Revision:MOHAMMED, CHARLEMAGEN AND THE ORIGINS OF EUROPE

TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > MOHAMMED, CHARLEMAGEN AND THE ORIGINS OF EUROPE

---

 

PIRENNE

·       

Traditional historians focussing on Goths bleakness of

Sark Ages and cataclysmic effect of Huns on rich civilisation of Rome. Ancient historians terminated in 5th century

and medievalists start with Germanic inundation. Pirenne considers interaction between the two.

·        PIRENNE’S MAIN ARGUMENT

1.      Migrant

tribes 4^th and 6^th centuries preserved what institutions

they could and di not deliberately destroy classical institutions, Germanic

tribes tried t preserve classical culture, as did church.

2.      Muslim

invasions able to overthrow Roman mastery of sea-lanes and separate remnants of

Western empire from Eastern Empire.

3.      Changes in

Med. Isolated Merovingian kings in north-west Europe caused gradual rise

Carolingians. Isolation Italy caused

Pope to ally himself with aspiring Carolingians ultimately led to coronation Charlemagne as Emperor in Rome

800.

·       

Demise classical world postponed until 7^th

century nexus change 645 two hostile civilisations faced over Med. Isolated West: urban life collapses and

political power focussed on land holdings, commercial middle classes

disappeared and power focussed in Church.

Charlemagne bridged gap between static closed economy and emerging fluid

one.

·       

Documentary

Evidence that he sues is weak. Was

there not a decline in Gaul in 3^rd and 4^th centuries,

little Arabian evidence for decline of papyrus, spices textiles etc.

·       

Lombard by looking

at coin design and deposits in Russia and Scandinavia produce thesis showing

economic revival of West due to relationship between Islam and Europe.

·       

Grierson

emphasises significance of gift-exchange, not necessarily purely economic, but

cultural significance in dark ages.

·       

Classical archaeology dominates only recently attention

paid rural dimension of Roman decline and newer layers of cities.

·       

New

Archaeologist turn archaeology into a science search for patterns of

human behaviour only archaeology in a position to examine long-term human

development.

·       Archaeology is the past tense of anthropology.

·       

Archaeologists can make useful judgements on social and

economic change if dating accurate.

·       

Now easier to see how topography of period and region

changed. Essential as settlement

patterns reflect socio-economic systems that created them and modified

them. For example market economy will

show market centre etc, whereas society based on politics or ecology will show

differing settlement patterns.

·       

Must combine archaeological data with historical and

numismatic evidence. Help relight the

Pirenne debate Without

Mohammed, Charlemagne would indeed have been inconceivable

 

Decline of the Western Empire

Pirenne’s Sweeping Conclusions

1.      Germanic

invasions neither destroyed unity of Mediterranean nor truly essential features

of Roman culture in 5^th century.

2.      Cause of break with antiquity as rapid and unexpected advance of Islam.

 

·       

Pirenne’s first conclusion that Mediterranean world same

in 400 as in 600. Trade intense as

commodities moved length and breadth of Mediterranean.

·       

Pirenne uses documentary evidence from Gregory of tours

and Salvian show there was trade, not volume. By describing trade and traders perhaps implies exception as

opposed to norm. Archaeological

evidence can hep show volume and distribution.

Archaeological Evidence

Rome

·       

Continuing existence of amphorae from Schola Praeconum

indicate continuing existence of large-scale sea borne trade between Rome,

North Africa and the eastern Med in about 430-40.

Carthage

·       

Oil and grain traditionally pass through Carthage. Argued Gaiseric’s capture in curtailed

Rome’s access to the granary and alternative supplies needed until Belisarius

recaptured city for Justinian in 534.

·       

Fulford argues

that once released from obligation to Rome possible to sustain lively

relationship with various parts of the Mediterranean. Once Justinian reconquers evidence commercial life diminishes.

·        By 695-8 city was a shadow of its former self.

Luni

·       

Based on marble trade.

Evidence German like dwellings but that Byzantine copper coinage in use

until around 600 evidence Syrian glass and amphorae still being imported. Appears to decline after 600. Port certainly collapsed.

·       

Arrival Barbarians late 4^th and 5^th

century damaged but did not destroy commerce of central and western

Mediterranean Rome imports wine after Gothic invasions, under Vandals

Carthage may have experienced a boom, Luni still receiving foreign

products. Changed by 600, Carthage

stopped and Luni did not import luxuries.

·        Market economy collapsed in the 6^th century.

 

Rural Settlement in Italy

·       

Classical world: dispersed rural settlement, but medieval

times nucleated hilltop settlement.

Archaeology help to accurately date change.

·       

Ward-Perkins analysis of ARS (African Red Slip) end of 3^rd

century major change rural settlement as much disappeared.

·       

Re-examination of pottery and settlement data: holdings

and villas occupied in Roman Campagna fell by 80% between late 1^st

and mid 5^th centuries.

·        Why possibilities?

1.      Decline use of ARS

2.      Change settlement pattern replacement many small sites with fewer larger ones

3.      Migration from countryside to country towns.

4.      Migration to Rome

5.      Decline in n populations

·       

Combination documentary dole” evidence leads them to

believe decline in overall population and top ups to Rome popn. Important.

·       

Theodosian Code shows reduction in taxable area, Visgoths

exacerbated, similar state in Africa.

