Crises of Late Antiquities

Movements of Peoples

· Migration- The mass movement of large numbers of people.

· Had a tremendous effect on the ethnic and cultural makeup of most of the world’s major societies

· From 200 C.E. to 1000 C.E. – known as the Great Age of Migrations.

· Germanic people from the North moved toward and into Europe.

· Asiatic people such as the Huns moved further into Central Asia and Europe.

· Seen as barbarians, many of these peoples eventually settled throughout Europe and Asia.

· Also in the Middle East, Arabs such as the Hittites and the Hyksos spread as well.

· Refer to the Map for details on the major migrations.

The Collapses

· The Fall of Rome

· From the early 200s C.E. onward, Rome was at crisis.

· 300s C.E., the eastern half breaks away, formally separating in 395 C.E.

§ Troubles

· Overextension of military and political strength

· Army gained a large degree of control over the imperial government.

· The economy experienced downturns.

· Migratory waves of Barbarians attacked Roman lands from the east and from the north.

· In 410 C.E. Gothic tribes sack Rome.

· 476 C.E., another wave of Goths took over the city and Rome is considered fallen this year.

· The Fall of the Han Dynasty

· By 200 C.E., the dynasty was at decline.

§ Troubles

· Downturn in agricultural production.

· Overall economic slump

· Government corruption

· Weak leadership

· Outside invaders, bandits, and rebels

· In 220 C.E., the dynasty collapses.

New Empires and Political Systems

· China

· After the Han, the Sui dynasty took power from 589-618.

§ Expanded borders through conquest and reunified China

· After the Sui, an even more powerful Tang Dynasty (618-906) takes power.

§ Strong economy due to advanced infrastructure such as roads and canals.

§ Increased trade stimulated economy.

· Japan

· The Nara State

§ The first imperial state ruled by the Yamato family, starting in the 300s to 400s.

§ Shinto religion- remained important, legitimated the emperors, declaring them descendants of the sun goddess.

§ Nara, served as the capital of Japan.

§ During this period (300-794 C.E.), the foundations were laid.

§ Comes in contact with Korea and China.

§ Influenced by Chinese in art, architecture, literature and religion.

· Byzantium

· In 395, when the Roman Empire split in two, the eastern half flourished.

§ Capital: Constantinople

§ Geographical positioning of the city made it a city of remarkable economic and military importance.

§ Territorial might under Justinian in the 500s.

§ Corpus Juris Civilis- a codification of existing Roman laws.

§ Hagia Sophia was built.

· Feudal Europe

· The medieval period begins in the 500s.

· The beginning stages: political decentralization and overall “backwardness”

· Feudal systems established shortly.

· Arabs

· Islam spread throughout Arabia in 620 – 630s.

· Muslim forces conquer Persia. Also most of Middle East, most of North Africa, Spain, parts of Italy, Central Asia and India’s western frontier under their control.

· Converts most of the Middle East to Islam.

§ Caliph- “Successor”, title assumed by the leaders after Mohammed’s death in 632.

§ Three Caliphs before Sunni-Shiite split (656-661): Abu Bakr, Umar and Utjman.

§ After, power passed to the Ummayad Caliphate (661-750):

· Governed in Damascus and continued expansion.

· Arabic is made the official language.

· Taxes were imposed on non-Muslims.

· Decline followed due to rebellions

§ After the Ummayad, power is passed on to the Abbasid Caliphate.

· Established a capital at Baghdad and presided over the golden age of classical Islamic culture.