Revision:Economy and Administration of Early Byzantine CitiesTSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Economy and Administration of Early Byzantine Cities
- Since 4th century curiales, better off citizens, bemoaning pressures on them. Certainly easy target for government taxation and tax collection. City councils found it difficult to recruit enough curiales with enough income to maintain buildings and sit on councils. 200 years after Constantine’s legislation on decursions . curiales most still in a reasonable state – obstinate tendency to survive.
- Style of life in these cities began to curtail toward the end of our period – urban life drastically curtailed in the years following. Deeper causes at work as well as; pressures of invasion, insecurity, increased military expenditure by central government, plague and so on. One is resources from old-style city administration to church – other to long term changes in administration.
- Role of imperial administration in city affairs tendency to increase from times of early empire – as revenues became harder to collect pressure on curiales increases and imposition of imperial tax officials as well. By 6th century provincial governor even more power at expense city councillors – affairs of city now run by “father of the city” – elected by curiales and by landowners and sig. Church. Kid to late 6th century some tell that councils no longer functioned at all. However cities in West, despite Barbarian invasion and Barbarian kingdoms, retained earlier practice of continued responsibility of curiales for tax collection.
- Reduction in city autonomy an power city councils does not have to lead to lead to a decline in population – evidence for general population increase in the eats – evidenced by increase use of marginal lands and deserts. Added to economic problems of towns with more poor.
- Individual reactions of curiales – some escape into imperial service, senatorial both of which act as a release from fiscal duties. Others evaded law by moving to villas in the countryside. Others went into church as clergy, some turned to ascetic life and renounced property – curial position taken by less well off, thus lessening power. Maintenance of curial order dependent on traditional education system: attacked by imperial legislation against pagans, heretics and teachers and by Christianisation/ Decline financial and human resources of the city 0 even of other resources likely, i.e. from bishops, fundamental change in nature as personnel taking decisions has changed. Curial decline often linked to urban decline, better to focus on inevitable effects on attitudes and practices of long-term changes in administrative personnel.
- Cities will not be the same with curial decline – Eastern provinces 7th century severe effects of Persian invasions, Arab conquests (deprived Byzantium large territory), fundamental upheaval in administrative system of Byzantium – new governing class emerges military organised rurally based. Byzantium city very different to late antique city, urban change of late sixth century bets interpreted in long term context.
- Idle mouths simplistic, part of a fundamental set of changes. Cities begin to look different because the priorities of those who run them have changed. Not more resources to church, but just redistribution. 5th century letters of Cyrrhus in Northern Syria – churchmen dealing with trade and taxation
- Many Christian inscriptions of Saints’ life, hagiographic – difficult historical value, reflects changed point of view – lots of evidence in crucial period of cities with loads of stuff – shows continuance as vital centres, but how urban life was articulated. Thessaloniki early 7th century. Picture emerges of urban life no less vital but quite different in kind and flavour from late antique city of first part of period – still has municipal pride, public spaces, great buildings and civic autonomy. Comparison between end of our period and the decaying industrial towns of modern Britain. Not quote fundamental change in mentality has occurred.
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