MEDITERRANEAN as MARE NOSTRUM = our sea
DECLINE OF ROME: "Second" Empire from 3rd C.
military pressures:
in East, Persian Sassanid Empire
260 Emperor Valerian dies in captivity
in NW, Germanic tribes (Goths, Franks, Alemanni)
tribes elect chiefs (kings, koenig)
250 AD first raids
Symbol & response
building of Aurelian wall around Rome, 271 AD
Result:
military revolution, Germanization of army,
increase in taxation to support army
271 Aurelian wall in red
Servian wall in black
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:
Motive: military defense of frontiers
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
Capitals:
Trier
ITALY
|
Milan
ILLYRICUM
|
Sirmium
(near Belgrade)
ASIA
|
Nicomedia
(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
• 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
East
Senior
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.
Rulers:
Caesar
|
West
|
East
|
Augustus
Senior
Augustus
|
|
Constantius
Maximian
Diocletian
|
| (abdicate in 305 AD)
son
son
|
|
Constantine Maxentius
Caesar
|
Maximianus
• 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
313 Licinius consolidates military hold on East
323 Battle of Adrianople:
defeat of Licinius by Constantine
324 Constantine sole Emperor in East & West
CONSTANTINE SERIES, RUBENS 17TH C.
CONSTANTINE VERSUS MAXENTIUS
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
|
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
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)
Basilica
of St. Peters
built on site
of Nero’s
Circus
4th Century migrations from central Asia
(through 10th C.)
nomadic horsemen from Asian steppes
first = Huns
Bulgars, Mongols
last = Magyars (9-10th C)
pressure on German tribal confederations allied with Rome
Map of Rome
with Aurelian
Walls and
Christian
Churches
Christian
Churches
built on
peripheries
St. Peters
San Paulo
fuori le mure
San Lorenzo
fuori le mure
San Giovanni
in Laterano
MEDITERRANEAN as MARE NOSTRUM = our sea
Roman influence on Germans:
military tactics, service in Roman army
political organization: from 4th C.
first tribal confederations
Alemanni = “all men”
Franks
= “free men”
5th C. INVASIONS: Visigoths, Alaric, Vandals, Huns
410 AD SACK OF ROME BY ALARIC / VISIGOTHS
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
Pope as primus inter pares (first among equals
among Christian Bishops)
tension between church and state
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
337 deathbed Baptism of Constantine
Theodosius the Great
390 suppression of pagan worship
including the city of Rome
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
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
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