Ask The Expert - Dr Bryan Ward Perkins

Hello Professor Ward-Perkins and welcome to the forum. I

Hello Professor,

My question to you is from the end of the fourth century to the early fifth. Following Stilicho's death and the subsequent attack on foederati in Roman service what were the complete impact of this? I guess my question, did the Roman Aristocracy fear of barbarians help assure the death of the western half of the empire and if so in what ways? Was it simply that no longer could they get additional troops or is there much more to it? Thank you.

Neos Dionysos

Hello Professor,

I'm a Toynbee man and so am compelled to ask your opinion of: Toynbee's grand design of "the civilizations", of the accuracy of his much sited (some might say central) references to Rome in arguing this theory, and finally, of his combining Greek and Roman histories in the single Hellenic Civilization (particulary irksome to many devoted Romanophiles). Also, if Toynbee got did get it right how did Spengler seem to get it so wrong?

Augur

Professor,

Can you elaborate on how it was made possible for Germanic and other pgan tribes to accept Christianity so willingly or easily and what conditions propelled these tribes to consider adopting the Roman traditions? What part of Germanic and pagan cultures made Christianity compatible enough to spread effectively and appeal to or among the masses of pagans?

Professor,

During the independent rule of Ptolemy IX on Cyprus, is anything known of how he equipped the soldiers he dispatched to Syria to interfere in the Seleukid civil wars, or if Cypriots enjoyed any sort of variety in role and armament when recruited/levied?

Forgive my second post in the thread, but the subject matter of some questions makes me wonder if some understand the professors noted areas of expertise...

(Professor Dr. Bryan Ward-Perkins is a lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford, and Fellow and Tutor in History at Trinity College. His research concentrates on the period of transition from the Roman world to that of the Middle Ages, above all in the Mediterranean region. He has published widely on the subject, most recently 'The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilization', and is a co-editor of The Cambridge Ancient History.)

I'm sure he has a wide ranging background in historical study, but asking a question closely related to his concentrated 'area of expertise' will probably increase the chances of having it answered.

I have a quick question regarding the opening theme of the "Rome" tv show.

Near the end of the opening theme, I see a large wall with rows of Roman numerals, along with these raised boxes with curved slots for some sort of shape to go in. I've seen in some episodes, an older citizen walks up to take the shape out of one box and put it in another.

It's quite vague I know, but perhaps if you looked at the opening theme for yourself, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

Hello Professor,

I am very curious to know whether small, local governments/town governments in the Roman mould continued for any length of time in the West after the sack of Rome in the 5th Century in France or Spain.

Thankyou

Germanicus

Viggen

Hello Professor!

What would be your advise to someone who is thinking of pursuing a career in "classical history"?

thanks for your time

viggen

Not an easy question! And it very much depends which country you are in - and what sort of career you want - academic, I presume. In which case, it is always difficult - and, in many countries, is facing the added problem that jobs in Classics are shrinking in numbers. Best advice: get advice from someone in the profession in your country.

Hello Professor,

 

I've just spent a year studying Ancient Roman History at Melbourne University (with Ronald Ridley being my tutor- you may know of him)? I am fascinated with the classical world, but fear that subjects such as 'Ancient Rome' and 'Classical Athens' are becoming threatened in Australian universities due to cuts in funding. There seems to be a push towards career focused & vocational learning (eg. IT, Marketing, Commerce) as the pursuit of intellectualism or 'learning for learning's sake' is viewed as less important. Do you agree that this is an impending problem that universities of the future face and have you noticed any changes to the quality of the education system during your years of learning and teaching?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

Catherine

You have, sadly, good reason to be concerned - and in Oz there is the added problem that the Classics seem too 'white western' and politically incorrect to be fashionable. I suspect the fashion will change - since the Classics underly so much in our culture - but I don't know when.

Professor,

 

I would like to know your general views on the foundation of Rome from the beginnings. In terms of religion, culture and society was Rome really that influenced by Etruscan and Greek culture? How much can we say is purely 'Roman?' Was the domination by Eturia a reality or a confusion of the history of the times?

 

Many thanks!

