Rome Fades Away (finally)

Dioletian

• He ruled from 284-303
• Under his rule it was find to him to persecute Christians
• Rome needs a big army (400,000 strong)
• Rome needs a big government (20,000 officials)
• Solution: divided the roman empire in half (western roman empire, eastern empire)
• Western: harder to defend (had Rome)
• Eastern: richer, better protected

Constantine

• Rules from 306-337
• It's cool to be Christian
• Rome converts to Christianity
• Saw (PX) in sky in vision
• 313 AD he issues a proclamation (law)
• His edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship

• Diocletian divided the empire into two
• Greek-speaking East (had more resources)
• Latin-speaking West (Rome, tradition)
• AD 324- Constantine becomes emperor over both halves of the empire
• Moves the capital from Rome to Byzantium in the east, where Asia met Europe (now turkey)
• Names it Constantinople
• After his death, empire is divided again
• This time barbarian invaders (Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, Angles, Saxons, Franks)
• They overrun the empire's frontiers
• That’s it for the Roman Empire, from Tarquin the proud to so and so Romulus  (AD 476)

Life in the fourth century

• Country dwellers are getting bankrupt by endless tax collection
• New farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
• Peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by the landlords
• Paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back-breaking work (such a deal!)
• Landowners hold local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire
• Foreshadowing feudalism (the system where u have the manor/peasants/knights/such)
• Rome's power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power
• Western empire is too poor, begins to be neglected
• Huns migrate from China to eastern Europe to grab some land
• Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410
• Vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean
• Other barbarian tribes: Franks, Angels and Saxons

End of an era

From the beginnings…..

     500 BC- the monarchy is abolished

        450 BC- twelve tables

Glory days…..

44 BC- end of the line for Julius Caesar

27 BC- 180 AD- the roman Peace (Pax Romana)

To the end……………

• Constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling
• The last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
• Barbarians deposed Romulus Augustulus without bothering to kill him