TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > The Changing City
Urban life in Balkans sharply disrupted by Hun and Ostrogothic invasions. Anastasius and Justinians fortifications were mainly palliative. Little urban life in these settlements in the 6th century building and signs of culture dry up together; Stobbi in Yugoslavia, Nicpolis and Philippopolis in Bulgaria. Greece late 6th century Argos, Corinth and Sparta abandoned for safer places. Archaeological evidence not always confirms this but urban settlement changing significantly in later 6th and 7th centuries. Conrinth people retreated to fortified height of Acrocorinth became typical of Byzantine settlements in Greece. Bulgaria and Yugoslavia regrouped around a defensible acropolis or such positions elsewhere. Byzantine walls at Sparta, as elsewhere, fortify only ancient acropolis not civic centre; place of refuge at time of attack. Urban change prompted by danger of raids or invasion
- Chronicle of Monemvasia connects movement of Greek populace with Slav invasions of 580 highly contentious and exact dates difficult to establish. Talks of movement from Lakedaimon to Monemvasia but movement was more gradual and different factors bring it about including a change in economic activity. 582 Athens suffers attacks from Savs and Avars but ever occupied new building if any was shoddy involving sub-divisions of existing rooms, former fine buildings as olive presses etc. Similar phenomenon on Africa.
- Subdivision and encroachment on the sites of former grand buildings seen in different regions. Grand houses maintained into 6th and 7th century are split up int smaller dwellings, mud brick flooring over mosaic. frequently traders and artisans take over public spaces for dwelling late antique forums taken over, or even palaestra (Anemurium, southern Turkey). Started early after disruption be Persian invasion in 3rd century artisanal activity flourished. Late 6th and 7th centuries baths, aqueducts no longer functioning, Sbeitla, Tunisia an 7th century olive press sits on top of the former main street.
- Carthage and North Africa burial in centre, public spaces or sites of old fine houses shows a change in attitude toward common space. Tempting to think of economic necessity squatting 0 some textual evidence t Carthage influx of refugees from other areas
- Local factors Luni near La Spezia on west coast of Italy decline of marble trade from nearby Carrera must have affected the town though survived into 7th century decline in material wealth from 6th century can be seen.
- Loca conditions differed major cities Asia Minor (Ephesus, Sardis) enjoyed prosperity and expansion in late antiquity maintained late antique civil life until Persian invasions of early 7th century. Urban change is so widespread connected not only with plague or invasion but administrative and economic factors above all relation provincial cities to central administrative organization. Antioch suffers a serious of such problems:
- Second city of Eastern Empire
- Plague
- Earthquake
- Persian invasion mid 6th century
- Deportation many citizens to Persia
- 7th century invasions and Arab conquest
- Laodicea and Damascus parallel situations main feature is encroachment of colonnaded streets of late antiquity by little chops or artisanal buildings tempted to read as prototype of medieval souk. This part of the empire what medieval development owed to Islamic conquest? Wider process already going o over a much bigger geographical area despite influential local variants.
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