CHAPTER 6Late Antiquity:

The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

The WestEncounters and Transformations

Levack/Muir/Veldman/Maas

Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Crisis and Recovery in the Third Century

II. Christianizing the Empire

III. New Christian Communities and Identities

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Crisis and Recovery in the Third Century

A. The Breakdown of the Imperial Government

235, assassination of Severus Alexander

c.250-300 48 emperors

Gallienus (253-268)

longest reign

Fragmentation

B. Restoration of Order

Diocletian (284-305)

Reforms

Tetrarchy

286, co-ruler Maximian

293, Caesars chosen

Ceremony

Army reorganized

Wages, prices fixed

Taxes increased

Great Persecution

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

I. Crisis and Recovery in the Third Century

C. Government and Society

City councilors

difficult position

Coloni

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

II. Christianizing the Empire

A. Constantine (c.280-337)

305, Diocletian and Maximian step down

Galerius and Constantius succeed

306, Constantius dies

Constantine succeeds

312, Milvian Bridge

defeats Maxentius

revelation

Constantinople, 324

Theodosius II

413, walls

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

II. Christianizing the Empire

B. Spread of Christianity

Bishops

Paul of Tarsus (c.5-67)

role of priests

pastoral role

urban administration

Metropolitan/archbishop

Papacy

bishops of Rome

Peter, Paul

C. Christianity and Rome

St. Peter's Basilica

Saint Paul Outside the Walls

D. Old Gods Under Attack

Constantius II (337-361)

removes Altar of Victory from Senate House

Julian the Apostate (360-363)

Theodosius I (379-385) and Theodosius II (402-450)

forbid polytheistic cults

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

III. New Christian Communities and Identities

A. Doctrine and Heresy

Christological debate

nature of Trinity, of Christ

Arians

(Arius of Alexandria, c. 250-336)

Jesus subordinate to God the Father

Athanasians

Athanasius of Alexandria (293-373)

Jesus equal to God the Father, also human

Council of Nicaea, 325

Constantine

Nicene Creed

Athanasian

451, Council of Chalcedon

reaffirms Nicene Creed

A. Doctrine and Heresy

Jerome

410, Vulgate Bible

Orthodox Christianity

Septuagint

Greek Old Testament

Monophysites

anti-Chalcedonian

Armenia

Copts, Egypt

Syriac church

Arians

Goths

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

III. New Christian Communities and Identities

B. Monastic Movement

Antony

c. 280, abandons property

Athanasius' Life of Antony

Asceticism (= discipline)

Anchorites, hermits

Monasticism

Pachomius (c.292-346)

Basil of Caesarea (c.330-379)

guidelines

John Cassian (c.365-c.433)

Gaul

Benedict of Nursia (c.480-547)

Rule

Women

Melania the Younger (383-439)

Models: Eve and Mary

C. Jews

Attacks on Synagogues

429, office of Jewish Patriarch abolished

D. Pilgrimage

relics

E. Intellectual Life

Curriculum:

trivium: grammar, logical argument, rhetoric

quadrivium: geometry, arithmetic, astronomy, music

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Confessions 397

City of God, 423

Neoplatonism

Plotinus (205-270)

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

A. Western Provinces

Huns

376, drive Visigoths west

278, Visigoths in Empire revolt

Adrianople, Valens killed

Theodosius the Great (379-395)

Visigoths allowed into army

401, Alaric invades

repelled by Stilicho

410, sacks Rome

Britain

Saxons

406, Rhine freezes

418, Visigoths allowed into Aquitania

by 450, independent

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

A. Western Provinces

Huns

376, drive Visigoths west

278, Visigoths in Empire revolt

Adrianople, Valens killed

Theodosius the Great (379-395)

Visigoths allowed into army

401, Alaric invades

repelled by Stilicho

410, sacks Rome

Britain

Saxons

406, Rhine freezes

418, Visigoths allowed into Aquitania

by 450, independent

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

A. Western Provinces

Vandals, into Spain, North Africa

476, Odovacar deposes Romulus Augustulus

Attila, 434-453

450, invades Gaul

451, Catalaunian Fields

Transformations

Germans - Arians

Romans - Chalcedonian

Theodoric the Ostrogoth (493-526)

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

B. Eastern Empire

Justinian (527-565)

Theodora

Corpus of Civil Law:

Justinian Code

Digest

Institutes

Novels

Western Provinces

533, sends Belisarius

542, plague strikes

Persia

Sasanian dynasty (c.220-633)

Justinian v. Chosroes I

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

B. Eastern Empire

Justinian (527-565)

Theodora

Corpus of Civil Law:

Justinian Code

Digest

Institutes

Novels

Western Provinces

533, sends Belisarius

542, plague strikes

Persia

Sasanian dynasty (c.220-633)

Justinian v. Chosroes I

Chapter 6: Late Antiquity: The Age of New Boundaries, 250-600

Levack et al., The West: Encounters and Transformations Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Longman, Copyright 2007

IV. The Breakup of the Roman Empire

B. Eastern Empire

Justinian (527-565)

Theodora

Corpus of Civil Law:

Justinian Code

Digest

Institutes

Novels

Western Provinces

533, sends Belisarius

542, plague strikes

Persia

Sasanian dynasty (c.220-633)

Justinian v. Chosroes I