Rome fades away

ROME FADES AWAY

TWO EMPERORS

Diocletian 

• he rules from 284-303
• he thinks it's cool to kill CHRISTIANS
• looked at Christianity as a real problem because they won't worship the Roman gods
• Rome needs a big army (400,000 strong)
• rome needs a big government (20,000 officials)
• solution: take Roman empire and DIVIDE it in half
• east Roman empire- had all the money/ the better side
• west Roman empire- had all the trouble
• two completely different empires 

Constantine

• rules from 306-337
• he thinks its okay and cool to BE a Christian
• conversion to Christianity 

----via across in the sky (conquer by this!)----

• 313- his Edict of Milan proclaims
• edict: law/proclamation 

----freedom of worship----

• built a new capital in the East
• Byzantium, soon to be known as Constantinople

THE STRUGGLE OF THE PEASANTS

life in the fourth century:

• country dwellers are getting bankrupt by endless tax collection
• new farming systems: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
• peasants can avoid paying taxed, 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 that the faraway empire
• foreshadowing feudalism 
• feudalism: whose the owner of the land/ system where one manner is owned by the rich and have servants to work for them and knights to guard them
• doesn't matter who is the leader or empire 

THE WESTERN EMPIRE CRUMBLES

• romes power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power
• western empire is too poor, begins 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
• other 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 AD- the Roman peace (Pax Romana)

to the bitter 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