• Late Roman Empire

• Germanic invasions

• Emperor Constantine

• Christianity

MEDITERRANEAN as MARE NOSTRUM = our sea

LATE ROMAN EMPIRE

GERMANIC INVASIONS OF 3rd CENTURY AD 250-271

271 Aurelian wall in red Servian wall in black

AURELIAN WALL 271 AD

built by Emperor Aurelian for defense of city against German invaders

Military revolution of 3rd Century

begins with temporary measures under

Marcus Aurelius: resorts to conscription of

slaves, gladiators, criminals, barbarians (Germans)

Septimus Severus 193-211

opens Praetorian Guard to Germans

increasing militarization, rise in taxes

rise of provincials and Germans in army:

Diocletian: son of freedman from Dalmatia

social revolution in army and ruling class

Diocletian

284-305

TETRARCHY 284-305 AD “rule of four”

DIOCLETIAN’S REORGANIZATION OF EMPIRE:

Motives: 1) military defense of frontiers

2) orderly succession

Four rulers:

two Augusti

(Diocletian as Senior Augustus)

they choose

two Caesars (adopted successors,

not their own sons)

Four Prefectures and four capitals: none at Rome

WHERE IS ROME?

Four Prefectures and their capitals:

GAUL ITALY ILLYRICUM ASIA

|

Capitals: | | |

Trier Milan Sirmium Nicomedia

(near Belgrade) (on Bosphorus Straits

near Byzantium)

Imperial government under Diocletian:

4 prefectures, each divided into

12 dioceses, which are then divided into

100 provinces for local government and tax collection

Western Empire: capitols – Trier and Milan

Eastern Empire: capitols – Sirmium and Nicomedia

DIOCLETIAN’S DIVISION OF

EMPIRE INTO 12 DIOCESES

• Four Prefectures and their capitals: (none at Rome)

• GAUL ITALY ILLYRICUM ASIA

• Capitals: | | |

• Trier Milan Sirmium Nicomedia(near Belgrade) (on Bosphorus

near Byzantium)

• Rulers: West EastSenior

Caesar Augustus Augustus Caesar

Constantius Maximian Diocletian Maximianus| | (abdicate in 305 AD)

Son Son| |

Constantine Maxentius

PALACE OF DIOCLETIAN, SPLIT (modern Croatia)

Split (in modern Croatia) site of Diocletian’s palace

BATHS OF DIOCLETIAN, ROME

Basilica

of San

Marco

Venice

11-12th C.

Porphyry marble

statues of the

fourTetrarchs

thought to be

the four Evangelists

Matthew, Mark,

Luke and John

Tetrarchs –

each Augustus

embraces his

Caesar

Rulers: West East

| |

Senior

Caesar Augustus Augustus Caesar

| | | |

Constantius Maximian Diocletian Maximianus

| | (abdicate in 305 AD)

son son

| |

Constantine Maxentius

• 305 Abdication of Diocletian and Maximian

their Caesars become Augusti

New Caesars chosen:

Italy: Flavius Valerius Severus (under Constantius)

Illyricum: Galerius Valerius Maximinus Daia

(under Maximianus)

• 306 - 312 battle for succesion among all of the above,

except Diocletian, including sons of western Augustus

(Maxentius) and western Ceasar (Constantine)

plus addition of Licinus in 308

312 Constantine invades Italy:

defeats & kills Maxentius at

Battle of Milvian Bridge: vision of cross in Sun

voice: “In this Sign you will conquer.”

313 Edict of Milan: toleration of Christianity in Empire

CONSTANTINE SERIES, RUBENS 17TH C.

CONSTANTINE VERSUS MAXENTIUS

313 Licinius consolidates military hold on East

323 Battle of Adrianople (near Byzantium)

defeat of Licinius by Constantine

324 Constantine sole Emperor in East & West

end of Diocletian’s reform plan for the Tetrarchy

Constantinople as "new Rome" and "capital of Christianity":

330 capital moved to Byzantium/Constantinople –

religious, military & administrative reasons

remains capital until 1453 (Ottoman Turks)

390 Christianity becomes official religion of Empire

under Emperor Theodosius I (378-395)

pagan sacrifices outlawed, including in city of Rome

BASILICA OF MAXENTIUS & CONSTANTINE in Roman Forum

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

largest ruin in the Roman Forum

||

Colossal status of Constantine from

Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

Reconstruction of the Basilica of

Maxentius and Constantine

CHRISTIANITY IN ROME

Christ as Jewish prophet: born under reign of Augustus

crucified under Tiberius 33 AD

Early Christian martyrs (those who died for the faith)

St. Peter: first of the Apostles

“Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church.”

Gospel of St. Matthew

St. Paul: Jewish, Roman citizen

Apostle to the Gentiles (= non-Jewish people)

converted on road to Damascus

author of Epistles (Letters) to Romans, Corinthians

15th C.

