The Roman West, AD 200-500: An Archaeological StudyThis book describes and analyses the development of the Roman West from Gibraltar to the Rhine, using primarily the extensive body of published archaeological evidence rather than the textual evidence underlying most other studies. It situates this development within a longer-term process of change, proposing the later second century rather than the 'third-century crisis' as the major turning-point, although the latter had longer-term consequences owing to the rise in importance of military identities. Elsewhere, more 'traditional' forms of settlement and display were sustained, to which was added the vocabulary of Christianity. The longer-term rhythms are also central to assessing the evidence for such aspects as rural settlement and patterns of economic interaction. The collapse of Roman imperial authority emphasised trends such as militarisation and regionalisation along with economic and cultural disintegration. Indicators of 'barbarian/Germanic' presence are reassessed within such contexts and the traditional interpretations questioned and alternatives proposed. |
Contents
the thirdcentury crisis 18 | 18 |
soldiers and civilians 42 | 42 |
Reshaping the cities 97 | 97 |
Christianity and the traditional religions 150 | 150 |
Emperors and aristocrats in the late Roman West 198 | 198 |
Rural settlement and economy in the late Roman West 264 | 264 |
The economy of the late Roman West 303 | 303 |
Breakdown and barbarians 338 | 338 |
The fifth century and the disintegration of | 395 |
AD 200500 a coherent period? 455 | 455 |
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Common terms and phrases
Alamanni amphorae apse archaeological evidence archaeological record archaeology argued aristocratic Arles baptistery barbarian basilica baths Britain brooches buildings burials Carranque cemeteries central centres changes Chapter Christian church cities coin coinage construction decoration defences discussion display distribution earlier early economic elite emperor episcopal complex Esparraguera ethnic excavations fifth century fortifications fourth century functions funerary Germanic Heijmans High Empire hoards Iberia Iberian peninsula identity imperial important increasingly Jublains late antique late Roman linked major material culture Mediterranean military monuments mosaic northern Gaul Notitia Notitia Dignitatum Novempopulana occupation Ossel particularly pattern Périgueux period political population pottery probably production provinces Pyrenees range region residences Rhine Rhineland Rhône Roman Empire Roman provincial Roman West rural settlement second century social south-eastern south-west south-western Gaul southern Spain status structures suggests Tarragona temple textual towns Toxandria traditional Trier types urban villa Visigothic walls Western