Week 15 (Third Century Crisis, Diocletian, Tetrarchy, Constantine)

Question 1

Military Anarchy
- 235-284 AD: cycle of __________ armies replacing emperors with their generals
- New emperors = mostly _________, provincial backgrounds

Military Threats
- Alemanni and other German tribes along the _____ River, _____ invading across the Danube, and the ________ Persians in the East
- More emphasis on _______ in the Roman army

Answer 1

provincial
equestrian
Rhine, Goths, Sassanids
cavalry

Question 2

Year of the Six Emperors (238 AD)
- Senate unsuccessfully replaces Maximinus Thrax with _______ I & II, Thrax ultimately assassinated
- Pupienus and Balbinus co-emperors, _______ III junior emperor
- Pupienus and Balbinus murdered by Praetorians, _______ III new emperor

Gordion III (238-244 AD)
- Killed in battle against Persians under King Shapur I, proceeded by Praetorian prefect Philip the Arab (244-249 AD)
- Valerian (253-260 AD) = lowest point of the Third Century Crisis (captured by the Persians)
- Valerian’s son Gallienus = new emperor (253-268 AD), but the ______ empire and Palmyrene empire breakaway

Answer 2

Gordion (x4)
Gallic

Question 3

Aurelian (270-275 AD)
- Abandons Dacia for greater security, recaptures the Kingdom of Palmyra and ______ Empire
- Failed attempt to restore the antoninianus; promoted worship of Sol Invictus (unconquerable sun), construction of the Aurelian ____

Diocletian (284-305 AD)
- New Emperor from Illyria, offers solutions to the empire
1) Abolish the __________ and establish the ________ to make the imperial throne respected
- Emperor starts wearing purple cloak, proskynesis expected; the ______ is demoted to Rome’s city council
2) Establish new administrative system (Tetrarchy) that shares governance and clear succession
- 4 Emperors total (2 East, 2 West), 2 senior Augusti, 2 junior Caesares, travelling court (comitatus) for each emperor
- Divided empire into four prefectures (each led by an emperor (Augusti) or junior emperor (Caesar) and praetorian prefect), subdivided into dioceses (districts) overseen by vicars (regional governors), subdivided into provinces
- Dukes in charge of ________ defenses, counts in charge of mobile field armies

Answer 3

Gallic
Aurelian Wall
Principate, Dominate
Senate
frontier

Question 4

Diocletian (284-305 AD) Continued
3) Restore the economy
- Base Roman _____ on payment in kind (rather than strictly coinage) + control of production facilities and warehouses across Empire to collect these _____
- Certain jobs declared mandatory with __________ callings (ex. son of blacksmith must become a blacksmith)
- Edict of Maximum prices (301 AD): Failed attempt to curb inflation by setting maximum prices for goods and services across the empire.
4) Restore unity and adherence to traditional Roman __________
- Great Persecution (303 AD): severe persecution of __________ in the Empire, ended by the Edict of Toleration (311 AD)

Answer 4

taxes (x2)
hereditary
polytheism
Christians

Question 5

Constantine (324-337 AD)
- Augusti __________ and Maximian retire, Caesars Constantius I and Galerius take over
- Breakdown of the _________ (305-324 AD) due to rivalry among Caesars and sons of Maximian and Constanius I
- Arch of Constantine (Built 312-315 AD): Celebrates Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at Battle of _______ Bridge, begins co-rule with Licinius
- More stylized approach to sculpture

Answer 5

Diocletian
Tetrarchy
Milvian

Question 6

Constantine Reforms
- Further developed ___________’s separation of military and political leadership (i.e. Praetorian prefects lose army command to Masters of Soldiers + disbandment of Praetorian Guard)
- ________ restored to leadership positions
- New ____ coin (solidus) + shore up reserves
- New succession practice of fathers to sons
- First emperor to officially promote ____________
- Edict of _____: declared the religion legal and reperations

Answer 6

Diocletian’s
Senators
gold
Christianity
Milan

Question 7

Constantine Continued
- As sole emperor, Constantine acted as a great patron of the Christian Church + mediator (ex. weighed in dispute over Arianism at Council of Nicaea 325 AD)
- Moved capital to ______________ in 330 AD
- Factors: Eastern half of empire was ______ than the Western half, strategic geographic location for trade
- Features: Hippodrome, _____ ______ (Holy Wisdom)
- Constantine’s Legacy: Roman imperial power as theocratic autocracy with Christianity as the unofficial then official religion
- Christian bishops become imperial advisors + _______ as unofficial administrators across empire

Answer 7

Constantinople
richer
Hagia Sophia