Imperial Rome AD 284 to 363: The New Empire (The Edinburgh History of Ancient Rome)

This book is about the reinvention of the Roman Empire during the eighty years between the accession of Diocletian and the death of Julian. How had it changed? The emperors were still warriors and expected to take the field. Rome was still the capital, at least symbolically. There was still a Roman senate, though with new rules brought in by Constantine. There were still provincial governors, but more now and with fewer duties in smaller areas; and military command was increasingly separated from civil jurisdiction and administration. The neighbours in Persia, Germania and on the Danube were more assertive and better organised, which had a knock-on effect on Roman institutions. The achievement of Diocletian and his successors down to Julian was to create a viable apparatus of control which allowed a large and at times unstable area to be policed, defended and exploited. The book offers a different perspective on the development often taken to be the distinctive feature of these years, namely the rise of Christianity. Imperial endorsement and patronage of the Christian god and the expanded social role of the Church are a significant prelude to the Byzantine state. The author argues that the reigns of the Christian-supporting Constantine and his sons were a foretaste of what was to come, but not a complete or coherent statement of how Church and State were to react with each other. Read more... Abstract: This book is about the reinvention of the Roman Empire during the eighty years between the accession of Diocletian and the death of Julian. How had it changed? The emperors were still warriors and expected to take the field. Rome was still the capital, at least symbolically. There was still a Roman senate, though with new rules brought in by Constantine. There were still provincial governors, but more now and with fewer duties in smaller areas; and military command was increasingly separated from civil jurisdiction and administration. The neighbours in Persia, Germania and on the Danube were more assertive and better organised, which had a knock-on effect on Roman institutions. The achievement of Diocletian and his successors down to Julian was to create a viable apparatus of control which allowed a large and at times unstable area to be policed, defended and exploited. The book offers a different perspective on the development often taken to be the distinctive feature of these years, namely the rise of Christianity. Imperial endorsement and patronage of the Christian god and the expanded social role of the Church are a significant prelude to the Byzantine state. The author argues that the reigns of the Christian-supporting Constantine and his sons were a foretaste of what was to come, but not a complete or coherent statement of how Church and State were to react with each other A distinct perspective on the momentous religious change in the regionDiocletian (284-305) and his principal successor, Constantine (306-337), would rule the Roman world for over half a century and Constantine's sons would build on their legacy. Administrative reform encouraged the rise of a bureaucratic culture, provincial government was reshaped and became more hierarchical and the court became more structured. The period was also one of momentous religious change. With Constantine's adoption of Christianity as the favoured recipient of imperial patronage, the religious landscape would, over time, be radically reshaped.Jill Harries combines the administrative reform and religious change with accounts of war, women and imperial cities to offer a new and revealing view of the region.Key features:'Focuses on the Emperor Constantine as a major figure and offers a context to his achievement'Addresses the role of imperial women, often ignored for this period'Studies the control of empires and how rulers fashion their claims to legitimacyKeywords:Roman history; Late Antiquity; Later Roman Empire; History of Christianity; Diocletian; Constantine; Emperor Julian. Contents 6 Illustrations 7 Series editor’s preface 10 Author’s preface 11 Abbreviations 15 Map: The Roman Empire under the Tetrarchy 18 Chapter 1: The long third century 20 Chapter 2: Four lords of the world, AD 284–311 44 Chapter 3: The empire renewed 69 Chapter 4: The return of the old gods 99 Chapter 5: The victory of Constantine, AD 311–37 125 Chapter 6: Towards the sunrise: Constantine Augustus 153 Chapter 7: Constructing the Christian emperor 175 Chapter 8: The sons of Constantine 204 Chapter 9: Warfare and imperial security, AD 337–61 228 Chapter 10: Church and empire 248 Chapter 11: Images of women 274 Chapter 12: Rome and Antioch 293 Chapter 13: Julian Augustus 313 Chapter 14: The funeral director 338 Chronology 343 Guide to further reading 349 Bibliography of modern works cited 355 Index 374 This Series Is A Multi-volume History Of Rome And The Roman World From The City's First Settlement To The Collapse Of The Western Empire And The Emergence Of Byzantium Some 1500 Years Later. The Books Combine Scholarship, Reliability, And Readability. The Long Third Century -- Four Lords Of The World, Ad 284-311 -- The Empire Renewed -- The Return Of The Old Gods -- The Victory Of Constatntine, Ad 311-37 -- Towards The Sunrise: Constatine Augustus -- Constructing The Christian Emperor -- The Sons Of Constantine -- Warfare And Imperial Security, Ad 337-61 -- Church And Empire -- Images Of Women -- Rome And Antioch -- Julian Augustus -- The Funeral Director. Jill Harries. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [300]-354) And Index.