1. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

2. Late Antiquity Period from AD 300- AD 700
Used to be referred to as the Dark Ages
Filled with poverty, famine, disease, warfare, and universal illiteracy in the West
Will be a new age of enlightenment in the East when Christianity strengthened the old ideas of the ancient near east

3. Imperial Crisis Emperors didn’t have succession figured out
Emperors over-reached territory
Massive inflation
German tribes invaded
Conflict in Arabia with trade routes
After Commodus there were 27 emperors until ____________?
Inflation was skyrocketing. They had overreached they imperial claims.
Emperors began to devalue coinage which just caused more inflation.
Emperors didn’t have succession figured out. Dath of the Emperor caused chaos.
Germanic tribes began to invade driven westward by the armies of Attla the Hun from central Asia. These people were immigrant and refugees more than invaders but were quick to draw swords when the Romans tried to check time at the Rhine and Danube rivers.
These things all lead to the decline of the Empire in the West. But also to the rise of Byzantium in the East. Byzantium would have a strongly centralized and militarized state with close association with Orthodox Church.
Trade routes in Arabia developed and clashed with the people there.

4. Imperial Crisis Commodus Son of Marcus Aurelius
Ill-mannered who dressed like Hercules

5. Diocletian (284-304 AD) Stabilized Empire
Had a rule of four where everyone looked over various aspects of the Empire
Secured their borders from invaders from all corners
Persecuted Christians
Destroyed religious texts, places of worship
Changed format of gov’t, military and economy (larger, more organized)
Abdicated throne due to illness

6. Constantine ( AD)
Involved in many civil wars to consolidate power
First Christian Emperor
Reversed persecutions through Edict of Milan
Created the city of Constantinople
New capital of Rome
Becomes Byzantine Empire when Rome splits
Constantinople is capital for over 1000 years
Fought many Barbarian groups to keep Rome safe

7. Winner of All-Time Worst Roman Emperor…
Marcus Aurelius Antonius Heliogabalus ( CE)
Emperor at 14
Held the hereditary rank of high priest to the Carthaginian and Syrian sun-god Ba’al
Cattle, sheep, severed human genitalia, and young boys sacrificed to god Ba’al
Homosexual
Bore a strong desire to be a woman: plucked hairs from body, wore make- up, wanted a sex change operation

8. Raped, married, then divorced a vestal virgin known as aquilia severa (the “great sewer”)
Enjoyed pretending to be a prostitute, offering himself naked to passers by in the palace, and he prostituted himself in the taverns and brothels of Rome
Rather enjoyed severe punishments for having been caught
He and his mother executed and bodies thrown into Tiber River
Heliogabalus’ followers fate: had genitals ripped off and pierced by pikes in the anus “so that their death fitted their lives”