Byzantium under the Constantinian and Valentinian dynasties
Encyclopedia
Byzantium under the Constantinian and Valentinian dynasties was the earliest period of the Byzantine Empire
that saw the creation of an eastern Empire from the Roman Empire
under the emperor Constantine I
in his new capital, Constantinople
, created on the site of the old Greek Byzantium
. Constantine's successors ruled over portions of the empire in Egypt
, Syria
, and the Balkans
.
. Drastic decreases in population throughout the western parts of the Empire, along with a general degradation of society within the cities exacerbated the crisis, leading to a shortage of labor. The latifundia
, or great estates, added to the troubles by forcing many of the smaller estates out of the market, which bled more labor from the labor force in order to sustain their estates. In the East, although there was a labor shortage, the population problem was not nearly as acute, rendering it stronger and more able to withstand a serious crisis. The West, in its reaction to the economic hardships that resulted in very high prices, had gone to a barter system to survive. In contrast, the East had chosen to depend upon gold coinage for the most part, creating a very reliable means by which to sustain itself.
and Constantine I
both played an important role in reforming the organization of the whole Empire. The Empire in its entirety had become difficult to control, and Diocletian resolved this by creating a tetrarchy
that allowed for Augusti to rule in each of the western and eastern halves of the Empire, while two Caesars would be their seconds. In case of the loss of either Augusti, the Caesar would take their place, and a new Caesar would be selected. The only significant change made by Constantine to this system was the replacement of the selection of Caesars with a succession by bloodline.
To alleviate the concerns of territorial administration, Diocletian divided the whole of the Empire into one hundred distinct provinces. Administrative control was brought under the auspices of the Emperor, and the whole of Italia was relegated to the status of a regular province, now also compelled to pay taxes. Each province was subdivided into a diocese, twelve in total. Constantine organized the provinces even further by creating prefectures, each one consisting of several dioceses, and each diocese consisting of several provinces. The Praetorian prefecture of the East
(Praefectura praetorio per Orientem) was made up of five dioceses- Aegyptus, Oriens
, Pontus
, Asiana
, and Thracia
. This enabled the Empire to harness the control of each prefecture by providing a distinct difference between military and civil administration.
had grown more menacing in their quest for previous territory, and the barbarians were becoming a more serious problem along the lower part of the Danube. Judging the threats to be of dire importance, Diocletian took up residence in Nicomedia
, where he established his capital there, leaving Maximian
, his co-Emperor, in charge of the West.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
that saw the creation of an eastern Empire from the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
under the emperor Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
in his new capital, Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, created on the site of the old Greek Byzantium
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
. Constantine's successors ruled over portions of the empire in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
Prelude to the creation of the Byzantine Empire
Economic strife
In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire suffered troubling economic difficulties that spread over a wide portion of its provincesRoman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
. Drastic decreases in population throughout the western parts of the Empire, along with a general degradation of society within the cities exacerbated the crisis, leading to a shortage of labor. The latifundia
Latifundia
Latifundia are pieces of property covering very large land areas. The latifundia of Roman history were great landed estates, specializing in agriculture destined for export: grain, olive oil, or wine...
, or great estates, added to the troubles by forcing many of the smaller estates out of the market, which bled more labor from the labor force in order to sustain their estates. In the East, although there was a labor shortage, the population problem was not nearly as acute, rendering it stronger and more able to withstand a serious crisis. The West, in its reaction to the economic hardships that resulted in very high prices, had gone to a barter system to survive. In contrast, the East had chosen to depend upon gold coinage for the most part, creating a very reliable means by which to sustain itself.
Administrative reforms
The Roman emperors DiocletianDiocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
and Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
both played an important role in reforming the organization of the whole Empire. The Empire in its entirety had become difficult to control, and Diocletian resolved this by creating a tetrarchy
Tetrarchy
The term Tetrarchy describes any system of government where power is divided among four individuals, but usually refers to the tetrarchy instituted by Roman Emperor Diocletian in 293, marking the end of the Crisis of the Third Century and the recovery of the Roman Empire...
that allowed for Augusti to rule in each of the western and eastern halves of the Empire, while two Caesars would be their seconds. In case of the loss of either Augusti, the Caesar would take their place, and a new Caesar would be selected. The only significant change made by Constantine to this system was the replacement of the selection of Caesars with a succession by bloodline.
To alleviate the concerns of territorial administration, Diocletian divided the whole of the Empire into one hundred distinct provinces. Administrative control was brought under the auspices of the Emperor, and the whole of Italia was relegated to the status of a regular province, now also compelled to pay taxes. Each province was subdivided into a diocese, twelve in total. Constantine organized the provinces even further by creating prefectures, each one consisting of several dioceses, and each diocese consisting of several provinces. The Praetorian prefecture of the East
Praetorian prefecture of the East
The praetorian prefecture of the East or of Oriens was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided...
(Praefectura praetorio per Orientem) was made up of five dioceses- Aegyptus, Oriens
Diocese of the East
The Diocese of the East was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of the western Middle East, between the Mediterranean Sea and Mesopotamia...
, Pontus
Diocese of Pontus
The Diocese of Pontus was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of northern and northeastern Asia Minor up to the border with the Sassanid Empire in Armenia. The diocese was established after the reforms of Diocletian, and its vicarius, headquartered at Amaseia, was...
, Asiana
Diocese of Asia
The Diocese of Asia was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of western Asia Minor and the islands of the eastern Aegean Sea...
, and Thracia
Diocese of Thrace
The Diocese of Thrace was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of the eastern Balkan Peninsula The Diocese of Thrace was a diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of the eastern Balkan Peninsula The Diocese of Thrace was a diocese of the later...
. This enabled the Empire to harness the control of each prefecture by providing a distinct difference between military and civil administration.
Military threats and the division of the Empire
Focus from the West to the East had been shifting over the course of the last century due to previously mentioned economic strength of the usage of gold coinage and a stronger populace. The defensive situation under Diocletian, however, had changed considerably in the East. The Persian SassanidsSassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
had grown more menacing in their quest for previous territory, and the barbarians were becoming a more serious problem along the lower part of the Danube. Judging the threats to be of dire importance, Diocletian took up residence in Nicomedia
Nicomedia
Nicomedia was an ancient city in what is now Turkey, founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and was originally known as Astacus . After being destroyed by Lysimachus, it was rebuilt by Nicomedes I of Bithynia in 264 BC under the name of Nicomedia, and has ever since been one of the most...
, where he established his capital there, leaving Maximian
Maximian
Maximian was Roman Emperor from 286 to 305. He was Caesar from 285 to 286, then Augustus from 286 to 305. He shared the latter title with his co-emperor and superior, Diocletian, whose political brain complemented Maximian's military brawn. Maximian established his residence at Trier but spent...
, his co-Emperor, in charge of the West.