From The Student Room

TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > Roman World in 600 - Overview

---

• Western Territories – 600 RE large blocks C and W Med. 535 Belisarios gets Sicily, Carthage off Vandals and looks like Italy collapse, but not subdue Gothic kingdom until 561. Lombards took Northern Italy from 568. Ejected by Roman Frankish in 590 – and Ravenna still Roman. Corsica, Sardinia and some Spain occupied by Justinian.

• Not so burdensome – Egypt, Africa etc paid for themselves, and although military expense on decimated Italy – paid for itself. Other places Roman presence minimal.

• Advantages: Barbarian troops for Balkans, links to the Pope – mainly prestige and reputation for dealing with other people. Holding so much land very important. Were essentially peripheral and priorities did lie in the East.

• ROMAN POWER 600 NEAR EAST – Constantinople greater part of productive lands in Near East – Thrace, Lower Moesia, Bithynia, western Asia Minor, Paphlagonia, Pontos, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Transjordan and Egypt. Agricultural wealth fundamental to wealth – Egypt v important provider of agric to C

• Rival Sasanian Persia – since 3rd century ruled Iraq, comparable agric. Output, fertile Caspian coastlines and Iranian plateau.

• First 3 centuries – Roman aggression and impotence Parthian empire leads to Sasanian Empire in 3rd century.

• Julian’s failed attempt to conquer Iraq in 363 – informed Roman policy makers Roman conquest not a realistic objective.

• 5th century – both superpowers concerned with other threats – Romans with direct and indirect consequences of Huns – Persians waging war with Kidarites and Hepthalites.

• 6th century – confrontation and a succession of wars – Rome and Persia fight

• 502 – 505 527 – 532, 540 – 562, 572- 590

• Armenian local forces and between superpowers Arab clients on Feritle Crescent – peace tension ridden

• 502 – 90 o real permanent gains by Persians – any gains were counteracted quickly and equally harsh Roman raids – Antioch sacking in 540 and Dara 573 + serious extortion Roman Mesotopmania – Mesopotamian plain fortresses etc stood as had in 502. Armenia territories steady consolidation of Roman power.

• Roman relatively professional military force

• Christianity – religious battle Monophysite and Chalcedon human / divine spirit in God. Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, Jerusalem major religious centres – major divisions and battle between centres to be seen as centre of Eastern Church.

• Still see divisions in 600 – but by 518 emperorsall Chalcedons or Maliks (kings or emperor). Bastions of Monophysiism in Egypt, north and east Syria, Persian Armenia as well

• Authors at time still see communities as defensive and split as divisive – bias and self-interested.

• Emperors still saw Ms and part of orthodox community – mix persuasion, compromise and persecution – became loyal subjects to the Empire. M districts Syria bulwark of empire, Tur Abdin mountains famous for M monks and loyalty to Empire / hostility to Persia. NOT SECTARIN POLEMIC

• Dioskoros in Egypt writings see him as a Roman and does not highlight split between Egyptian Monopohysites and imperialist Chalcedonians.

• Pope and west not interested, had heresy of Arianism – see cultural and political divide between East and West emerging.

• Christianity strength, irrespective of C or M – inclusive cult – unlike Zoroastrianism exclusive to warrior nobility. 4th 5th and 6th centuries became increasingly Christian, imperial propaganda, non-believers outside the empire, by 6th century fundamentally Christian state, Christian and Roman merge. Achievement cultural bloc in empire lands

• Zoroastrianism not exportable like C. – 6th century growing Christian communities in Persian Iraq and Mesopotamia, Persian South Armenia firmly Christian. Among Arabs and Armenians Roman diplomacy operate much greater effect. Persian anti-Christian could create pro-Roman sentiment. Also moral booster.

• 589 – 90 Roman future appeared secure – 589 betrayal of Mesopotamian city of Martryopolis. Perisan internal crisis – Vahram revolts, coup Hormizd and deposed, Khurso II in ace, but Varham keeps goig – Khurso flees to Rome and Vahram King. Roman back him and sue arms to restore him. 591 Khurso back to throne in 591 – peace treaty ending Roman Persian war – Maurice reward. Recovered and gained Iberia, Arzanee on Meso. Plain Persian Armenia, n and w shores Lake Van

• Territorial advance but allowed troops to be used elsewhere, as without peace East most troops had to go there.

• Balkans (Slavic and Ukrainian raids) – without force expenditure mainly orts, Rorman diplomats played off states north of Danube– Lombards and Gepids, disrupted by Avars.

• Avar – arrived 550s Romans though useful addition – control Kutrigurs and Utigurs – no conquered both and other Ukrainian groups. 567 with Lombards destroyed Gepids, Lombards flee to Italy leaving Romans with one power

• After Avar captures Sirmium in 581-2 gain Danube stronghold and crossing 0 rest of decade Balkan plains and Thrace open to devastating Avar attack

• Slavs had been raiding Balkans for years, but Avars made them flee and terrorise existing Romans in lower Danube.

• Balkans not that important – but strategic block on C – however 580 gone beyond this – Constantinople a Balkan city and news of failure not great for morale or imperial reputation – threatens stability of the reign. Frustrating as poor soldiers, but peace 591 gave them opportunity to fight back. Avar and Slav power waned last decade 6th century – fragment under pressure.

• Avars less of a threat, but Turks problematic. 570 – control Steppes around Volga north of Caucasus and far west as Crimea. Attack Roman territories on Crimea and Caucasus

• 582 Turkish empire split into eastern and western qagnate – 588 Western Turk attack on Persia defeated by Vahram. Wstern Turks get in with Maurcie – threat posed mainly to Persia.

• DESERT FRONTIER also looking rosier 0 since 3rd century two phases policy; 1. Syria to Hidjaz huge expenditure on fortresses. – moth balled as expense not necessary

• Used Arabian clients to defend the area - v successful but in 583 Maurice breaks up confederacy as too independent. Avar example not good. Then used other groups – did not have a Bedouin problem.

• Lost Yemen territory to Christian Ethiopians in 570 – after peace 591 not worth going all the way there.

• CONC – strategic outlook good best since mid-fourth century. Look forward to future. Now: restore imperial control in Italy and Balkans. Lombards, Franks and Goths better beware Roman imperial contentions.

Comments