Transcript The Early Middle Ages - The College of New Jersey Home

The Early Middle Ages
Barbarian Invasions and Byzantine
Italy, c. 400 - c. 1130 AD







The Visigoths reached Italy at the beginning of
the fifth century
Other Barbarians were approaching Italy. The
Vandals arrived in Africa in 429. Their control of
North Africa deprived Rome of her source of
corn.
The Goths settled in Italy and acquired the
trappings of Western civilization
In 370 the Huns arrived from Russia (Mongols)
In 452 Attila (dies a year later) arrived in Northern
Italy and after a three month siege conquers the
city of Aquileia.
Pope Leo I (440-61) can be considered the
founder of Catholicism. Connected to two myths
He stopped Attila from entering Rome

A forged document, known as the Donation of Constantine,
which professed to record Constantine’s gift of the
Western Empire to the Papacy (document entirely
discredited by Lorenzo Valla during the Renaissance)

In 476 Romulus Augustalus was deposed by Odovacar (476493) at the head of a mixed group of Teutonic invaders
nominally at the service of the empire

Theodoric followed Odovacar as a Gothic king (488-526).
His reign was peaceful and prosperous. He ruled the
Gothic peoples without interfereing in the culture, life and
laws of the Romans. He insisted on religious tolerance

Under the reign of the emperor Justinian (in the Eastern
part) the Gothic rule ended. Justinian’s fame is connected
to the CODEX (529) and the INSTITUTIONES (533)

Ravenna experienced an architectural Renaissance during
the time of Theodoric

In the last decades of the sixth century conditions in Italy
deteriorated. Barbarian invasions continued. Ravenna,
Rome, Genoa and Naples preserved remnants of Roman
institutions. Many towns were abandoned (villa).

The exarch ruled in Ravenna (capital of the Western Empire),
and elsewhere military governers predominated over
civilian ones



LOMBARD ITALY AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE PAPAL STATES c.
600 - 800 AD
Pope Gregory I (Gregorius Magnus) (540-604) His
administration of the church was thorough, he set the pattern
for catholic services and rituals (Gregorian Chant, Gregorian
Calendar). A humanitarian, Gregory, improved the conditions of
the slaves (free bread). He repaired aqueducts and showed
respect for a lost, pagan, civilization. (IV Father of the Church)
(Ambrose, Quintillian, Tertullian)
The Lombards arrived about 568 and heavy fighting followed
until 605. Contemporary accounts tell of wholesale disasters,
floods, famine, the plague. What happened to the Romans or
Italians in this period is imperfectly known (Dark Age between
Alboin’s death in 573 and the accession of Agilulf (590)

Lombards (200.000 at their arrival) quickly disappeared
in Italian society. Their language did not survive except in
a few Italian words

Roman law survived, property law in particular was
adopted by the Lombards (VIII-IX)

Lombards became city dwellers and were found in
Brescia, Vicenza and Pavia (northern towns)

The capital of Lombard Italy was Pavia, which remained an
important cultural center, as it was intended to rival
Ravenna. Paul the Deacon lived here (famous historian)
PAVIA

The Exarchate of Ravenna was a separate entity. The first
Exarch had been appointed by the Byzantine Emperor Maurice
(582-602). Once appointed, the Exarchs retained virtual
independence (declared in 619 and in 651). The organization
of the Exarchate was sophisticated. Taxes were collected,
troops were paid regularly. The Exarchate was conquered by
Lombards (Aistulf, 749-56)

In 754 and 756 the Franks invaded Italy under King Pepin .
Pepin’s arrival provided the opportunity for the foundation
of the Papal States. The Donation of Pepin (756), gave land
that was nominally under the Eastern Empire to Pope
Stephen II. Added to the Donation of Constantine, the
Donation of Pepin virtually proclaimed the Pope to be the
heir of the Roman emperors.

Charlemagne became king of the Franks in 774 and visited
Rome that year. His presence illustrated Frankish
domination of the Papal States
RAVENNA AND ITS MOSAICS
CHARLEMAGNE
The Coronation