TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Resources for Foreign Relations, Records
ROMAN RESOURCES FOR FOREIGN RELATIONS
- Large complex admin and bureaucracy did time long time for army to get prepared so long that other knew was happening.
RECORDS
- Reforms of Dicoletian and Constantius increase records of external affairs open to Emeperors. Almost no doubt of archive of traties and so forth in C – but difficult to link bureaucracy and paperwork. Suspect with increase importance of foreign relations Late Antiquity that there was spin off in foreign literature.
- Pope Gregory late 6th asks for treaty from imperial archive – knows it existed by reply suggests it was burnt down.
- Chroniclers in later period talk of diplomatic letters - some even quote from then – Khurso II to Maurice for example
- Historical argument favours debate that the letters were actually kept.
- In terms of making decisions regarding foreign policy – greater value aides-memoires Roman envoys concerning negotiation. Certainly envoys reported back to emperors verbally – seems unlikely didn’t record verbals. Certainly John of Ephesus and Menander and Malalas not necessarily from government archives – Malalas – account of embassy of Julianus to Axumies in 530/1.
- Malalas and Malcus of Philadelphia, via large detail in Romans relations Goths – suggests written accounts of negotiations in government archive.
- Shorthand writers take account of imperial consistory – presumably consulted later if taken, why not envoy meetings?
- Most evidence of government records in foreign relations in fifth and sixth centuries. Why then? Thoeoiis relinquishing personal command of army, more time for paperwork, shift in attitude given seriousness of crisis in this period.. Awareness of officials and emperors need to give closer attention to foreign relations - + value of written records.
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