Jason

I'm really sorry - early Rome is something I don't know enough about to give you any kind of sensible reply

Hi Prof,

 

As many of us are aware ancient rome has/continues to influenced the world. i.e. law, architecture, etc... In respect to english common law and the concept of starre decisis. Isn't this the concept of mos maiorum in principle? I always assumed common law to have developed uniquely within the brit isles. But after studying ancient rome it appears that the two concepts are practicaly the same, despite the 800 something years between the departure of rome from Britain and 1215. Your input would be appreciated.

 

Clodius

Again, I'm afraid I don't know. Roman Law, let alone English Common Law (though I am English) is rather beyond my limited knowledge

Professor Ward-Perkins,

 

First thank you for participating and welcome to our humble little community of Romanophiles.

 

As for my question, this community once had a rather lengthy discussion concerning the attitude of the post-Roman 'barbarian' successors and the corresponding political relationships. The general consensus seemed to indicate that the fall of Rome in AD 476 is only a date that matters in our linear modern perspective, and to the people of the time the sack of the city was only another event in a chain of ongoing transitions.

 

Simply, wouldn't neighboring 'barbarian kings' and even the eastern Romans have viewed Odoacer as either a continuation of the status quo, or at very worst an usurper (in Zeno's perspective) and certainly not an end to western tradition? And for the common people in central Europe it seems that life would not have changed much at all until much later developments?

I'm sceptical - if you read my book (which is very short), you'll see that I argue that people (not unnaturally) do notice when their city gets sacked - particularly when that city is Rome. I agree that the change was, in some ways surprisingly gradual - but adjusting to 'barbarians' in control was not easy. It couldn't be after centuries of Roman 'superiority' and pride. (Yes - for people at the bottom of the pile, things changed only slowly.)

Professor Ward-Perkins,

which author brings Rome most directly alive to your imagination?

Pertinax.

I very much like Robert Harris's Pompeii in terms of recent novels (and, amoingst older books, am extremely fond of Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the Ninth). In terms of History books Tom Holland's Rubicon I thought was excellent - readable, informative, atmospheric.

Professor Perkins, I did read your fascinating work recently on the fall of Rome and did review this for the Forum members and others who may be interested.

 

My question relates to the 4th century AD where the success of Christianity and the displacement of pagan religions was probably closely tied to the demise of the Empire in the west. This diversion of resources from Rome's military to support the new clergy and the institutions that were developing caused a severe financial strain on the economy, as lower taxes were remitted to Rome and even these were unsustainable in later periods, as evidenced by the tax relief measures that were put in place, which proved that these excessive forms of taxation were becoming a real burden for many of the provinces that were under Roman rule. Do you think that the success of Christianity was in itself a cause for the demise of the Empire or was it just another contributing factor.

 

I had the impression from your book that while Christianity's success and the relative burden it imposed from a financial perspective (by diverting funds for the church instead of being used for the army) was certainly one of the reasons, it was not the sole reason per se, as some others have argued. There were also the civil wars, the constant attempts at usurpation of the throne and also the development of a leisure class, one disengaged from the military and other technology of the times, forcing them to depend on fewer specialized type of industry for their needs and when these broke down, it was that much harder for them to regain their former strengths. One particular argument that I found interesting was that smaller societies which were not as technologically advanced as the Romans survived in pockets with little or no impact to their way of life, while large parts of the Roman empire in the West were utterly devastated as they lacked the resources to be self sufficient and had forgotten or lacked the knowledge to rebuild and survive.

 

Perhaps the very specialization that the Romans sought, in order to get maximum efficiency, was the cause of their demise. I find that no other book I've read addresses this aspect as lucidly as you have done in your detailed account on the Fall.

Thanks Skarr - and I much appreciated your intelliget, full and sympathetic review.

I don't actually think the Church was very important as a drain on resources (as Gibbon famously argued). The problem with this argument is that the Eastern Empire was 100% Christian too and became even more, and yet survived (indeed flourished in the fifth and early sixth centuries). For me it was a cocktail of events and bad luck: invasions, civil war, bad lea,dership, no natural frontiers, etc, that brought down the West.

I agree that the successful resistance of the Britons is fascinating - and does suggest there are dangers in over-specialisation (a lesson we need to be aware of ourselves).

Dear Dr. Bryan Ward-Perkins

 

I apperciate that you come to our humble forums and allow us to ask you questions.

