1 / 32

The Crisis of the Third Century and Rebound of the 300s

The Crisis of the Third Century and Rebound of the 300s . Overview. Causation for the decline of the Empire Over-extension of imperial boundaries Systemic Economic Weaknesses Weaknesses in the Political Structure Decline of the Imperial cult and traditional Roman Religion

liko
Download Presentation

The Crisis of the Third Century and Rebound of the 300s

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Crisis of the Third CenturyandRebound of the 300s

  2. Overview • Causation for the decline of the Empire • Over-extension of imperial boundaries • Systemic Economic Weaknesses • Weaknesses in the Political Structure • Decline of the Imperial cult and traditional Roman Religion • Rebound: the reforms of Diocletian and Constantine

  3. Attempts to Ascertain the Causation for the Decline of Rome • Some of the “causes” identified (210 at last count) • climatic changes • over-reliance on slavery • otherworldliness of Christianity • sexual orgies • ecological habits • lead poisoning • homosexuality • None of these attracts consensus of serious historians

  4. Systemic Economic Weaknesses • Huge military budget: 500,000 troops • High taxation • Absence of public debt • Structural trade deficit with the Far East • Debasement of coinage • Rampant inflation • Economy of plunder (booty) • slaves • gold, silver • feeding the war machine

  5. Demographic Collapse • Constant Civil War during the early 200s • Famine - crops destroyed or taken • Plague - weakened immune systems • decline of trade • Depopulation • especially in the western empire • undermines urban basis of imperial rule • weakened trade networks • Downward Spiral • despair

  6. Weakening Political Structure • ambiguous succession procedures • political influence of the army • the barracks emperors • murder as a form of political advancement • weakening of the imperial cult • shorter reigns • worthless coinage • competing claims • civil war

  7. A Shift in Attitudes c. 250 CE • Challenges to Perception of Roman Invincibility and Destiny • Incursions by • Franks • Alemani • Goths • Parthians • Declining interest in Roman gods • Declining prestige of Roman legions

  8. Political Reforms of Diocletian (285-305) • Division of Empire into East and West • tetrarchy: planned succession • paves the way for the Byzantine Empire • temporarily restores order to the West • smaller administrative units to reduce power of governors and army commanders • Restoration and elevation of imperial cult • imperial title of dominus (lord) • emperor treated as divine • genuflection & prostration • imperial costume: purple robes, diadems • seclusion of the emperor

  9. The Principate:Emperor Augustus c. 10 BCE

  10. NeroEmperor (54-68)last of the Julio Claudians

  11. Domitian and VespasianThe Flavian rulers of the late first century

  12. Tacitus

  13. Marcus AureliusEmperor (161-180 CE) and Stoic Philosopher

  14. St. Augustinec. 400

  15. Nicolo Machiavellic. 1500

  16. Edward Gibbonc. 1776

  17. Tetrarchy

  18. Coins from Diocletian’s Reign

  19. Constantine the Greatruled 306-337

  20. The Chi Rho Symbol

  21. St. Helena in the Vatican

  22. Imperial Coins from 4th Century CE

  23. Economic “Reforms” of Diocletian(285-305) • taxes paid in kind to diminish effects of inflation on imperial coffers • the wealthy evaded taxes altogether through loopholes to garner their support • currency stabilization • wage and price controls • creation of black market economy • hereditary occupations • tax farmers and others necessarily passed their occupation on to their sons

  24. Constantine (306-337) • Mother was Christian • Grew up in the court of Diocletian and experienced the persecution of Christians firsthand • The “conversion” of Constantine c. 311 • the battle of Milvian Bridge • “By this sign, you shall conquer” • Edict of Milan (313): Christianity becomes legal in the Empire • only received baptism by Arian priest on his deathbed in 337 • Gains control of western Empire 313 and Eastern half by 324

  25. Reforms of Constantine (306-337) • Encourages Christianity • the emperor becomes God’s best friend • official persecution of Christians ends • Church authorized to enforce morality • Church exempt from taxation and the recipient of imperial favors • Imperial court relocated to Constantinople (325) • Council of Nicaea (325) • orthodoxy defined - Nicaean Creed • rejection of Arianism • affirmation of Church and episcopal hierarchy

  26. Christianity in the Fourth Century • From persecution to state religion • Constantine initiates the transformation • Church adopts Roman judicial and administrative structure; a state within the state • 325 the Council of Nicaea • The Nicean Crede • Persecuton of Heresy • Gradual elimination of pagan temples • Rome becomes more of a religious than political focal point • Theodosious adopts Christianity as the imperial religion c. 390 • by late 300s, persecution of pagans

  27. Summary • The Roman Empire operated on an economy of plunder; it required plunder in order to generate wealth for the elite • Consequently the Romans continued to expand the Empire, despite the warning from Augustus • By the Late 2nd century the cost of maintaining the imperial borders had exceeded the Romans’ ability to support such a massive military • Increasingly the Romans relied on barbarian mercenaries and others to defend the empire

  28. Summary • A series of violent and incompetent Emperors in the late second century triggered a downward spiral of civil war that lasted for approximately 70 years • These civil wars disrupted the economic, demographic, and cultural foundations of the Empire • Shaken by the increasing instability, many Romans found comfort in the teachings of the Christians • Diocletian restored imperial order and persecuted Christians • Constantine continued the consolidation of power and embraced Christianity

More Related