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From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565 : the transformation of ancient Rome PDF

361 Pages·2013·4.65 MB·English
by  LeeA. D
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Preview From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565 : the transformation of ancient Rome

THE EDINBURGH HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME THE EDINBURGH HISTORY OF ANCIENT ROME SERIES EDITOR: J. S. RICHARDSON The Edinburgh History of Ancient Rome is a chronological history of Rome and the Roman world in eight volumes. From the city’s first settlement to the collapse of the western empire and the emergence of Byzantium some 1,500 years later, each volume encapsulates the ever-changing identity of Rome, providing overall unity to its dramatic history. ‘This rich, clear analytical narrative of two centuries of dramatic change unravels the complexities of seismic religious transformation, major cultural realignment as well the political and military changes that shifted Europe’s focus from Rome to Byzantium and that still influence the shape of Europe. An excellent overview of the period ’ Michael Whitby, University of Birmingham The final dramatic centuries of Roman history Between the deaths of the Emperors Julian (363) and Justinian (565), the Roman Empire underwent momentous changes. Most obviously, control of the west was lost to barbarian groups during the fifth century, and although parts were recovered by Justinian, the empire’s centre of gravity shifted irrevocably to the east, with its focal point now the city of Constantinople. Equally important was the increasing dominance of Christianity not only in religious life, but also in politics, society and culture. Doug Lee charts these and other significant developments which contributed to the transformation of ancient Rome and its empire into Byzantium and the early medieval west. By emphasising the resilience of the east during late antiquity and the continuing vitality of urban life and the economy, this volume offers an alternative perspective to the traditional paradigm of decline and fall. FROM ROME Key Features • Provides a clear analytical narrative of pivotal political, military and religious developments • Complements this with an examination of overarching trends in urban life and the economy TO BYZANTIUM • Gives particular attention to the dynamics of political and religious power and of Roman- barbarian relations during the fifth century ad 363 TO 565 A. D. Lee is Associate Professor in Classical Studies at the University of Nottingham. Cover image: Plaster cast ivory panel depicting an aristocratic of Lampadi in the family presiding over T H E T R AN S FO RMAT I ON chariot racing in the circus. Probably of Rome, early 5th century AD © National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. Cover design: www.paulsmithdesign.com ISBN 978-0-7486-2791-2 O F A N C I EN T ROME A .D . L e e www.euppublishing.com FROM ROME TO BYZANTIUM ad 363 TO 565 A.D. Lee 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page i From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page ii The Edinburgh History of Ancient Rome General Editor: J. S. Richardson Early Rome to 290 BC: The Beginnings of the City and the Rise of the Republic Guy Bradley Rome and the Mediterranean 290 to 146 BC: The Imperial Republic Nathan Rosenstein The End of the Roman Republic 146 to 44 BC: Conquest and Crisis Catherine Steel Augustan Rome 44 BC to AD 14: The Restoration of the Republic and the Establishment of the Empire J. S. Richardson Imperial Rome AD 14 to 192: The First Two Centuries Jonathan Edmondson Imperial Rome AD 193 to 284: The Critical Century Clifford Ando Imperial Rome AD 284 to 363: The New Empire Jill Harries From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565: The Transformation of Ancient Rome A. D. Lee 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page iii From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565 The Transformation of Ancient Rome A. D. Lee 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page iv To the memory of my father and of my aunt Ruth © A. D. Lee, 2013 Edinburgh University Press Ltd 22 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LF www.euppublishing.com Typeset in Sabon by Norman Tilley Graphics Ltd, Northampton, and printed and bound in Great Britain by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon CR0 4YY A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 0 7486 2790 5 (hardback) ISBN 978 0 7486 2791 2 (paperback) ISBN 978 0 7486 3175 9 (webready PDF) ISBN 978 0 7486 6835 9 (epub) ISBN 978 0 7486 6836 6 (Amazon ebook) The right of A. D. Lee to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Published with the support of the Edinburgh University Scholarly Publishing Initiatives Fund. 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page v Contents Maps vii Illustrations viii Series editor’s preface x Author’s preface xi Acknowledgements xvi Abbreviations xvii 1. The Constantinian inheritance 1 Part I The later fourth century 2. Emperors, usurpers and frontiers 19 3. Towards a Christian empire 39 4. Old Rome, new Rome 57 Part II The long fifth century 5. Generalissimos and imperial courts 81 6. Barbarians and Romans 110 7. Church and state, piety and power 134 8. Anastasius and the resurrection of imperial power 159 9. Rome’s heirs in the west 178 Part III Longer-term trends 10. Urban continuity and change 199 11. Economic patterns 223 Part IV The age of Justinian 12. Justinian and the Roman past 243 13. Justinian and the Christian present 264 14. Justinian and the end of antiquity 286 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page vi Chronology 301 Lists of rulers 304 List of bishops of Rome 307 Guide to further reading 308 Select bibliography of modern works 313 Index 322 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page vii Maps 1. The Mediterranean world and the Near East in late antiquity xix 2. The western provinces and the Balkans in late antiquity xx 3. The eastern provinces in late antiquity xxi 4. The Roman empire at the death of Julian (363) xxii 5. The city of Rome in late antiquity 58 6. The city of Constantinople in late antiquity 71 7. The barbarian kingdoms in the 520s 179 8. The Roman empire at the death of Justinian (565) 287 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page viii Illustrations Figure 1 Relief from the base of the obelisk of Theodosius I depicting foreign envoys presenting gifts to the emperor in the hippodrome in Constantinople 28 Figure 2 Ivory leaf depicting a priestess before an altar, sprinkling incense on a flame, with an attendant 53 Figure 3 The Projecta casket from the Esquiline Treasure in Rome 70 Figure 4 The aqueduct of Valens in Constantinople 75 Figure 5 Intaglio of sardonyx and gold, depicting the symbolic investiture of Valentinian III 86 Figures 6–7 Ivory diptych of Flavius Aetius 88–89 Figure 8 Ivory diptych leaf of the Empress Ariadne 105 Figure 9 A section of the Theodosian Walls, Constantinople 119 Figure 10 Wooden carving of a besieged city being relieved 129 Figure 11 Basalt panel from a chancel screen in a church, depicting St Simeon the Stylite on his column 156 Figure 12 View of the walls of Dara, northern Mesopotamia 170 Figure 13 The granaries at Dara, northern Mesopotamia 171 Figure 14 A marble gambling machine, with reliefs of chariot racing 212 Figure 15 A contorniate with inlaid decoration depicting a four-horse chariot 213 Figure 16 Sixth-century houses from the village of Serjilla in the Limestone Massif east of Antioch 229 Figure 17 A press house for processing olive oil, Serjilla, in the Limestone Massif east of Antioch 230 Figures 18–19 Cross-sections of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople 268 Figure 20 Floor plan of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople 269 Figure 21 Interior of Hagia Sophia, Constantinople 270 Figure 22 Part of a peacock arch from the Church of St Polyeuctus, Constantinople 272 1186 01 pages i-xxii prelims:From Rome to Byzantium 11/12/12 10:50 Page ix Illustrations ix The author and publisher thank the following for providing illus- trations: Victoria and Albert Museum London (Fig. 2), The Trustees of the British Museum (Fig. 3), The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg (Fig. 5), Collections musées de la ville de Bourges (Figs 6–7), Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna (Fig. 8), Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Figs 10, 11, 14), Christopher Lillington- Martin (Fig. 12), Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Trier (Fig. 15), P earson Education Ltd. (Figs 18–20), Cinzia Maggiore and Tony Parry (Fig. 21), and the Institute of Archaeology, Oxford (Fig. 22).

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