 

My simple question is seeing as how you are from Britian and teach at the Universtiy of OxFord and there is alot of "Celtic" influences in your country,

 

"What type of Culture did the Romans develope with the Celtic Tribes that lived in area, what was their general religion, goverment, how were their homes built, what phrase could you use to sum up Gallic/Roman Culture? Finnally how did Roman/Celtic culture effect the empire as a whole.

 

Thank you very much for comming to our forums.

 

Zeke

Rather a big question, Zeke - I think it would take a book to answer it. It is certainly true that the Romans worked with the Celtic religion and the Celtic tribal structure when they conquered Gaul and Britain, rather than attempt to destroy them. So that, for instance, the godess worshipped at Bath is a Celtic one 'Sul', loosely identified as the Roman Minerva. This kind of adaptation was typical of Roman imperialism - and one of the reasons for its success.

My question - What were the three main causes of the fall of the Western Empire? Was it due to exterior pressures (e.g encroaching civilisations etc), or was it from within? (e.g social, political, economic issues etc). Thanks.

In my opinion (and you will find the same argument in the recent book by Peter Haether 'The Fall of the Romand Empire') it was external pressure that was decisive - on a powerful, but not all-powerful, empire. The arrival of the Huns in particular drove Germanic peoples over the frontier.

Professor, could you please talk a little about the decline of the cities in the latter Roman Empire? Specifically, could you discuss how the growing centralization of the Imperial beaurocracy (with its many forms of corruption) and sieuzures of civic lands by a string of Emperors led to an environment where people wished to avoid service in their local city governments?

 

Also, at the risk of sounding like I am asking a follow up question, can you recommend any good books that cover this subject in greater detail than the works of AHM Jones?

The best thing to read is an excellent article by Wolf Liebeschuetz called 'The end of the ancient city' in a collection of articles (edited by John Rich) called 'The City in Late Antiquity' (published 1992). The picture hasn't changed enormously from the time of Jones - but Liebeschuetz puts it all very clearly and well, and is aware of a lot of archeological research. [in the new Cambridge Ancient History, Volume XIII, there is also a chapter on the Cities written my me - but Liebeschuetz is wider-ranging, and better!]

Basically, city independence definitely declined everywhere - but some cities (in the east) flourished into the sixth century.

Hullo Professor

 

I am currently studying the Roman Republic and am especially interested in the study of the ancient agricultural economy. However, my question is a little more general.

 

Do you think that we can study the ancient world through its economy or does this approach raise problems in that the ancients themselves had no concept of an all-encompassing interconnected economy?

 

Thanks

Sulla Felix

Interesting question - but I don't see why we shouldn't study the Ancient Economy, because the ancients themselves didn't have a concept of it. If we lookd at the ancient world only through their eyes/concepts, we would have to attribute a very great deal to the fortune of the gods!

Thank you very much-I had forgotten "The Eagle of the Ninth" ! But I will read it again.

Thank you very much. The most difficult aspect of studying this period for non-academics like myself is simply finding the material to read and your help in this matter is appreciated.

I am already looking forward to reading these books and others books written by Liebeschuetz. In particular, "Antioch: City & Imperial Administration in the Later Roman Empire" looks like a fun read too.

Professor,

I would like to ask you if you have an list, by date, of major battles durring the Roman Civil war. I can't seem to get ym head straight with them.

Sextus,

Thanks Bryan. That's pretty much what I thought, though I do think there was something wrong internally, as the Roman army should have been able to defeat the Germanic tribes if they weren't stretched so thinly.

I may have missed my opportunity, but here goes anyway.

Caveat: When I mention Rome I mean the city specifically. I'm curious about the city itself.

Professor,

I'm curious to know what life was like in Rome in the years following its final sack. The question is inspired by the war in Iraq right now. The coalition conquered Iraq, but that's not where the story ended. We're still fighting and the war is still up in the air.

When I ask what life was like, I mean everyday life. Was it terrifying to be a Roman in the newly occupied city? I imagine there were those who ceded to their new rulers and those who remained loyal to the fallen Imperium. Were there resistance groups such as those we now see in Iraq? Were there years of conflict afterwards? And who were the primary players within Rome? Did Romans flee the city and to where did they primarily emigrate.

Virgil61

Hello Professor Ward-Perkins and welcome to the forum. I