The Deterioriation of Rome after 312 A.D.

[Faustus]

From a recommendation from a post in an earlier thread The Secular Administration of Medieval Rome I took a recommendation to buy: Bertrand Lancon

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, F

 

Excellent contribution as usual; gratiam habeo.

 

I think this is what E. Goblinus was looking for.

[Faustus]

Part Two

[ From Lancon

[Emperor Goblinus]

Thank you so very much for this information. Very enlightening indeed.

[Faustus]

Thank you so very much for this information. Very enlightening indeed.

Pleased you find it useful. More to come. . . .

[Ursus]

This was indeed an interesting passage, especially at the office of Urban Prefect.

 

It is ironic that the first Urban Prefect under Augustus resigned after five days in office as he (according to different sources) either didn't know how to properly use his considerable powers, or wasn't up to the tasks trusted to him. His successors obviously had more power and more opportunities to exercise it.

[Primus Pilus]

Thanks for the quotes Faustus, but please be very careful on the amount of text being reprinted from recently published books (1980 and 2001). Generally speaking a paragraph or two or isn't something to be terribly concerned about provided proper accreditation is given, but a long flow of uninterrupted text would be a violation of copyright law.

 

Just a general informative warning here, to protect this site as well as authors and publishers...

[Ludovicus]

Even after the multiple sackings of Rome, the City's administration took pains to restore public buildings.

 

In "The Colosseum" by Ada Gabucci (editor) there is some very interesting commentary on Ancient Rome's largest edifice, the Flavian Amphitheater, as it weathered the declining years of Roman power. This book is the only source I've been able to find with details on the Colosseum's condition in the 5th and 6th centuries, about the same time period we've been discussing in this thread. Several of these restorations are recorded in inscriptions still visible today. In fact, if you've ever had to stand in line to buy tickets to get into the Colosseum, you've probably stared at the marble plaque (484 AD) installed by Decius Marius Venantius Basilius and wondered why the marble carver couldn't keep his lines of text straight.

 

 

The Gothic Wars, 535-553, spelled the end for many of the proud buildings that had survived the earthquakes and the barbarian plundering of Rome. Around this time, the first burials within the City are found outside the Colosseum. Surely, here we are at a different period in Rome's history.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Ludovicus

[Maladict]

Several of these restorations are recorded in inscriptions still visible today. In fact, if you've ever had to stand in line to buy tickets to get into the Colosseum, you've probably stared at the marble plaque (484 AD) installed by Decius Marius Venantius Basilius and wondered why the marble carver couldn't keep his lines of text straight.

 

There are indeed a number of very interesting late antique elements to be found in the Colosseum.

One of the inscriptions, I believe it's a dedication by one of the Anicians has a very interesting English commentary next to it, stating that the errors that can be found in the text are a sign of the depths to which Roman civilization had fallen. Unfortunately, that very sentence contains a very glaring spelling error. It's almost worth the 11 euros to get in by itself.

[Ludovicus]

Several of these restorations are recorded in inscriptions still visible today. In fact, if you've ever had to stand in line to buy tickets to get into the Colosseum, you've probably stared at the marble plaque (484 AD) installed by Decius Marius Venantius Basilius and wondered why the marble carver couldn't keep his lines of text straight.

 

There are indeed a number of very interesting late antique elements to be found in the Colosseum.

One of the inscriptions, I believe it's a dedication by one of the Anicians has a very interesting English commentary next to it, stating that the errors that can be found in the text are a sign of the depths to which Roman civilization had fallen. Unfortunately, that very sentence contains a very glaring spelling error. It's almost worth the 11 euros to get in by itself.

 

 

Maladict,

Please tell us more about the errors in the plaque, which I see as stark evidence of Rome's collapse. Good heavens, the marble carver didn't even care to keep the lines of text parallel!

 

Gregory the Great was an Anician. I take it they were one of the last historic families to remain active in the City's life.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Ludovicus

[Maladict]

Maladict,

Please tell us more about the errors in the plaque. I've often seen as stark evidence of Rome's collapse. Good heavens, the marble carver didn't even care to keep the lines of text parallel!

 

Gregory the Great was an Anician. I take it they were one of the last historic families to remain active in the City's life.

 

I've got a picture of it at home. I'll post it when I get there tomorrow.

It's an early Anician iirc, 5th century. The Anicians were very powerful in this time, having very close links to a number of 5th century emperors.

One of them, Olybrius, was in fact an Anician.

[Emperor Goblinus]

 

It looks like the inscriber started out quite well, but then started to screw up. He probably wasn't paid too well, and started drinking.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Emperor Goblinus

[Ludovicus]

The "Oxford Archaeological Guide to Rome" is another good resource on the post AD 312 deterioration of Rome. Unlike many of the tourist books available, this good guide often takes the history of Rome's empire era buildings beyond the Empire. For example, on the Circus Maximus, I quote briefly:

 

"The Circus continued in regular use until well into the C5; the last official races were organized in AD 549 by Ostrogothic KingTotila."

 

And on the Curia (Senate House in the Roman Forum):

 

"In AD 630 the Senate House was converted by Pope Honorius I into the church of St. Hadrian (S. Adriano, in Italian)."

 

http://www.amazon.com/Rome-Oxford-Archaeol...7190&sr=1-3

[Maladict]

Hm, apparently I don't have a picture of the Anician inscription.

But I do have a second Basilius inscription, also from the Colosseum.

Who can spot the differences?

 

[Ludovicus]

Hm, apparently I don't have a picture of the Anician inscription.

But I do have a second Basilius inscription, also from the Colosseum.

Who can spot the differences?

 

So there are two Basilius inscriptions at the Colosseum! Thanks for this second image. I'm not a Latinist. What do you think of the text? Does it show any evidence of Late Latin?

Edited August 28, 2008 by Ludovicus