Download - Rb 13 later roman britain
• Restoration of the Empire
• Attempting to cope with the economy• The rich get richer
• Usurpers – British Emperors
• Invaders• The rich flee?
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Fourth Century Sunset
Ties of Britain and the Empire
•Political• Military and political leaders under central command• Movement of people
•Economic• Trade• Taxes • Money
•Religious• State religion• Hierarchal church
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Restoration of the Empire
• Postumus successors in the Gallic Empire were generally short-lived
• Tetricus was defeated by Aurelian with his own connivance
• Reformation of currency• Increased silver (still only 5%)
• Increased weight
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Tetrarchy
Diocletian
Augustus
Maximianus
Augustus
Constantius
Caesar
Gaul and Britain
Galerius
Caesar
Balkans
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Carausius – Usurper
•Humble origin
•Naval commander
•Charged with fighting Frankish and Saxon pirates
•Technique is to gain their booty
•Sentenced in absentia for embezzlement
•Allies with Picts and Scots to defeat British governor and then captures London.
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Carausius-Rebuilding the empire
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Romano Renova
Roman Renewal
RSR
Redeunt saturnia regna
Iam nova progenies caelo demittir alto.(I N P C D A)
Virgil, Ecologues IV
The golden age returns.
Now a new generation is sent down from heaven above.
Carausius
• Hoped to be named third Augustus with Diocletian and Maximian
• Constantius I defeats his Frankish allies.
• Assassinated by his minister, Allectus.
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Allectus-Usurper
• Supported by landowners
• Used Frankish and/or Frisian mercenaries
• Defeated by Constantius
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Inflation
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10
100
1000
10000
100000
-100 0 100 200 300 400
Date (CE)
Am
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(d)
Wages
Wheat Cost/Yr.
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Inflation
Diocletian
Diocletian Reforms
•Tetrarchy• Provision for succession; term limits
•Wage and price controls
•Reorganization of provinces• Separation of civil and military
•Compulsory service• Soldiers, bakers, decurions of town councils, and tenant
farmers
•State religion
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Reorganization of provinces
Hierarchy
Province(50)
Governor
Diocese(12)
Vicar
Praetorian Prefect(4)
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Governance of Late Roman Britain
Civitates
Brittania Prima
Civitates
Brittania Secunda
Civitates
Flavia Caesariensis
Civitates
Maxima Caesarensis
Civitates
Valentia?
Diocese-London
Prefect-Gaul-Trier
Emperor
Cirencester York Lincoln London ?
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Military
• Generals-Dux
• Comitatenses-field forces• Auxilia-recruited from Germans
• Limitanei-Garrison troops
• German commanders occupy many high positions; learn Roman tactics
• Mercenaries?
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Economic Reforms
• Maximum Price Edict • Set maximum prices for goods
• Set price for labor
• Impact• Black market
• In-kind payments
• Decline of money economy
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Fourth Century Inflation
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Inflation
1
10
100
1000
10000
100000
280 290 300 310 320 330
Date (CE)
Am
ou
nt
(d)
Wages
Wheat Cost/Yr.
Constantine
• 305 Diocletian abdicates
• 306 Constantius dies at York fighting Picts and Scots
• 306 Constantine proclaimed by his troops
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One Unhappy Family
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Crispus
Constantine II
Constantius II
FaustaCo
nsta
ntin
e
Helena
Minervina
Constans
Religion and Constantine
• Constantius was less diligent in enforcing Diocletian’s edicts against Christians
• Toleration and restoration of Christianity under Constantine
• Strip some temples of wealth
• Julian revival of paganism
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Church Organization
•Nicaea – primacy of Rome and Alexandria
•Metropolitan bishops – capital cities• Bishops in each city; some market towns, military areas
•Tituli –financed by bishop
•Parochiae, dioceses – financed by wealthy and offerings
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Barbarian or Great Conspiracy 367 CE
• Rising sea level in Saxony
• Simultaneous raids of Picts, Scots, Attacotti, Frankish and Saxon pirates
• Deaths of leaders Nectaridus, Fullofaudes
• Corruption of frontier troops
• Put down by Theodosius
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Theodosian Restoration
• Official Christianity
• Rebuild forts along Hadrian’s wall with reduced garrisons
• Saxon shore forts
• Addition of circular or polygonal towers to forts and city walls
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Northern Defenses
•Route along the line of the Wall• Includes line along west coast• Supporting forts south of Wall – Lanchester, Elslack,
Ribchester, Bainbridge
•Other• HQ – legio VI, York• Arbeia, supply fort; Ribchester, Malton• Signal towers on North Sea
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Comes litoris Saxonici
• Portchester –scouts• Lympne - units from Tournai?• Dover-Tungrians• Richborough – II Augusta• Reculver - infantry from
Weslafen, Germany• Bradwell - remnant from legio
II Traiana Fortis?• Brancaster – Dalmatian cavalry
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Evidence of Decline
• Abandonment of towns
• Abandonment of villas
• Decline in construction
• Less innovation in manufacturing (pottery)
Changing Role of Cities
• Basilicas sometimes turned to other uses.
