Lecture 11: Fall of Roman Lecture 11: Fall of Roman Empire + Emergence of Empire + Emergence of

ByzantiumByzantium

Imperial Decline: Imperial Decline: Barbarians in the Western Barbarians in the Western

EmpireEmpire• Increasing presence Increasing presence

of “Germans” of “Germans” • Attila + the HunsAttila + the Huns• The Visigoths: The Visigoths:

Battle of Adrianople Battle of Adrianople (378)(378)

• Alaric: The sack of Alaric: The sack of Rome (410)Rome (410)

• Other barbarian Other barbarian strongholdsstrongholds

Western Roman Empire: Western Roman Empire: Barbarian LeadersBarbarian Leaders• Mercenary Mercenary

demands + demands + mutinymutiny

• Odovacer, King of Odovacer, King of RomeRome

• Rule of Theodoric: Rule of Theodoric: peace + stabilitypeace + stability

Characteristics of the Characteristics of the Germanic KingdomsGermanic Kingdoms

• Roman + Germanic Roman + Germanic institutionsinstitutions

• Religion: ArianismReligion: Arianism• Franks: Orthodox Franks: Orthodox

ChristianityChristianity

http://www.fordham.edu/http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/496clovis.htmlhalsall/source/496clovis.html

Possible reasons for fall of Possible reasons for fall of RomeRome1.1. Division of EmpireDivision of Empire2.2. ChristianityChristianity3.3. Imperial decayImperial decay4.4. Military decayMilitary decay5.5. Economic declineEconomic decline6.6. PlaguesPlagues

Why did Rome “fall”?Why did Rome “fall”? "The decline of Rome was the natural and "The decline of Rome was the natural and

inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. inevitable effect of immoderate greatness. Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the Prosperity ripened the principle of decay; the cause of the destruction multiplied with the cause of the destruction multiplied with the extent of conquest; and, as soon as time or extent of conquest; and, as soon as time or

accident and removed the artificial supports, the accident and removed the artificial supports, the stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its stupendous fabric yielded to the pressure of its own weight. The story of the ruin is simple and own weight. The story of the ruin is simple and

obvious: and instead of inquiring why the Roman obvious: and instead of inquiring why the Roman Empire was destroyed we should rather be Empire was destroyed we should rather be surprised that it has subsisted for so long" surprised that it has subsisted for so long"

Gibbon, Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman EmpireDecline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 2nd ed., vol. 4, ed. by J. B. , 2nd ed., vol. 4, ed. by J. B. Bury (London, 1909), pp. 173-174.] Bury (London, 1909), pp. 173-174.]

Byzantine Empire: Byzantine Empire: The Reign of Justinian (r. 527-The Reign of Justinian (r. 527-

565)565)• Reunifying the Empire: Reunifying the Empire:

conquest of Italyconquest of Italy• Battles with PersiaBattles with Persia• Corpus Juris CivilisCorpus Juris Civilis• Nika Riot 532Nika Riot 532• Splendor of Splendor of

ConstantinopleConstantinople• Building projects: Building projects:

Hagia SophiaHagia Sophia

Culture of the Byzantine Culture of the Byzantine EmpireEmpire• Byzantine Emperor: Byzantine Emperor:

role in religionrole in religion• East vs. West: East vs. West:

theological theological divisionsdivisions

• Classical cultureClassical culture• Status of women, Status of women,

TheodoraTheodora

The Iconoclastic Controversy The Iconoclastic Controversy (8(8thth/9/9thth C) C)

• BackgroundBackground• Emperor Leo IIIEmperor Leo III• Opponents vs. Opponents vs.

supporters of icon supporters of icon worshipworship

• East vs. West: East vs. West: divisiondivision

• 99thth C: End of C: End of IconoclasmIconoclasm

“…“…the invisible things of God since the creation of the world the invisible things of God since the creation of the world are made visible through images. We see images in creation are made visible through images. We see images in creation

which remind us faintly of God, as when, for instance, we which remind us faintly of God, as when, for instance, we speak of the holy and adorable Trinity, imaged by the sun, speak of the holy and adorable Trinity, imaged by the sun, or light, or burning rays, or by a running fountain, or a full or light, or burning rays, or by a running fountain, or a full

river, or by the mind, speech, or the spirit within us, or by a river, or by the mind, speech, or the spirit within us, or by a rose tree, or a sprouting flower, or a sweet fragrance…I do rose tree, or a sprouting flower, or a sweet fragrance…I do

not worship matter, I worship the God of matter, who not worship matter, I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter,

who worked out my salvation through matter. I will not who worked out my salvation through matter. I will not cease from honouring that matter which works my salvation. cease from honouring that matter which works my salvation. I venerate it, though not as God. How could God be born out I venerate it, though not as God. How could God be born out

of lifeless things?...was not the thrice-happy and thrice of lifeless things?...was not the thrice-happy and thrice blessed wood of the Cross matter?...Is not the most holy blessed wood of the Cross matter?...Is not the most holy

book of the Gospels matter?... is not the body and blood of book of the Gospels matter?... is not the body and blood of our Lord matter? Either do away with the veneration and our Lord matter? Either do away with the veneration and

worship due to all these things, or submit to the tradition of worship due to all these things, or submit to the tradition of the Church in the worship of images, honouring God and His the Church in the worship of images, honouring God and His friends, and following in this the grace of the Holv Spirit…”friends, and following in this the grace of the Holv Spirit…”

St. John Damascus St. John Damascus On Holy ImagesOn Holy Images, trans. by Mary H. Allies (London, , trans. by Mary H. Allies (London, Thomas Baker, 1898), pp. 10-17. Thomas Baker, 1898), pp. 10-17.

Byzantium after Justinian: Byzantium after Justinian: Power struggles (7Power struggles (7thth-8-8thth C) C)

Byzantine reforms:Byzantine reforms:1.1. Administrative: Administrative:

ExtarchsExtarchs2.2. Military: ThemesMilitary: ThemesThreats: Threats: 1.1. Germanic Lombards Germanic Lombards

(Italy) (Italy) 2.2. Balkan Tribes: Avars, Balkan Tribes: Avars,

Slavs, BulgarsSlavs, Bulgars3.3. Rus (Kiev)Rus (Kiev)

The Macedonian Dynasty The Macedonian Dynasty (867-1056)(867-1056)

• Basil I – Dynastic Basil I – Dynastic SuccessionSuccession

• Territory Territory reconqueredreconquered

• Rule of Basil II Rule of Basil II (976 -1025)(976 -1025)

• Macedonian Macedonian RenaissanceRenaissance

• 1010thth C: Decline of C: Decline of Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire