The Roman Empire

1
The Roman Empire
2
Classical Roman Empire

• Rome was one of four Classical Empires
• Han China
• Mauryan India
• Parthian Persia
• Rome
• All arose between 200-100 B.C.
• Characterized by their unification around at
  least two widely disparate geographical regions.

3
The Classical Empire

• All four classical empires had been united by
  force and would not have stayed together had not
  the rulers formed institutions to do so.
• Rome was created not by the ability to conquer
  lands but its need to develop the institutions
  necessary to consolidate and rule those lands.

4
The Classical Empire

• Each Empire used basically the same unifying
  institutions to bind the Empire together
• Common Language
• Currency
• System of weights and measures
• Networks of roads and canals
• Standing army
• Centralized authority
• Professional civil servants

5
Comparison of Eastern and Western Europe

• Western-Western Mediterranean
• Eastern-Influenced by Greek culture
• Eastern Western
• Population Dense Sparse
• Society Urban Tribal
• Education Literate Oral
• Law Written Customary
• Economy Commercial Agricultural
• Exchange Money Barter
• Living standard Wealthy Poor
• Language Koine Mixed

6
Geography

• Most of Roman population lived within reach of
  Mediterranean
• Romans worked to keep sea clear of pirates for
  they realized the Mediterranean was dependant on
  its unity.
• Romans called it Mare nostrum or Our Sea
• Outlying reaches of the Empire were connected by
  rivers and streams that flowed into it.
• Romans actively were dredging ship channels and
  building in river ports
• Channels and water systems used for thousands of
  years even after fall of the Roman Empire

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Geography

• Complex water routes were knit together by system
  of roads and bridges that are even used today.
• These were built not by technology alone, but by
  extensive organization.
• Romans were aware that the expensive army would
  not be in combat more than 10 of the time, so
  the government came up with ways to use their
  force effectively.
• The roads were used by the military and was even
  able to reduce the armies size without reducing
  its effectiveness.
• The great network of land routes that helped to
  unify the empire was a byproduct of this policy
  of cost containment

8
Government

• Absolute Rule of an Emperor who was considered to
  be a god.
• Execution of Emperor's will was by a trained
  bureaucracy.
• Though it was small in comparison with modern
  states and was rudimentary with the Han empire of
  China, it was superior to anything that had
  preceded in the West.

9
Government

• To citizens the emperor was a distant figure only
  on coins.
• Romans lived their lives in their local civitas,
  local unit of government similar to an American
  county.
• Civitas consisted of two parts
• City-in which political, commercial and cultural
  life was concentrated.
• Pagus- countryside dependant on that urban center.

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Government

• Most civitates attempted to emulate the capital
  Rome.
• Though they did not have an impressive law court
  of basilicas or amphitheaters they did boast
  public baths, busy markets, and anything else the
  rich pagus could spend in the city to endow it.
• Local life throughout the empire was centered on
  these communities and it was the same wherever
  the Romans went, from Scotland to the Syria.
• Each civitates had the three basic similarities
• Well-developed written laws
• Uniform currency
• Uniform system of weights and measures

11
Military

• The large standing army was concentrated on the
  frontier and defended the interior of the empire
  against foreign invasion.
• Most recruits came from poor and isolated regions
  of Italy they were taught from the bottom up by
  the military.
• They were taught Latin, to practice personal
  hygiene, and learned one or more trades
  (developed MOS).
• The Army controlled and ran brick factories, tile
  manufactories, and many other enterprises that
  demanded physical labor.
• Enlisting was a career commitment since it was a
  25 year standard enlistment.
• Each year was marked off by the celebration and
  great rituals honoring Roma, the goddess who
  exemplified Rome.

12
Military

• Even when Rome fell into disorder or when the
  imperial administration fell to corruption it was
  the armys reverence for the ideal of Rome that
  remained undiminished, even if it meant storming
  Rome trying to acclaim their general of new
  Emperor.
• Most spent their time in towns building little
  villages into what they exemplified Rome to be.
• Stationed on the frontier, they created
  transportation and communication networks.
• Roads, bridges, beacons, canals, ports and
  aqueducts.

13
Military

• The Roman frontiers in the West were not meant to
  keep people out but to control their passage.
• A great deal of trade moved through the frontier
  zones.
• Germanic people settled just outside of the
  frontier in places where they could enjoy
  extensive and secure relations with the Romans
  without their control.
• These towns were more Roman than Rome so some
  Germanic tribes grew comfortable with their
  presence and even emulated their culture in some
  areas.
• In many cases where the Romans could have
  certainly fought and won the area over, most just
  proved simpler to win them over and enlist them
  as allies of the Roman state.

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Military

• Wherever it was sent or wherever it was settled,
  the Roman army provided local inhabitants with an
  outstanding example of Romanitas, the sense of
  belonging to a great civilization.

15
Culture

• The Romans established Latin as the common and
  official language of the empire, but also adopted
  Greek culture and, in a form called Graeco-Roman,
  spread a common literature, architecture, art,
  etc., throughout the empire.

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Economy

• An economic balance was maintained between the
  wealthy and productive East and the relatively
  poor and backward West.
• The East was taxed heavily, and the money
  transferred to the West, which was used to
  purchase goods from the East.

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Religion

• Established a strict policy of religious
  toleration
• Freely adopted and adapted gods and goddesses of
  the people they conquered, and process called
  syncretism (essentially an inculcation of the
  Greeks and other worldly deities).
• Promoted a certain degree of commonality by
  establishing and promoting emperor worship.
• Saluting the flag, formulatic pledge of
  allegiance, standing when singing the national
  anthem, reverence for the cloth of the flag.

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Intangibles

• Pax Romana Roman Peace- The Romans brought and
  unprecedented degree of peace and security to
  their empire.
• Romanitas The sense of being Roman- a deeply
  held sentiment and outlived that empire itself.
• Such institutions required attention and constant
  effort to maintain
• A weakness in the Roman imperial system let to
  internal wars and civil strife that eventually
  made it impossible for the government to continue
  as it once had.

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Intangibles

• The Annals of Tacitus provide an insight to the
  management of Roman affairs and were written by a
  man who had a role in that management.

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Intangibles

• The Romans were unwilling to give up their
  reverence for republican government even when it
  was no longer effective due to Caesars, Despots,
  and absolute corruption
• Augustus Caesar converted the Republic to an
  empire in about 14BCwhat he did was make all the
  political and domestic administrative offices
  answerable to him and his decisionsa streamline
  effect. To preserve the republic!!!

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Intangibles

• The issue that always plagues these types
  regimeswe see it in Islam, Socialism etc
  inadequate and unstable system of imperial
  successionCreated a perpetual struggle for Power
  The empire fell victim and was only a strong as
  its next Coup.
• To understand Augustus it would be prudent to
  read his personal account of his greatness
• The Deeds of the Divine Augustus.

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Important Chronology

• 69 ADCivil War on frontier to replace Nero
• 69192 ADera of military emperorsineffective
  and inefficient administrationled to a bloody
  Civil War initiated by Septimius Severus
  (193197).
• 198282 essentially 100yrs of peace, but peace
  ended by 258 and Rome fell into the era of the 30
  Tyrants (258-283 AD)

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Chronology

• 283 AD German Tribes raided at will on the
  western fringes of the Roman Empire
• Diocletion came to power in 283 AD and began with
  sweeping reforms in the imperial systemland
  reform, lower taxes, and more representative
  government.
• Essentially this was the end of what is termed
  the Glory that was Rome.

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History 101 Roman Empire

• Diocletian's successor was Constantine.
• Rome now a different place and this is the
  beginning of the character of what would become
• Medieval Europe.
• What followed was another Roman Empire, but one
  distinctly different under the reign of
  Constantine.

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Reforms of Diocletian (284-305 d. 311)

• Political reformEmpire divided into two distinct
  regions.
• Unfortunately he left the much larger and
  impoverished western region vulnerable.

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Reforms of Diocletian

• Unfortunately the western lands were mostly
  tribal and underdeveloped academically,
  economically, and technologically.
• Large frontiers (costly to protect) and a very
  small tax base to support development and
  military presence.
• Diocletian established a base of successiontwo
  emperors were to be chosen for respective
  regionseach appointed a Caesar (emperor in
  training).

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Reforms of Diocletian

• Stable form of successionfailed.
• Established smaller provinces with both civil and
  military governorcreated govt interference and
  destroyed the influence of the middle class.
• The Govt controlled the tax laws and taxed the
  middle classes and the urban areas to destruction

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Economic Reforms

• Smaller created more concentrated government, but
  also created hundreds of small squabbles and
  eroded cohesion.
• Diocletian ended Debasement (reduced quality and
  value of Gold by printing moneydevaluing the
  dollar if you will).
• Re-established the Gold standardunfortunately,
  there was very little Gold in circulationcreated
  an economic depressionvery little Gold reduced
  consumer pricesmoney became more valuable than
  goodsso people hoarded money or traded in Gold
  rather than consumer goods.

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Economic Reforms

• Reformed Taxationreduced it to two categories
  Property and head tax.
• Property was a progressive wealth tax
• Head tax was a flat taxboth were very extreme.
• Unfortunately both taxes were extreme
• Ended farming taxwhere the government had the
  right to come in an action off a farm to collect
  taxes on the land.
• Tax collectors bided for the right to collect
  taxes

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Economic Reforms

• Taxes led to abuses.
• Exempted Senatorial class from taxes (hereditary)
• Farmers were sold into slavery (along with
  family) if no tax can be collected. Beginnings
  of Fiefdom.
• Full weight of the tax code fell on businesses
  and the middle class.

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Economic Reforms

• Diocletian thought that making tax collecting the
  responsibility of the Urban middle class, it
  would be frugal and possess integrity.
• Unfortunately if the government expectations of
  the agreed upon tax assessment came up short, the
  Curiales (urban middle class) was required to
  make up the difference.

32
Economic Reforms

• The fallout of well intended policy
• Urban middle class fled the urban centers
  however, this was ruled illegal, so many with
  their families were also enslaved and
  financially, socially, and emotionally ruined.
• Established a permanent dependent class that the
  governmental structure was ill-equipped to
  administer with any efficiency. Financial
  center shifted to the villas of the western
  countrysideestablished a ruling planter and
  baronial class.

33
Military reform

• Abandoned frontier defenseopen to invasion.
• Security was abandoned in the name of economics.
• Downgraded frontier legions, used mercenaries and
  militianotoriously lacked loyalty and verve to
  the empire.

34
Military reform

• Frontier troops are Garrison status.
• Training neglectedmore into infrastructure
  labor.
• Discipline and esprit dcorps diminished.
• Barbarian mercenarieschanged to a mobile army
  stationed in interior.

35
Military reform

• Barbarian Military was problematictended to be
  loyal to the purse rather than the state.
• Internal and transportation infrastructure
  usually the job of the military when not engaged
  in combat went by the way sidebarbarians are
  warriors, not civil servants and laborers.
• Huge loss of communication and transportation
  systemThe empire decaying from within.

36
Social Reform

• Combated the urban flight by making their status
  hereditary.
• Required to remain in trade of father or
  motherno way to rise above ones born station in
  life.
• This ended social and family mobility.
• This in essence killed what was left of the
  conceived greatness of the Roman Empire. To
  combat this loss of spirit and enmity toward the
  governmentDiocletian blamed the
  Christiansextermination began with fervor.

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Reforms of Constantine (307-337)

• Continued with Diocletians policies, but did
  make some very recognizable changes.
• Recognized Christianity as a favored religion.
• Christianity official religion 396 AD in both
  Western and Eastern provincesWestern became very
  catholic and eastern remained mostly Orthodox.
• Made east very prosperous increased gold
  currency (coinage) by seizing endowments of the
  Pagan Temples.

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Reforms of Constantine (307-337)

• He also ended the idea that the tax code had to
  balance even with unequal taxation on the east to
  make up for the shortfalls of the West.
• Shifted center of Empire from West (Rome) to East
  (Constantinople or Istanbul).
• The best and brightest fled the west and went
  East.
• By 400 Rome was no longer the Imperial capital.

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Rome (?)

• 404 AD western version of capital moved to
  Ravenna in Northern Italy.
• Protected by marsh and fortified harbor.
• Rome sacked by Alaric and the Visigoths in 410.
• Not much there, only the catholic Bishop (Pope).
• 455 AD Attila attacked what was left of Rome.

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Western Rome

• Loss of middle class and Tax base, became very
  much Medieval in character.
• Planter and Baronial class became powerful and
  essentially a slaved or serfdom society.
• Christian religion was state religionall others
  forbidden.

41
Constantine and Catholic Church

• Church became center of Imperial Government.
• Administered all social and economic services.
• Early shared power with Government, but
  eventually became the main political power broker
  in western governments.

42
Constantines Reforms and Decay of the West

• Emperor semi-divine
• Military power was mostly Germanic tribes.
• Impoverished because of the decay of middle
  class.
• Transportation and Marine endangered by Thugs and
  Pirates.

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Western Decay

• West almost cut off completelylost
  communication, lost sharing of ideas, and loss of
  connection as Romans.
• Power in large landownerseventually in the hands
  of the Church, as the Church gained large
  estates. Peasant under class.
• Loss of frontier protectionopen to invasion and
  loss of civil orderPax Romana vanished.

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Conclusion of Rome

• Regardless of tension and detriment to society,
  Rome collected taxes and forced an imperial
  government on the populace that neither benefited
  them nor protected them.
• Western Romesuperfluous, poverty stricken, and
  ruined manufacturing industrylost trade
  consumerism with the Germanic tribes (huge
  consumers). This trade enhanced their way of
  life and was a bargaining chip to help create a
  secure border of the western provinces.

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Christianity and Mediterranean

• History 102
• Western Civilization I
• The Rise of Christianity

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Christianity

• Rose out of Judaism
• Reform movement
• Apostle Paul opened the religion to non-Jews and
  gave it its Greek Flavor
• Roman religion no moral base or message of hope.
• Christians Martyred not because they were
  Christians, but because they were REBELS!!

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Roman Religions

• Myriad of religious systems and types of deities.
• The Pantheon gods and goddesses of mythology.
• Old godsChronos, Uranus and others overthrown by
  the Olympians.
• TitansFriends of humanityPrometheus (fire)
• Demi-godsGanymede servant to the gods.
• Heroeshuman achieve godlike statusHerculesimpor
  tant partdemarcation between god and human was
  miniscule.
• Lot of local, regional and nature deities.

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Roman Religions

• Many religions were derivatives of the Greek
  system and the philosophical systems such as
  (Epicureanism, skepticism and stoicism etc . .
  .).
• Mystery Cults (Isis, Mithra, Orpheus etc )These
  tended to offer hope on a moral basis based on
  human action and interaction.
• Initiates and ritualspurifying bath, eating and
  drinking of blood and body of foundermany had
  something in common with Christianity.

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Christianity

• Founder was an actual person
• Jewish legal code and traditional morality.
• Could adopt and adapt Christmas taken from
  Mithras Madonna taken form of Isisother
  traditions borrowed

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Character of Christianity

• Early Christians were Bigots
• Zealots
• Evangelicals
• Expand Christianity
• Appealed to the downtrodden
• Appealed to Women,
• Low-skilled workers Prostitutes, uneducated
  slaves, tax collectors and fishermen

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Character of Christianity

• All oppressed and despised peoples saw an ally in
  Christianity
• Christianity viewed all peoples without contempt,
  except the rejecters of the faith
• The message was HOPE and hope is all we have at
  timesmore important than love!!!

52
Credibility of Christian Converts

• Usually only true believers since essentially one
  was signing their death warrant
• Sects numbers were periodically purged due to
  Roman persecution Culled the vacillators
  easilyconverts were very zealous
• Blood of martyrs was the real seed of the Church.

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Credibility of Christian Converts

• The Martyrs established the credibility and
  prestige of the early Church.
• Met horrible deaths with equanimity and even joy
• Ostensibly something worth dying forthis was
  tantamount to a higher power and a stronger more
  powerful God
• Those of little faith were impressed and the
  Roman attitude and respect for strength and
  bravery was also impressed. Moreover,
  Christianity in fact, miraculously survived the
  persecutions.

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Development of Christianity, AD 63-313

• Developed as a reform movement within Judaism
• After the Jewish Rebellion 89-90, the Jews
  suffered the Great Diaspora or scattering.
• This reform began in the Jewish urban centers in
  fact some historians label it a Ghetto Religion.
• It also spread into the countryside or
  Pagus(Pagan religions also embraced
  Christianitymoreover Christianity inculcated
  many of the Pagan traditions and symbolism.

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Development of Christianity, AD 63-313

• Early members were of the lowest class
• Many of todays middleclass would have more than
  likely rejected Christianity because of the low
  class clientele.
• Though many historians always use the hygiene
  analogy, it must be remembered that hygiene
  was/is very important to the Jewsmany of the
  early Christians accepted Christ, but maintained
  the traditional Jewish lawala Old Testament.

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Early Christians

• Very intolerant of other religions
• Strictly monotheistic
• Followed the command to go forth and evangelize
• Followers must undergo a complete conversionno
  eclecticism
• Rome respected and observed many religions
  because the Christians did not they were labeled
  dangerous rebels to the empire and were
  persecuted harshly

57
Early Christians

• For security many of the Christians hid in the
  catacombs and other clandestine places to
  practice their faith
• They formed inner city groups (ecclesiae) had
  their own political and social leaders called
  (episkoposgtpiscopgtbiscopgtbishop.
• They wrote letters and and kept minutes of their
  meetings (epistles) and passed them to other
  Christians surreptitiously.

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Early Christians

• Secret meetings were called Councils.
• The minutes were kept in secret books (Bibles).
• They developed secret signs and symbols for
  converts recognition.
• Christianity grew slowly through the middle class
  and the armybut it eventually gained a following
  second to none and challenged by few.

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Official Recognition of Christianity

• Story is muddled, but Constantine used the Cross
  (symbol) thereby gaining the support of many
  Christians and Warriors who were closet
  Christiansthere were many more than the state
  had ever imaginedThis was the famous battle of
  Milvian BridgeVictory ensured that Christianity
  would be recognized, legitimized and no longer
  persecuted
• Christianity would now be tolerated as a favored
  religion.

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Emperor Constantine

• Great Political Moveneeded to harness the zeal
  of the Christians to gain control of Roman
  Empire
• Constantine helped legitimize and give secular
  political organization and control over
  Christianity
• It is no longer an underground movementit is now
  an institution.
• Jesus founded the Christian Faithbut Constantine
  founded the Christian Church.

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Political and Social Legitimacy

• Still, there was early dissension in the
  Christian Church based on legitimacy and
  philosophymany interpretations of who, what, and
  how was Christ.
• Constantine did not wish the power base he had
  legitimized fall apart with muddled philosophy
• 325 AD called all Bishops together to form a
  unified consensusset a standard all Christians
  could accept, a common prayer book, and
  ritualistic liturgies and religious services.

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Political and Social Legitimacy

• The Council of Nicea came up with the Nicene
  Creed.
• All (legitimate) Christian services were to
  incorporate this formulation
• He also very adeptly shifted the center of empire
  to Constantinopleit had no pagan traditions and
  easily embraced the Emperors new
  faithChristianity. Secret books were formed
  into a Canonrepresenting a true Christian faith.

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Conclusion

• Shortly after establishing a uniformed structure,
  Constantine diedsome say he only accepted
  baptism on his death bedthere is no proof or
  credibility to this.
• He did make an underground movement, a persecuted
  ghetto faith into the most recognizable religious
  faith in the world.
• Christianity offered hope, peace, love, and
  forgiveness (only religion to have these as
  precepts) and more importantly it had triumphed
  over all its competitorsmade it seem very
  special Indeed!

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Justinian AD 527-565

• Final end of the Roman Empire
• Established the Byzantium Empire
• Helped usher in Medieval Ages in Western Europe
• Made possible the spread of Islam Rise of the
  Franks
• Theodora a remarkable woman.

65
Justinians Wars

• He fought a series of wars against the Germanic
  tribes of the Visigoths, Ostrogoths and Vandals.
• Why? To preserve Christianity and the eastern
  Kingdom.
• Many of these western areas were mostly
  controlled by Germanic Vice-Roys or Arians, who
  practiced their own brand of Christianity.
• Arian Christianity had issues with the true
  divinity of Christdid not believe in the Holy
  trinity as one. Jesus was a man, but his human
  status did not diminish the credibility of
  Christianity. It did, however, conflict with the
  rising power and status of the Catholic Church.

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Vandals

• Vandals most zealous of the Arians
• Seized catholic Churches and converted them to
  Arianism
• Vandals small in numberso resorted to very
  heinous and terrorist acts to maintain power
  base.
• Essentially became what centuries later would
  become the model for the Gestapoforce, coercion,
  and brutality.

67
Vandals

• Vandals striped the Christians of their property,
  civil rights, economy, and life and limb.
• Again, very reminiscent of earlier Christian
  persecutions.
• Justinian thought it best to bring West back
  under the control and auspices of Roman Empire.
• West did not want back under the Roman
  umbrellajust make Vandals and others stop the
  persecution.
• Many in the West, feared Justinian more than the
  barbariansso they joined the barbarians against
  Justinians legions.

68
Justinians Legacy

• Regardless of Military costs, Justinian had
  enough money to embark on a huge building
  program
• Church of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia)
  dominates the skyline of Istanbul
• Collecting and codifying Roman Law establish a
  component of legal jurists (Lawyers and Municipal
  legal codes) and putting the law into writing.

69
Justinians Legacy

• The east was prominently Greek influence and
  administrations were better in a Greek format
• He eliminated the use of Latin languages and
  embraced the Slavic Greek orthodoxy
• Other classical empires fought back the
  Barbarians, only Western Europe remained under
  the grips of barbarismgood and badWestern
  Europe now experiencing an independent
  development.

70
Justinians Legacy

• Justinians tribute to Persia became a failed
  policy, by enriching the Persians and weakening
  Constantinople
• East became more and more aggressive collecting
  taxes to pay the tribute and to fund the enormous
  building plan
• Justinian dies in 565 and the Persians invaded
  and destroyed much of the eastHerclius slipped
  out by sea and invaded the unprotected Persian
  cities creating a stalemate and weakening both
  economies
• This left both nations weak and easy pickings for
  the Huns stampeding off the Savannas led By
  Attila.
• Many welcomed the Huns and converted to Islam
  blocking the east off from Christianity for
  several centuries.

71
A New Western Perception

• Justinians wars also left the Barbarians weak
  and fragmented
• Only power left in the West was the Burgundians
• Least able group to maintain or embrace
  Romanization
• Did have a Frankish alliance with the Catholic
  Church
• Changed perception and future of Western Europe.

72
Conclusion of Roman Empire

• Great men have Great Control of eventsthat is
  the prevailing wisdomnot always true.
• Changed the development of Western Europe
  Unfortunately ushered in the Middle Ages (Dark
  Ages)
• Justinians failures were more prevalent than his
  achievementscut all communication and dialogue
  between East and Weststill an issue today.

73
Conclusion of Roman Empire

• Elimination of the Latin language ensured a
  perpetual split between east/west
• Failed to unite the western leaders who may have
  preserved semblances of the Roman empire
• Strengthened the Persian Empire and helped
  initiate the dominance of Islam in the East
• Destruction of the Germanic tribes allowed for
  the rise and dominance of the Medieval Church.

74
Rise of the Franks

• Franks were left standing in power after
  Justinians attempt at reconquest.
• Inhabited the the Rhine and Scheldt river areas
• Occupied mostly of what is now Netherlands and
  Northern Belgium
• Very active agriculture and commerce and trade
  centers
• Franks were mostly hunters, trappers, and
  warriors and were a great supply for mercenary
  troops for the weakened Roman Legions.

75
Franks

• Not very sophisticated or socially or politically
  organized
• Mostly tribal and vicious Pagan worshipping ie.
  Thor, god of thunder and Wotan, the sky god Tew,
  the warrior god
• Strongly male and dominated not necessarily by
  the wisest of council, but the bravest and
  strongestChiefs acted as rulers and
  priestspower from single family lineage,
  descended from Wotan.

76
Franks

• Expanded inland from the low country and the sea
• The sea group called the Salic Franks (sal-salt
  or sea)
• Became the ancient ancestors of the French and
  the basis for Salic Law or French Law and customs
  (important later on).

77
Franks

• As they moved inland they became stronger and a
  much larger clanwith time they became very
  strong and warlike
• In 430 AD they occupied land between Soissons and
  CambraiSoissons a large armory for the Roman
  Legions fell into the hands of the Franks.
• They now could equip a much larger army with
  modern weaponry they joined with Aetius and the
  Legions that defeated the Hunsfelt somewhat a
  part of the Empire.

78
Franks

• Join the Court of Aetius
• Aetius murdered by conspirators at Ravenna 453
  AD
• Franks liked Aetius and renounced anything empire
  and any allegiance or alliance in 453.
• AD 476 Odovacar, Germanic Leader of the Roman
  army in Italy, deposed the western emperor
  Franks began an independent life forsaking and
  despising anything Roman.

79
Clovis

• 15 year old FrankClovis is a form of Louis.
  Name of the French Royal dynasty.
• Single extended family important so Clovis kills
  off family members to reduce the competition
• Consolidated other tribes under the aegis of his
  strong rule by killing off other competitors.
• 486 AD began his own wars of conquest and
  consolidationimportance is Clovis made what is
  now Paris his home base.

80
Clovis and Christianity

• Constantine momenthe needed to defeat the
  Burgundians, but they had consolidated with other
  Arian Germanic tribes
• Battle in doubttook an Oath to embrace the
  catholic Church forsaking the Arian doctrineif
  God would allow him victoryor to get the
  Christian community to join him in battle?

81
Clovis and Christianity

• The stage is now set for the advance and
  dominance of the Catholic Church and set the
  stage for Church/State issues and will begin the
  line of the Holy Roman Emperors through the
  Merovingian dynasty.
• Defeated the Visigoths and seized control of all
  France and much of the German territory to the
  Rhine.

82
Merovingian Dynasty

• All in all, ruled for about 300 years
• Political structure was monarchicalall lands,
  towns and villages were considered personal
  property of the King
• Royal family moved from estate to estate for
  subsistence everything was supplied the royal
  family from these estates and villages
• Household servantry became importantsuch as
  Mayor of the Palace or head servant(Butler)
  oversaw all economy, politics, social functions,
  human resources, etc . . . Beginning of the
  Palace bureaucracy (head ministers etc . . .).

83
Merovingian Dynasty

• Ministersmeans to serveservant
• These servants posts became functions with Royal
  French Titles
• Wherever the King was not, he left in control
  Strongmen (women) who would later become Earls,
  Counts and Dukesof course appointed by the King.

84
Merovingian Dynasty

• Law based on custom kinship and feuds
• No concept of state responsibility
• Power was passed to heirs
• Gavelkinddivision of property equally among the
  children (legitimate and illegitimate).
• Royal and lands and titles were passed along
  hereditarily.

85
Hereditary Issues

• Kingship tied to heredity and power
• Lands divided equallyso it created intrigue
  between heirs seeking the ultimate
  prize-KINGSHIP
• It also created palace intrigue to gain the
  highest Ministerial slotssee why there was so
  much turn-over and unexplained deaths
• Created constant Civil Warsthough powerful, in
  the long run created weaknesses to be exploited
  by the powerful or even the hated enemies of the
  dynastystill it worked for over 300 years.

86
Power Base of the Franks

• Expanded rather than migrated numbers constantly
  increasing
• Expanded slowly and always appeared as
  non-threatening, as did the over zealous Vandals
  and Visigoths
• They incorporated much Roman citizenryappearing
  as allies rather than threat
• Geography protected them from the invading Huns
  and Muslims
• Neither the Muslims nor the Byzantine court
  desired to bring the Franks into their foldthey
  looked fragmented and innocuous at best.

87
Power Base of the Franks

• Traditional opponents and enemies were always
  distracted or weak from their own wars The
  Visigoths and Burgundians though Barbaric and
  brutal never had the true love and support of the
  peasantrythey easily allied with the Franks and
  their brand of Catholic Christianity
• The peasantry despised the Arian barbarians
• Franks worked with a primitive style government.

88
Power Base of the Franks

• Forsook all things Roman especially the taxation
  program, which aided in creating alliances with
  the peasantry
• Visigoths and Ostrogoths, and Vandals tried to
  maintain the Roman tax system
• Franks allowed for local governance (akin to
  states rights) it seems here was the perfect
  time for decentralization of government
• Local governments (villages, towns, or cities)if
  responsible were allowed complete autonomy.

89
Power Base of the Franks

• Because of their primitive governmental
  structure, they allowed for local talented and
  effective rulers to rise into the Frankish
  aristocracy
• Frank rulers did not embrace vague notions of
  imperial power they accepted their local kingdom
  rule and living off the tribute of others
• Because of such local autonomy, governmental
  structure was not repressive nor intrusive.

90
Power Base of the Franks

• Because of Clovis they enjoyed the support of the
  Church
• Possessed religious continuity throughout the
  kingdom
• Peasants did not care whether the rulers were
  good Christian
• Church provided them with skilled literate
  administrative personnel
• Moreover, when the Franks did expand they had the
  benefit of missionaries and clergy to educate and
  help pacify the populace stroke of genius.

91
Conclusion

• BY the 600s, All things Roman, for the most part,
  had disappeared this loss of alliance and
  security for the Church could have been
  debilitating
• However, the Church found a new alliance with the
  Franks
• Franks had many alliances, but the Church was the
  most important.

92
Rise of Western Church

• Christianity not truly legitimized until AD 313
  after the death of Diocletian
• West different from the eastmore centralized and
  unified institutions
• Christianity helped further separate the West
  from the eastinteresting considering the early
  Church embraced the imperial nature of
  Constantines government
• Churches would operate on local levelsgaining an
  unintended Grass Roots dominance that would
  benefit it later

93
Rise of Western Church

• These local Civitates formed the central
  governmental and municipal basis for Western
  forms of government
• Administrative positions were filled with
  Clergythey were literateeducated and many
  learned in Law
• Began the practice of InvestitureChurch
  Administrators confirmed the appointment of
  governmental officials through ceremonyto be
  clothed in the office usually conducted by two
  or more Bishops to add Church and Social and
  Political credibility to the officethe President
  is sworn in with the Bible.

94
Rise of Western Church

• Church focused on Urban centers later the
  agrarian western lands
• Local power allowed to elect their own Bishops
  and Church Leaders
• Unfortunately this would lead to the
  secularization of the Church and few men with
  any true meaning of the Christian faithpowerful
  church not all good.

95
Western Church

• Division and sectarian factionalism became
  troublesome for the Church
• Nicean Council was to resolve thisit did not
• Split between Athanasius and Ariusdifference
  between the Holy Trinity one and the
  sametriumvirate equalityArianism human divinity
  of Christ.
• Big solution, which worked in the West fairly
  well was to centralize the strength and power of
  the Church.

96
Establishment of Bishops and Pope

• To create continuityestablished the Bishops of
  Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome
• Uniformed faith came up short, but it did define
  a uniformed definition and character of the
  Christian Church
• This led to the uniformity of liturgy, practice,
  and iconography The Canonization of the books of
  the Bible Prayer Book, and adoption of the ten
  Commandmentstranslate (Greek and Hebrew) into
  Latin (common language).

97
Western Church

• The Western Church was able to establish the
  progression of the Pope based on the lineage of
  Peterwho died in Rome
• The Petrine Doctrine, or Papal Primacy --
• on this rock shall I build my church This
  became the basis and earthly divinity of the
  Pope. Pope Leo I The Great negotiated the
  security of Rome with the Hunsseemed divine
  interventionPope is now the Church!!

98
3 Famous Early Christian Scholars

• Latin Fathers
• Jerome who translated the Greek and Hebrew into
  Latin
• Ambrose defined functions and roles of the Church
  Hierarchyestablished Bishops higher then
  Emperors because of the divine nature of their
  position
• Augustine who explained Christian Doctrine and
  explained the tough questions in formal and
  informal language, ie, evil, predestination,
  Gods influence in small matters

99
Arian Persecution of the Catholic Christians

• Though unintended, the early Catholic Christians,
  were being persecuted by the Arian Christians
• Catholics out of necessity had to bind together
  for security
• Supposedly direct lineage to Peter also helped
  their cause.

100
Conclusion

• To avert the East from capturing power in the
  West, Lombard Tribes (Italians) secured peace and
  continuity in Rome
• Rome sole champions of Roman culture, which they
  transformed into the iconography of True
  Christianity.
• Pope Gregory I, (Papal Primacy) a masterful
  administrator, put the Church on a sound
  financial standing and established legal and
  social acceptance of the Episcopacyalso made
  missionary and evangelizing a major work of the
  church
• Converted the Pagans, celts etc

101
Modern Church Identity

• PopeVicar of Godearthly emissary
• Strong centralized administrative structure
• Less interested in theological disputes
• More interested in establishing a refined and
  uniformed, rational and coherent set of rules and
  regulations controlling political and liturgical
  doctrine of Church
• Established Missionary Activism
• Bound to Spread the Good News.