Class 8 Fall of Western Roman
Empire
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
18 September 2013
Key Historical Events in 4th
Century after Constantine
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Constantine’s Empire gets divided among his
sons; but this only leads to civil war and a
weakened Empire
After Constantine, all Emperors except Julian
the Apostate (361-363) were Christians
Some of Constantine's successors in 4th C were
Arians; sent missionaries to Goths north of
Danube (Arian missionary and bishop Wulfila)
Constantinople becomes the most powerful city
in the Empire
So Who Was Julian the Apostate?
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Nephew of Constantine the Great
Constantine was succeeded by his sons
Constans, Constantius and Constantine
(Julian’s cousins)
Constantius consolidated power through
intrigue and murder, including the murder of
Julian’s father and older brothers [DCE 24]
Julian as a boy sent to study in Athens
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may have known Sts. Basil Great and Gregory
Nazianzus there;
pretended to be a Christian
After his studies, he commanded Roman
troops in Gaul
Julian the Emperor
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When Constantius died (361), Julian was
named Emperor by Army
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Tried to reestablish paganism and other nonChristian forms of religion in Empire
Planned to rebuild Jewish Temple in Jerusalem
Tried to mimic Church’s charitable structures in the
State
Died on campaign in Persia (363)
Julian was succeed by a Christian Emperor,
Jovinian
Julian was the last non-Christian ruler in
Europe until 1789 and the French
Revolution (the Enlightenment)
Julian the Apostate in Deus
Caritas Est
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A paragraph devoted to Julian, DCE 24;
and another mention in DCE 31; and
the Encyclical even quotes from one of
his letters!!??
The only historical figure who gets more
‘air time’ in DCE than Julian the
Apostate, is Karl Marx!!??
Why??
Julian as a Metaphor for
Contemporary Church-State Relations
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First consider that Julian was an apostate,
 That is someone who abandoned Christianity;
 Just as much of the contemporary Western world
He abandoned it because of the hurtful things that those calling
themselves Christians had done to him and his family “Emperor
Constantius who passed himself off as an outstanding Christian”
[DCE 24]
What remained in Julian was a recognition of the importance of the
Church's charitable activities
But with Julian, these activities, because they no longer had Christ
at their center, became a vehicle to ensure his own political
popularity and social stability
General restructuring of society and social welfare systems to
ensure political stability was part of the political theories of Karl
Marx
Roman-Barbarian
Relationships
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Because it is over-extended, Roman military tries to
enlist barbarian tribes into defense of frontier along
Danube, Rhine, and in England
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Barbarians get trade
Romans get security
Two problems with arrangement
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Barbarians come ‘peacefully’ into Roman territory during
times of famine or when pushed by other tribes (e.g. Huns)
Romans increasingly think of tribes as auxiliary troops and
try to move them around Empire, especially to fight Persians
in 4th C
Social Differences Military
Structures
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Roman Military Structure
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Very hierarchical
Soldiers not allowed to marry until they
retire
Germanic Tribes Structure
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Very diffuse; gorilla type warfare
Families expected to travel with the ‘army’
Classic Battle: Adrianople
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Between Roman troops under
Emperor Valens and Goths
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Roman army is completely
destroyed
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Valens disappears in the
carnage
Most of the 40,000 Roman
troops are lost
Often thought to signal
‘beginning of end’ of Roman
Empire
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9 August 378
Last Western Emperor 479
Last Eastern Roman Emperor
1453
Still studied today by military
historians
Artifacts from battle are still
being discovered
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http://www.thenagain.info/W
ebChron/Mediterranean/Adria
nople.html
Reaction to Adrianople
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Ambrose:
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“the destruction of the entire globe, the end of the world, the
funerals of relatives, the deaths of fellow citizens and above all the
violation of holy virgins and widows, which is more bitter than any
death.”
“When I heard the result of the engagement I beat my brow, tore
my hair and pondered the cause of the disaster”
Basil, “I have heard that all the roads are filled with brigands
and deserters
Gregory of Nyssa: “Let us fear afflictions, let us expect dangers;
the criminal Goths who are giving birth to a war against us are
not far off.”