• Continue to maintain baths, amphitheaters, roads and water systems.
• Administer taxes. Tax rate from 25% to 33% of gross.
• Revenue used to support army and buy produce.
• Decline of long-distance trade – London.
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Changes in Cities
• In most cases buildings (baths, basilicas, theatres) remained, were partially demolished and were not repaired; some deliberate demolition
• Gates blocked at Silchester, Caerwent, Canterbury
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New Construction
• Possible agricultural buildings• No verification
• Canterbury, Gloucester – paved courtyard in temple area• Gathering areas for military?
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Reuse
• Industrial activity• Iron, bronze, lead, pewter and silver working
• Glass working, bone working
• Found in forum/basilica and temple/’church’ structures
• Recycling
• Metal working may have had ritual significance
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Timber rather than stone
• Structures take advantage of supporting walls
• Previously interpreted as squatters
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A Leader in Wroxeter?
Date: 460-475
Inscription:
CVNORIX | MACVSM/A | QVICO[L]I[N]ETranslation:Cunorix son of Maqui Coline .
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More Usurpers and Barbarians
•Magnus Maximus 383-8• Use of barbarians to
maintain power• Withdraws troops to fight on Continent
•Stilicho, of Vandal birth, commander of field army in the west. • Fights Picts in 398; takes control of sea to
defeat Saxons and Scots
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Foederati - Federates
• Non-Roman troops with non-Roman commanders• Attacotti – Irish federates?
• Saxons or Alemanni?
• Declining literacy of the military
• Garrison troops (limitanei) -local
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More Evidence of Decline
• Decrease in money supply• Coin clipping
• Hoards
• Counterfeits
• Abandonment of shops
Empire under Siege
• Invasions threaten heart of Empire
• Troops needed
• Britain considered less vital
• Is the end near?
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Religious Controversy
Pelagius
• Moral perfection is attainable in this life without the divine grace through human free will,
• Not all humanity was guilty in Adam's sin,
• Adam had condemned humankind through bad example,
• Christ’s good example offered a path to salvation,
Augustine
• Perfection is impossible without divine grace • We are born sinners (original sin)
Continued Religious Controversy
• Missions from Continent to remnants of Christianity in Britain• More concern for deviation than paganism
Military decline
• Legion strength reduced to 10% of former level
• Limitanei less well trained
• Units of federates?
Revolt in the Provinces
• Military revolts elevate Marcus, Gratian (407), Constantine III(407)
• Withdrawal of troops
Revolt in Provinces
• Rejection of central authority• No taxation without protection?
• Allegiance to Honorius not Constantine III?
• Reaction of Honorius• Inability to provide protection
• No protection wo taxation?
The ties are broken
• 406 Effective end of diocesan control
• 409 Britain expels Roman officials
• 410 Defense of Britain left to civitates
• Reassertion by elite Celts who occupy hill-towns and forts in outlying areas.
• End of Pax Romana
• Migrations to Ireland, Brittany, Gaul
Breakdown of Urban Britain
• No new coins after 402 (?)
• Abandoned homes
• New homes built in rubble
• Layers of black dirt – weeds or agricultural use
• Burial within walls
Climate Change
• Glacial advance c. 400
• Increased rainfall c. 400
• Cooling after 350
• Sea level rise 120-400
• Rhine freezes in 406 allowing barbarians to cross
Impacts on Agriculture
• Marginal boundary drops in altitude
• Increased rainfall-increased erosion
• Impact of military demand
• Disruption of traditional agriculture in border regions
• Changes in labor supply
• Famine-reported by Gildas
Example: Upper Thames
• Spelt wheat disappears but flax and barley continue
• Cattle decrease while sheep increase
• Exotics disappear
• Reduced population, changed social structure or climate change?
Agriculture and Influences
• Reforestation at end of Roman period
• Loss of military market
• Loss of urban markets
• Loss of labor
Consequences
• Coinage disappears
• Loss of skilled masons and engineers• Timber buildings
• Loss of industry• Hand molded pottery
• Exceptions – continuity of use at some level