Late Antiquity

Question 1

Who was Constantine?

Answer 1

• long reign, comparable to Augustus
• both marked a significant shift within roman history
• conversion to Christianity in society and politics

Question 2

The Augustan system in late antiquity

Answer 2

• Augustan system lasts for around 200 years
• period of turmoil and civil war, septimus Severus rises to power
• from 230AD system begins to break down

Question 3

The crisis of the third century

Answer 3

• from 220 the rise of Sansanian Persia
• northern Bavarians raid deep into the empire causing inflation and instability

Question 4

Diocletian and the Tetrarchy

Answer 4

• ends crisis after a humble background in the Balkans
• shared imperial power, in 285 makes Maximian emperor in the west
• in 293 makes Constantius and Galerius junior emperors, a tetrachy

Question 5

Diocletian and the Tetrarchy pt.2

Answer 5

• more emperors means easier to deal with threats
• by 300, empire is secure following a late 290s victory over Persia
• army increased in size, new tax system
• more administrators

Question 6

Constantine’s background

Answer 6

• father was an army officer from the Balkans, mother from humble background in Bithynia
• born in 273 in Nassius
• father was emperor from 293

Question 7

The succession of Diocletian

Answer 7

• 305, Diocletian abdicated and Maximian retires
• Constantius and Galerius as senior emperors in new Tetrarchy
• Severus and Maximus junior emperors

Question 8

Collapse of the Tetrarchy

Answer 8

• 306 Constantius dies and Constantine made emperor at York, Maxentius emperor at Rome
• 307 severus killed
• 311 Galerius dies

Question 9

Civil war 312-13

Answer 9

• Constantine invades Italy, defeats Maxentius, declaration of Christianity before battle
• allies with Licinus
• they divide the roman world

Question 10

Civil war 316-17

Answer 10

• 315 Constantine and Licinus fall out
• 316 civil war
• October 8th battle at cibalae, victory for Constantine
• Peace negotiated soon after, Constantine gets most of the Balkans

Question 11

Civil war 324

Answer 11

• Tension from 321, Constantine provokes Licinius.
  Campaigns against Sarmatians
• 324 = civil war, 3rd July battle of Adrianople (Balkans)
  Naval battle (between Europe/Asia)
• 19th September = Licinius surrenders at Nicomedia (Asia Minor).

Question 12

A world full of gods

Answer 12

• huge range of gods worshiped in the Roman Empire
• ancient cult is not a modern cult
• diversity reflects the growth of the Roman Empire
• monotheism was uncommon

Question 13

Judaism

Answer 13

• major monotheistic religion of the roman world
• tolerated by romans as was very ancient and incorporates blood sacrifice

Question 14

Christianity

Answer 14

• not ancient and is opposed to sacrifice
• also monotheistic but didn’t have the redeeming features
• romans also believed Christian’s were evil and accused of cannibalism and incest

Question 15

Christianity and the Imperial Government

Answer 15

• romans persecuted Christian’s: Nero punishes Christian’s for burning Rome to the ground
• 3rd century, an empire wide persecution, shows Christianity was established

Question 16

Decius

Answer 16

• all inhabitants of the empire to sacrifice and prove that they sacrificed
• Christian’s refused as this was sacreligious
• emperor Decius dies in battle 251

Question 17

Valerian

Answer 17

• persecution campaign launched in 257
• more targeted and deliberate
• focus on prominent Christian’s

Question 18

The peace of the church

Answer 18

• gallienus ended persecution, Christianity becomes legal
• by year 300 Christian’s were 10% of population

Question 19

The great persecution

Answer 19

• 303 Diocletian launched a systematic attack on church
• 305 unable to break the church and persecution was disrupting the empire

Question 20

The conversion of Constantine

Answer 20

• started as a pagan
• in 310 had a profound religious experience of a vision of Apollo
• 312 revealed Christianity

Question 21

The edict of Milan

Answer 21

• 313, Constantine and Licinus met in Milan
• divided the roman world, Licinus marries Constantine’s sister
• statement on religious policies, toleration of Christian’s

Question 22

Constantine favours

Answer 22

• from 312 Constantine shows favour to the church
• money from taxation, builds churches, provides clergy
• turns into a powerful institution

Question 23

Constantine and the bishops

Answer 23

• Constantine increased the power of the bishops
• allowed to act as judges in legal cases
• consults bishops at the council of Nicea 325

Question 24

Law and Christianity

Answer 24

• Christianity influences the governance of the empire
• repeals of Augustan marriage laws, penalties for childless and unmarried
• motivated by Christian value of chastity

Question 25

The suppression of paganism

Answer 25

- largely confined to the east after 324 - aggressive rhetoric, pragmatic action - ban of sacrifice, fault line in the persecution, changes what it means to be pagan - confiscation of temple wealth/ property given to church aristocracy

Question 26

Panegyrici Latini

Answer 26

- speeches in praise of Constantine 306-12 - exaggerated portrait of emperors

Question 27

Pan Lat 6

Answer 27

- shows Constantine to be breaking from Tetrarchy principles - presenters himself as noble and deserving - Apollo gives his faith in Constantine and presents him as a refounder of Rome

Question 28

Lactantius

Answer 28

- from North Africa - a presenter of rhetoric, art and persuasion - Christian and an ‘apologist’, defends Christianity and god punishes those who persecutes - wrote Divine Insitutes, second edition dedicated to Constantine - positive presentation of Constantine, had a special relationship with god

Question 29

Eusebius of Caesarea

Answer 29

- bishop of Caesarea in roman Palestine from 313 - relationship to Constantine, court bishop - ecclesiastical history, first history of the church, had been a subside institution before (313 and 325) - Life of Constantine, combination of panegyric and biography - very positive of Constantine, said he had a special relationship with god

Question 30

Constantine’s family

Answer 30

- minerva gave son Crispus - second wife Fausta gave sons Constantine, Constantius and constans - crispis groomed for power but killed - Constantine Constantius and constans emperors

Question 31

Julian the apostate

Answer 31

- Constantine’s nephew and converted to paganism, made Caesar in 355 by Constantius - solo emperor 361-363 attempts to return the empire to paganism - many surviving works, with satire on the emperors

Question 32

Edward Gibbon

Answer 32

- English gentleman scholar - wrote the history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire - 6 volumes, roman history from 2-1453 - sceptic about power, opposition to Christianity and the church - blames Christianity as responsible for the decline of the empire - says as Constantine became more Christian less virutous

Question 33

Jacob Burckhardt

Answer 33

- Swiss scholar - argued Constantine was ambitious and amoral politician, no place for religion - Constantine supported christianty as a ploy for power, links to napoleon - weakness of theory: only 10% Christian’s in 312

Question 34

Norman Hepburn Baynes

Answer 34

- was a late antiquity historian - demolishes Burckhardt theory, ignores secondary literature and focuses on contemporary - considers him genuine

Question 35

Timothy David Barnes

Answer 35

- Oxford trained, student of Syme - sympathises to Christianity before 312, was a priority after