Crucifixion

of St. Peter

Lippi

Peter crucified

during reign of

Nero

17th C

Caravaggio

Crucifixion

of St. Peter

Characteristics of Christian religion:

1 cosmopolitan, universalist (= catholic in Greek)

anyone can join

2 scripture (writings) as basis of Christian identity:

Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Epistles (letters): especially those of Paul

3 egalitarian: ignore distinctions of “slave” vs “free”

4 communal: social support for poor, widows

rituals define who belongs: Baptism, Communion

260-302 period of toleration of Christians

303-305 persecutions of Diocletian

325 COUNCIL OF NICEA:

1st ecumenical (world-wide) council of Christian Church

called by Constantine acting as head of church

CAESAROPAPISM: Caesar acts as Pope,

fusion of Church and State

council condemns as heresy (incorrect doctrine)

the view of the Trinity taught by

ARIANS: followers of Arius hold that

Christ as son is lesser being than Father

Nicene Creed : orthodox definition of Trinity stated

by Council of Nicea

Son is of “same substance” with the Father

(Greek = homo-ousia)

DOCTRINE OF PAPAL PRIMACY IN ROME

East: CAESAROPAPISM -- "Caesar acts as Pope"

pattern set by Constantine; Church as department of state

Emperor calls church councils, decides doctrinal disputes

West:

Roman church resists Imperial control from the East

evolve doctrine of papal primacy within Church

Bishop of Rome as successor of St. Peter becomes

Pope primus inter pares (first among equals

among Christian Bishops)

tension between church and state in the west

Basilica

of St. Peters

built by

Constantine

on site

of Nero’s

Circus

Map of Rome

with Aurelian

Walls and

Christian

Churches

Christian

Churches

built on

peripheries

St. Peters

San Paulo

fuori le mure

(outside the

walls)

San Lorenzo

fuori le mure

San Giovanni

in Laterano

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION from Peter

gatekeeper of Heaven, holds "keys of kingdom"

Scriptural foundation of Peter's authority: Matthew 16:18

"Thou art Peter & upon this rock I will build my church.“

body in Vatican: relic, pilgrimage site;

pallium (symbol of Papal authority) placed on tomb

of St. Peter by each newly chosen pope

CHRISTIANITY IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE:

Constantine as first Christian Emperor

313 Edict of Milan: toleration of Christian worship

324 Capital moved to Constantinople:

Christian city, free of Roman paganism

325 Council of Nicea: expulsion of Arian heretics

from Empire

337 deathbed Baptism of Constantine

Theodosius the Great

390 suppression of pagan worship

including the city of Rome

FIFTH CENTURY INVASIONS

pressure on German tribes from Asiatic peoples moving west

VISIGOTHS (West Goths) Arians

ULFILAS 4th C: translates Arian Bible to Gothic

370 AD request permission to missionary enter Empire

376 disarmed Goths attacked by Roman army; war

378 Battle of Adrianople: defeat of EMPEROR VALENS by Goths

new EMPEROR THEODOSIUS (378-395)

makes temporary peace with Goths, aided by

STILICHO THE VANDAL: minister under Theodosius

able to deal effectively with Visigoths

St. AUGUSTINE AND CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW

theologian, Bishop of Hippo (north Africa); Church Father

Autobiography = Confessions: mother Monica;

Carthage; conversion; Bishop Ambrose of Milan

Refutation of 4-5th C. Heresies (incorrect doctrines):

Manicheanism: problem of evil in monotheism

dualism as explanation for evil:

good God vs evil God

omnipotence of God vs goodness of God;

Augustine: theory of evil as absence of good

Pelagianism: 4th C. Roman priest, Pelagius

salvation through effort, good works = morality

Augustine: original sin as totally corrupting, need grace

410 Sack of city of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth (German)

pagans blame Christians for the sack of Rome

declining role of Roman Senate since Diocletian

St. Augustine’s response: Christian theory of history

413 CITY OF GOD (vs City of man):

Christian versus Roman explanations of Sack of Rome :

Roman: abandonment of worship of official Roman gods

Augustine: Rome as the “city of man,” impermanent,

state as punishment for original sin, fallen

heavenly City of God versus earthly city (Rome)

but Roman Empire divinely ordained to spread Christianity

divine Providence guides history towards last days

VANDALS (German Arians):

429 invade Africa, besiege Hippo; 439 Carthage;

attack Italy by sea, Kingdom lasts to 534

HUNS (central Asians)

enter Europe 372 from Urals; 375 Danube; 451 Gaul; 452 Italy

ATTILA "the scourge of God": attacks Empire in east;

invades western Empire

451 Troyes: Huns defeated by Aetius, last great Roman general

(but note that Aetius' army is largely German)

452 invades Italy; Venice founded by Italians fleeing Huns

POPE LEO I persuades Attila to spare Rome; Attila dies 453

476 AD FALL OF ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE WEST

deposition of Romulus Augustulus by Odoacer

(mixed German/Hun)

OSTROGOTHIC KINGDOM (493-535):

first of "barbarian" or Germanic successor kingdoms

THEODORIC (493-526)

King of the Ostrogoths (= East Goths, Arians)

authorized by Eastern Roman Emperor to

march against Huns in Italy

Theodoric slays Odoacer;

accepted by Senate & People of Rome (SPQR)

establishes court at Ravenna (Adriatic coast)

GERMANIC SUCCESSOR KINGDOMS (successors to Rome in the West