NOTES

today in west civ we looked at a powerpoint.
Two Emperors
- Diocletian
- ruled from 284-303
- Under his rule it was fine to persicute christians
-Rome needs a big army (400,000 strong)
- Rome needs a big government (20,000 officals)
- take the roman word and divide it in half western adn eastern empire
Constantine
- Rules from 306-337
- its cool to BE a christian
-conversion to christianity via a cross in the sky (conquer by this!)
-313- his Edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship
- built a new capitial in the east
- Byzantium, soon to be known as consranrinople
The struggle of paesants

life in the Fourth Century

• country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection

• new farming system: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms

• peasants can avoid paying taxes, 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 than the faraway empire

• foreshadowing feudalism

The western empire crumbles

Roman power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power 

- Western empire is too poor, begans to neglect 

-Huns migrate from China to eastern europe 

- Visigoths take over spain, and actually capture and loot itself in 410 

- Vandals control carthage and the western mediterrian 

Other Barbian Tribes 

- Ostrogoths in Italy 

-Franks in gaul 

-Angles and Saxons in Britian 

Invasions 

end of an era
- from the beginnings
500 B.C.- the monarchy is abolished
450 B.C. 12 tables are established
Through the glory days
- 44 B.C.- End of the Line for Julius Caesar
-27 B.C.-180 A.D. The Roman Peace (Pax Romana)
To the bitter end
- Constant 5th century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western roman empire shattered and crumbling
-the last emperor was a teenage boy installed by his father in 475
-Barbarians deposed Romulus Augustulus without bothering to kill him