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

361 Pages·2013·4.65 MB·English

by  Lee, A. D

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
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From Rome to Byzantium AD 363 to 565
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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
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From Rome to Byzantium
AD 363 to 565
The Transformation of Ancient Rome
A. D. Lee
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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).