MMW 12 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Codex Theodosianus, Caesaropapism, Romulus Augustulus

• School: UCSD
• Department: Making of the Modern World
• Course: MMW 12
• Professor: Alexander B Stewart

Document Summary

Emperors usually adopted relatives as their heirs: did not choose actual sons. Praetorian guard: e(cid:373)peror"s pri(cid:448)ate ar(cid:373)y, often assassinated emperors and altered succession plans. Augustus" dy(cid:374)asty e(cid:374)ded i(cid:374) year of four e(cid:373)perors: led to general vespasian seizing power. Five good emperors stabilize empire: ended when marcus aurelius chose actual son commodus as heir. Praetorian guard assassinates commodus: leads to generals seizing throne weak emperors overthrown. Blamed christians for making pagan gods angry and making rome struggle. Banned christian worship, razed churches, and burned scriptures in 303. Divided empire into 2, then 4 parts under a tetrarchy. Although he banned christianity, he did help rome in admin. ways: creation of census, people are tied to the land until they can work it off (renters cannot leave land, landowners responsible for collecting taxes. Emperor of western rome in 312: succeeds father and defeats other tetrarchs. Has a dream where he is called upon by god to conquer enemies.