Revision:The Fifth century and after: the East

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• Cities in East remained part of a tight imperial system and did not have invasions to deal with. Empire depended on the cities. Evidence of marginal cultivation etc shows population growing from mid 4th century until limit of sustainability in early 6th century.

• Difficult to pinpoint economic differences between east and west- but we see Eastern cities remained cities of literary tradition. Thebaid in 6th century social advancement and patronage bound up with proficiency in rhetoric and intimate familiarity with Homer etc, secular literary society had adapted and developed in newly Christian society. Tradition secular literacy helped preserve civic traditions 0 stories of mythological origins and counteracted tendency of members of the elite to move residence away from city.

• But civic institutions declined even at a greater rate – thanks to continuation of imperial administration.

Councils had shrunk – curiales lost social and political leadership. Lack of council power and respect dangerous development for imperial government - civil service nor army could be paid without resources raised by cities, levying of resources difficult without decursions, no adequate substitute. Fact that decursions needed permission to leave town made them very vulnerable to pressure by government.

• Honorati reintroduced by Zeno to keep alive self-government – city revenues to be spent under supervision of curator, then we find father of the city in charge in some eastern cities – only illustres retained senatorial status, induce lower ranks into city government. Active part civic life via defensor, corn-buyer, curator elected from notables. Vindices allegedly take over from curiales – but Justinian code does state this.

• Egyptian evidence of great house privatisation of tax system – getting rent and tax from tenants – not a usurping but led from Imperial government. Did not replace fiscal tasks from city administration. Some kind of coordinator in charge of collecting revenue

• Don’t know how far Egyptian system was copied, but reformed civic administration making use of notables; private munificience, financed pupils and teachers in later 5ht and 6th centuries in Athens etc.

• Justinian had difficulty raising money and men for – cause of inadequacy weakening of the cities – instruments of control and exploitation of the cities. Ineffectiveness of provincial government. Disorder in Asian minor bandits and powerful individuals tax failing to reach destination.

• Justinian thus strengthened provincial office by combining military and civil government. Also stated that provincial elite should have a say on who governed them

• Emperors needed governors more than ever, power vacuum from decline of self government needed filling. Local commander now within walls of city must have made job even more difficult, and local notables had more coercive power with the governor. Provincial governor’s job became more difficult and more necessary at the same time. Accounts for Justinian combing civil and military power to strengthen the provincial government.

• How did the cities physically change? Losing traditional symbols of unity and identity: council, athletic, theatrical events morally discredited, make shift shops blocked colonnades , less monument of munificience. Limited return in 6th century – also increase prosperity in some of the smaller cities – Gerasa in Arabia much construction of churches etc. Built up area had not shrunk dramatically – much in tact although temples destroyed and replaced by churches. Gymnasia and palestra had gone so did physical education of youth etc. But provision and prestige of rhetorical education as high as ever.

• Evidence of increasing population with immigration from the countryside – beggars etc, but also a wide range of craftsmen.

• Theatrical and public events continued, not as much as 2nd century, theatrical events frowned on by church. Blues and Greens violence – sign of large urban population as with urban violence.

West unity between city and territory maintained by authority of the bishop. Bishops resisted attempts for bishops of villages to spring up, but city territories were broken into smaller units.

• Archaeologically visible villages with monuments of their own started to develop, some even creep into literary sources. Many villages refused to pay taxes.

• Economic reason for strengthening of villages, more money expended certainly in labour and craftsmanship. Strong monasteries in villages must have aided economic situation of villages. Significant for emancipation of countryside that religious movement that divided the East, anti-Chalcedonians and Monophysites drew strength from rural monasteries in Mesopotamia and northern Syria.

• Presence of a rurally situated fort – patronage of commanders, helped villagers assert independence from city. Effect to increase number of cities and existing ones.

• Militarization of East not so bad as west – it did become legal to fortify estates. May or may not be relevant that Roman government came to rely on federates for defence. Created a situation comparable to Gothic settlement in Goth – likely to have broken administrative link between inland cities and territories.

• 6th century Greek Eats hit by earthquakes and bubonic plague, followed by years of Persian occupation and by Arab invasions, followed by years of invasion similar to crisis of 3rd century

• Crisis 6th and 7th centuries far reaching LT consequences than 3rd century. New frontier, political situation, admin system transformed, difficulties in adapting suffering from real structural weakness, Asia Minor cities disappeared, or shrink to fortified core – broken link between city and territories marked end of traditional self government, even C.

• Eastern urban revival of late 5th and early 6th centuries is paralleled by church building in West (Trier, Cologne) - 540 Age of disasters, internecine wars, invasion. City councils diminish until formally abolished. When stability restored by Carolingian dynasty in West and by Leo III in East administration was no longer based on administrative units, urban centres no longer served a admin centres for rural civic territory.

• End of Ancient City involved the emancipation of the countryside.

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