Rome Fades Away: Note-taking for Test

Rome Fades Away:

Two Emperors:

Diocletian:

·        Ruled from 284-303

·        Under his rule, near the end of his reign, it was fine with him to persecute Christians. (They are disobeying the law of the land)

·        Rome needs a big army (400,000 strong) They can’t control their borders or take care of their land

·        Rome needs a big government (200,000 officials)

·        But this means, the more people, the more money they need to pay soldiers and government officials

·        Have to provide them with food, supplies, and weapons

·        Solution at the end of his reign: realized his idea was stupid and irrational, idea was to take divide the roman empire into half- western and eastern roman empire

·        Each empire had their own emperors, taxes, and army

Constantine:

·        Ruled from 306-337

·        He was fine with people being Christians

·        He converted once he had his vision

·        313- his Edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship in the Roman Empire (Big step because of past when you couldn’t believe in what you wanted to)

·        Built a new capital in the East

·        Byzantium, soon to be known as Constantinopleà Constantine

The Struggle of the Peasants:

Life in the Fourth Century:

·        Country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection

·        New farming systems: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms

·        Peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by the landlords

·        Paying off debts and being “allowed” to live on the land, in exchange for endless back-breaking work

·        Landowners hold local power 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 eastern Europe

·        Visigoths takes over Spain, and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410

·        Vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean

·        Other barbarian tribes:

·        Ostrogoth’s 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 twelve tables are established

…through the glory days…

44 BC- end of the line for Julius Caesar

27 BC-180 AD- the Roan Peace (Pax Romana)

To the bitter end…

Constant fifth 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 Augustus without bothering to kill him