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The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

Constantius II and Julian

First Byzantine emperor Sacred, Christian autocracy Pride of place to the East Constantius Caesars Gallus (cousin, executed) Julian (relative, to Gaul)
Extant portion of Ammianus Marcellinus highlights Julians success on Western fronts

Constantius asks Julian to come East to help fight Persians Julians troops declare him Augustus in Paris instead Constantius dies suddenly before the two clash Julian sole emperor, A.D. 360364

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38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

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Julian the Apostate

Raised a Christian, converts to paganism as a student following a vision! Neoplatonist, theurgist, Eleusinian, Sol, Cybele Hostile to Christianity Revoked its privileges Passed some anti-Christian legislation law against Christian teachers (see Ammianus Marcellinus 25.4 = Mellor2, 603606) Favored Jews? No, just pro sacrifice . . . Tried to help Jews rebuild their temple Persian War Dies after spear thrust Killed by a Christian?
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Theodosius, A.D. 378-395

Becomes emperor when a predecessor, Valens, is killed by Visgoths at Adrianople Settled Goths on imperial territory
Begins the process of allowing Germanic military units into the Roman empire to serve as Roman auxiliaries In the end they do not invade, they are already there!

Fervent Christian, completed progressive ban on paganism

A.D. 331, Constantines inventory of pagan temples A.D. 356, first ban on pagan sacrifice (Julian restores in A.D. 360) 382, Ambrose and Symmachus: the Altar of Victory controversy at Rome
See letters of Ambrose and Symmachus to Emperor Valentinian (LR II no. 186, packet 1920)

A.D. 385, second ban on pagan sacrifice A.D. 392, paganism banned, temples closed, Christianity official religion
See anti-pagan legislation from the Theodosian Code (LR II no. 187,packet 2022)

Permanently divided Empire at death

Arcadius (East) Honorius (West)
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The End of Rome?

The West limps on until A.D. 476 German kings enter empire as mercenary warlords, making and unmaking emperors Last puppet emperor, the child Romulus Augustulus, retired But . . . A western emperor, Zeno, still rules from Illyricum Ostrogothic kings in Italy still suffer Senate at Rome to function, consuls to be selected East reconquers some of west under Justinian Conquests are not permanent: Italy to Lombards, Africa to Arabs Eastern, or Byzantine Empire survives in various forms until A.D. 1453!

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38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

Europe after Rome: the Germanic Kingdoms and the Byzantine Empire

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38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

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Causes?
Moral Collapse and Vice?
Careful here . . . This is a predominately Christian Empire

External pressures
Yes, but the Germans are inside before the (Western) empire falls! Augustines City of God and the dilemma of Christian political decline

Disease and plague Economic collapse

Exhaustion of land and minerals Tax base cannot support necessary military

Triumph of Barbarism and Religion (Gibbon) Dysgenic breeding, race suicide, upper classes decline (discredited) Government mismanagement and failure of frontier defense
Chief proximate cause

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38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity

38. The Lasts Gasps of Pagan Antiquity