Wednesday, May 15, 2013

The End of Roman Rule Notes

Today in class we took notes. These are the notes  I took.

Diocletian

  • ruled from 284-303
  • he thought it was fine to persecute Christians 
  • Rome needs a big army (400,000)strong
  • Rome needs a big government (20,000) officials
Constantine
  • ruled from 306-337
  • he thought it was fine to be a Christian 
  • conversion to Christianity
  • 313- his Edict of Milan proclaims freedom and worship 
  • built a new capital in the east - Byzantium then known as Constantinople
Struggle of the Peasants 
  • country dwellers are getting bankrupted 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 jsut as hard by the landlords
  • paying of debt and and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back-breaking work 
  • foreshadowing feudalism
  • feudalism-taking the empire and making it less and less an influence on their life; local rule
The Western Empire Falls Apart
  • Rome's power is decreasing, which nomadic barbarians gain power
  • Western Empire is too poor begin to be neglected 
  • Huns migrate from China to eastern Europe
  • Visigoths take over Spain and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410
  • vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean 
Barbarian Tribes
  • Ostrogoths (Italy)
  • Franks (Gaul)
  • Angles and Saxons (Britain)
End of an Era

from the beginnings...
  • 500 BC - the monarchy is abolished
  • 450 BC- the Twelve Tables are established
through the glory days
  • 44 BC - end of the line for Julius Caesar
  • 27 BC -180 BC AD - the Roman Peace (Pax Romana)
to the bitter end...
  • constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbled
  • barbarians deposed of Romulus Augustus without bothering to kill him 

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