Transcript 15 Class 7 Fall of W..

Class 7 Fall of Western Roman
Empire
Dr. Ann T. Orlando
17 September 2015
Key Historical Events in 4th
Century after Constantine
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Constantine’s Empire gets divided among his
sons; but this only leads to civil war and a
weakened Empire
After Constantine, all Emperors except Julian
the Apostate (361-363) were Christians
Some of Constantine's successors in 4th C were
Arians; sent missionaries to Goths north of
Danube (Arian missionary and bishop Wulfila)
Constantinople becomes the most powerful city
in the Empire
So Who Was Julian the Apostate?
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Nephew of Constantine the Great
Constantine was succeeded by his sons
Constans, Constantius and Constantine
(Julian’s cousins)
Constantius consolidated power through
intrigue and murder, including the murder of
Julian’s father and older brothers [DCE 24]
Julian as a boy sent to study in Athens
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may have known Sts. Basil Great and Gregory
Nazianzus there;
pretended to be a Christian
After his studies, he commanded Roman
troops in Gaul
Roman-Barbarian
Relationships
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Because it is over-extended, Roman military tries to
enlist barbarian tribes into defense of frontier along
Danube, Rhine, and in England
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Barbarians get trade
Romans get security
Two problems with arrangement
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Barbarians come ‘peacefully’ into Roman territory during
times of famine or when pushed by other tribes (e.g. Huns)
Romans increasingly think of tribes as auxiliary troops and
try to move them around Empire, especially to fight Persians
in 4th C
Social Differences in
Military Structures
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Roman Military Structure
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Very hierarchical
Soldiers not allowed to marry until they retire
Infantry
Germanic Tribes Structure
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Very diffuse; gorilla type warfare
Families expected to travel with the ‘army’
Cavalry
Classic Battle: Adrianople
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Between Roman troops under
Emperor Valens and Goths
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Roman army is completely
destroyed
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Valens disappears in the
carnage
Most of the 40,000 Roman
troops are lost
Often thought to signal
‘beginning of end’ of Roman
Empire
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9 August 378
Last Western Emperor 479
Last Eastern Roman Emperor
1453
Still studied today by military
historians
Artifacts from battle are still
being discovered
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http://www.thenagain.info/W
ebChron/Mediterranean/Adria
nople.html
Reaction to Adrianople
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Ambrose:
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“the destruction of the entire globe, the end of the world, the
funerals of relatives, the deaths of fellow citizens and above all the
violation of holy virgins and widows, which is more bitter than any
death.”
“When I heard the result of the engagement I beat my brow, tore
my hair and pondered the cause of the disaster”
Basil, “I have heard that all the roads are filled with brigands
and deserters
Gregory of Nyssa: “Let us fear afflictions, let us expect dangers;
the criminal Goths who are giving birth to a war against us are
not far off.”
John Chrysostom reported a prophecy in Constantinople before
Valens went to battle that if Valens did not reopen orthodox
churches, he would be defeated
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“widows of the fallen have no idea what became of their husbands”
Adrianople and Church History
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Emperor Valens
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To resolve infighting among Constantine's successors,
empire divided East and West, along Diocletian’s lines
Valens Augustus in East is an Arian
Patriarchate of Constantinople staunchly Arian during
his reign
After battle Orthodox will claim battle was God’s
wrath on Valens and Arians
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Turning point in balance of political power between Arians
and Orthodox
Theodosius Great (346-395)
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Out of resulting instability, Western
general, Theodosius, became Emperor
in 379
Theodosius was Baptized a Nicene
(orthodox) Christian in 380
Called Council of Constantinople in 381
Deeply involved with Ambrose, bishop
of Milan, and Gregory Nazianzus,
patriarch of Constantinople
St. Ambrose (340-397)
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Civil administrator in Northern Italy
Milan now military capitol of Western Empire to
counter Goths
When orthodox bishop of Milan died in 373, people
acclaimed Ambrose bishop
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Ambrose tried to flee, but was stopped
Baptized, ordained priest, then bishop within a week
Friends with Basil and Gregory Nazianzus
Wrote a very influential Duties of Clergy
Also wrote many hymns
Ambrose and Theodosius
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Burning of Jewish synagogue in Callinicum in
Mesopotamia
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Theodosius wanted Christian community to pay to rebuild
synagogue
Ambrose wrote scathing sermon saying not right for
Christians to build synagogues
Theodosius backed down
Theodosius massacred people of Thessalonica
because they had rioted and killed Roman
administrators
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Ambrose excommunicated Theodosius
Theodosius publicly repented
St. John Chrysostom (349 – 407)
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Born and educated in Antioch
Studied rhetoric with Libanius, famous pagan
philosopher and orator in Antioch
Joined Diodore’s school
After hiding from those seeking to ordain him, he was
ordained in 386
Acquired sobriquet “Golden Mouth” for his preaching in
Antioch
Became Patriarch of Constantinople in 397
Almost immediately ran afoul of both Imperial and
Church politics
 Political and doctrinal disputes between Alexandria
and Antioch
 Imperial politics, especially in terms of concern for
the poor
Because of political problems, John was exiled (twice)
Legacy of John Chrysostom
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Divine Liturgy developed by him
commonly used in Orthodox Church
We have more of his works extant than
any other Greek Father;
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6 volumes in English in NPNF Series 1
John, along with Athanasius, Basil and
Gregory Nazianzus is considered one of
the Four Doctors of the Greek Church
Reassessment of Triumphalism of
Christian History
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Constantine’s bloody reign
Vicious fighting among heirs
Julian Apostate
Battle of Adrianople
Within 35 years: sack of Rome (410)
Fall of Rome
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Fall of Rome in 410 to Alaric had a huge
psychological impact
The Goths sacking Rome were Arian
Christians
“My voice sticks in my throat, and as I
dictate, sobs choke my utterance. The
City which had taken the whole world, was
itself taken.” St. Jerome
5th Century Invasions
http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/firsteuro/imgs/map24.html
Key Historical Events 5th
Century
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Increasingly West was under pressure from northern
tribes (Goths, Visigoths, Vandals) who in turn under
pressure from Huns
Some of those Goths led by Alaric sacked Rome in 410
Effect of Julian’s apostasy, Adrianople, civil wars and sack
of Rome caused Christian theologians to rethink the initial
triumphal historical view of Constantine: Augustine The
City of God
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Augustine dies in 430 as Hippo is besieged by Vandals
Center of power in Empire is only in Constantinople
Attila the Hun reaches Rome in 452, persuaded by Pope
St. Leo the Great not to sack
Rome Last Roman emperor in West abdicated in 476
Assignment
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Paper Due on Tuesday, Sept 29 on CoG