John Chrysostom reported a prophecy in Constantinople before
Valens went to battle that if Valens did not reopen orthodox
churches, he would be defeated
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“widows of the fallen have no idea what became of their husbands”
Adrianople and Church History
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Emperor Valens
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To resolve infighting among Constantine's
successors, empire divided East and West, along
Diocletian’s lines
Valens Augustus in East is an Arian
Patriarchate of Constantinople staunchly
Arian during his reign
After battle Orthodox will claim battle was
God’s wrath on Valens
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Turning point in balance of political power
between Arians and Orthodox
Theodosius Great (346-395)
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Out of resulting instability, Western
general, Theodosius, became Emperor
in 379
Theodosius was Baptized a Nicene
(orthodox) Christian in 380
Called Council of Constantinople in 381
Deeply involved with Ambrose, bishop
of Milan, and Gregory Nazianzus,
patriarch of Constantinople
St. Ambrose (340-397)
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Civil administrator in Northern Italy
Milan now military capitol of Western Empire to
counter Goths
When orthodox bishop of Milan died in 373, people
acclaimed Ambrose bishop
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Ambrose tried to flee, but was stopped
Baptized, ordained priest, then bishop within a week
Friends with Basil and Gregory Nazianzus
Wrote a very influential Duties of Clergy
Also wrote many hymns
Ambrose and Theodosius
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Burning of Jewish synagogue in Callinicum in
Mesopotamia
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Theodosius wanted Christian community to pay to rebuild
synagogue
Ambrose wrote scathing sermon saying not right for
Christians to build synagogues
Theodosius backed down
Theodosius massacred people of Thessalonica
because they had rioted and killed Roman
administrators
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Ambrose excommunicated Theodosius
Theodosius publicly repented
St. John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
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Born and educated in Antioch
Studied rhetoric with Libanius, famous pagan
philosopher and orator in Antioch
Joined Diodore’s school
After hiding from those seeking to ordain him, he was
ordained in 386
Acquired sobriquet “Golden Mouth” for his preaching in
Antioch
Became Patriarch of Constantinople in 397
Almost immediately ran afoul of both Imperial and
Church politics
 Political and doctrinal disputes between Alexandria
and Antioch
 Imperial politics, especially in terms of concern for
the poor
Because of political problems, John was exiled (twice)
Legacy of John Chrysostom
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Divine Liturgy developed by him
commonly used in Orthodox Church
We have more of his works extant than
any other Greek Father;
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6 volumes in English in NPNF Series 1
John, along with Athanasius, Basil and
Gregory Nazianzus is considered one of
the Four Doctors of the Greek Church
Reassessment of Triumphalism of
Christian History
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Constantine’s bloody reign
Vicious fighting among heirs
Julian Apostate
Battle of Adrianople
Within 35 years: sack of Rome (410)
Fall of Rome
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Fall of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge
psychological impact
The Goths sacking Rome were Arian
Christians
“My voice sticks in my throat, and as I
dictate, sobs choke my utterance. The
City which had taken the whole world, was
itself taken.” St. Jerome
5th Century Invasions
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firsteuro/imgs/map24.html
Key Historical Events 5th
Century
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Increasingly West was under pressure from northern
tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals) who in turn under
pressure from Huns
Some of those Goths led by Alaric sacked Rome in 410
Effect of Julian’s apostasy and sack of Rome caused
Christian theologians to rethink the initial triumphal
historical view of Constantine: Augustine The City of God
Augustine dies in 430 as Hippo is besieged by Vandals
Center of power in Empire is only in Constantinople
Attila the Hun reaches Rome in 452, persuaded by Pope
St. Leo the Great not to sack Rome Last Roman emperor
in West abdicated in 476
Eastern Roman Emperors
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Constantine
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Council of Nicaea
Theodosius I, Great (379-395)
 Council of Constantinople
 Conflicts with Ambrose
 Last Emperor of East and West
Arcadius (son of Theodosius) and Eudoxia in East (395-408)
 Conflicts with John Chrysostom
Theodosius II (408-450)
 Son of Arcadius
 Council of Ephesus
Pulcharia and Marcion (450-457)
 Pulcharia daughter of Theodosius II
 Council of Chalcedon