·       

Classical

pattern of dispersed settlement was transformed in the late Imperial Period

·       

Debate depopulation: decline ARS may be purely economic

issue not necessarily population issue. Wickham suggests 8^th century

historical sources give no impression that the countryside had been abandoned.

·       

T.S.

Brown beginnings of change to hilltop fortresses law in later 6^th

or 7^th century when Albion Lombard overran Italy. Hilltops above roads used as refuges and

then into permanent settlements. Dating

suggests zone of hilltop sites to north of Rome date from this period defence

in depth strategy. However lowland settlements

remain.

·       

Late

6^th or 7^th centuries virtually all open classical sites

abandoned in favour of hilltop locations. Evidence decline population. Reasons:

1.      Increased

taxation of Justinian’s reconquest might account for rural depopulation in 6^th

century

2.      Plague 542

3.      More defensible against marauding bands

4.      Change in

peasant farming from decline of cities.

Replacement Roman political system by German tribal elites diminution of

local taxes. Markets and apparatus of

government declined farmers to provide basic necessities and also

manufactured goods.

·       

Decline Roman population.

367 estimated population of one million with imported grain and small

population supplied locally in 8^th century. Ropey evidence suggests population half a

million or less in mid 5^th century and after this date it declined

very sharply.

Summary

·       

Aleric’s invasion of Rome in 410 simply one incident in a

long line of problems.

·       

Excavations suggests commercial life existed but at

declining rate until 6^th century.

Rural and urban excavations show final degradation in 6^th

century and Arab advance post 630 as consequence rather than cause of

catastrophe.

·       

Arch. Evidence supports decline, despite 5^th

century revival. Size towns and

standard housing fell. High Byzantine

taxes needed for war, agric and industrial output declined, social unrest, mass

movements and maybe plague led to depopulation of countryside. Urban life survived a little longer

supported by individual commercial activity soon dented by Justinian’s taxes.

·       

Instability of countryside opportunity for kings and

tribal chiefs to carve out new territories in Med, new social and economic

systems. Pirenne lays too heavy

emphasis on survival Roman institutions. By and 6^th century, conditions Western Med

bore little resemblance to those in 2^nd century. Before Arabs arrived, transformation

virtually complete.

·       

Structure and economy of Roman society undermined and its

wealth absorbed by two centuries of intermittent warfare.; ruined towns and

wasted countryside suggest it happened in Med and end of Roman period.

 

The Eastern Mediterranean 500 850

·       

Procopius: castles and forts constructed to control

his vast territory meant increased taxation for a population suffering from

successive waves of barbarian incursions as well as from plagues”.

·       

Byzantium in 700 Constantinople, Asia Minor, coastal

fringes, corn lands lost, commercial networks lost. Not aided by political

factionalism and religious quarrels. Byzantine government choose to ignore

Charlemagne and continue internal disagreement.

·       

Archaeological

Evidence dramatic geomorphological change took place at the end of classical

antiquity.

·       

Vita

Finzi decay once flourishing Mediterranean countries class geological

causes independent f man, direct action of human force (soil erosion etc,

Younger Fill) ignorant disregard laws of nature, incidental consequence of

war and ecclesiastical tyranny and misrule.

·       

Age

of Barbarianism barbarian groups overran classical cities in Greece in

later fourth or 5^th centuries.

Corinth, Carthage, Luni signs of violence Slavs possible example

of a cataclysmic episode in 580s. Citis

survive in 7^th century but smaller and hinterlands lost to

Slavs. Yugoslavia coin fns less in 7^th

and 8^th, similar pattern to Greece.

·       

Asian

City Foss looked at 20 cities 7^th century revelation of

destruction”

·       

Ephesus 5^th

and 6^th century grandeur plenty mausoleums and chapels Early

Christian funerary arranagements showing wealth.

·       

Foss

great changes took place in Dark Ages major decline, lowest point the

and 8^th centuries urban life, upon which classical Mediterranean

culture had been based ended. Richest

lands of classical civilisation dominated by villages and fortresses.

·       

Ship wreck Yassi Ada Turkey 625 Georgios evident

from glassworks, metal works, pottery still some manufacture in latter days. Metcalf still

trade in Aegean middle 7^th century

·       

Arab

raids conclusively ended Early Byzantine trade even on modest scale we have

suggested.

·       

Byzantium

and the Arabs Justinian reunited Med. built fortresses to protect

Italy from the Lombards and on Peloponnese. Enhanced efficiency of the Navy as

well as fortifying ports.

·       

Justinian’s built Justinianic walls around many cities in

Africa despite archaeological evidence showing declining population and less

people to defend.

·       

Richard

Goodchild looking in Libya Arabs break through extraordinary

defences because they were welcomed by the Copts thought Arabs allies against

orthodox Christian enemies.

·       

News

of Arab incursions intro Provence frightened Merovingian Bede of Jarrow found

out. By 9^th century Arab

empire Sind to Spain inc. southern shore Mediterranean.

·       

The

Dark Ages Arabs did not value classical cities, unlike Vandals,

dark ages until 10^th century.

·       

Byzantium

8^th and 9^th centuries troubled externally and

internally Peter

Brown to adjust to the crevasse that had opened between rich Late Antique

past and an anxious present overshadowed by the armies of Islam” -

Comments