again
• This time, "barbarian invaders" (Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, Angles, Saxons, Franks) overrun the empire's frontiers
• That's it for the Roman Empire (AD 476)

Diocletian

• Ruled from 284-303
• It's cool to persecute Christians
• Rome need a big army (400,000 strong)
• Rome needs a big government (20,000 officials)

Constantine

• Ruled from 306- 337
• It's cool to BE a Christian
• Conversion to Christianity

Via cross in the sky (conquer by this!)

• 313-His Edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship
• Built a new capital in the East
• Byzantium, soon to be known as Constantinople

The struggle of peasants

Life in the fourth century

• Country dwellers are getting bankrupt by endless tax collection
• New farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
• Peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by landlords
• Paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back- breaking work (such a deal!)
• Landowners hold local powers as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire
• Foreshadowing feudalism

The western Empire crumbles

• Rome's power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power
• Western Empire is too poor, begins to be neglected
• Huns migrate from China to east Europe
• Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture and loot Roman itself in 410
• Vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean

Other Barbarian tribes:

• Ostrogoths in Italy
• Franks in Gaul
• Angles and Saxons in Britain

End of an Era

• From the beginnings…..
• 500 BC- the monarchy is abolished
• 450 BC- the 12 tables are established
• …through the glory days…
• 44 BC- end of the line for Julius Caesar
• 27 BC- 180 AD- the Roman Peace (Pax Romania)
• To the bitter end…
• Constant 5th century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling
• The last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
• Barbarians deposed Romulus Augustulus without bothering to kill him