Late Roman Empire Germanic invasions Emperor Constantine ... to Germans.pdf · (under Maximianus)...
Transcript of Late Roman Empire Germanic invasions Emperor Constantine ... to Germans.pdf · (under Maximianus)...
• 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