HIST4100 Answer Booklet

Module Code:HIST4100____
Examination number: 1753738____
University of Kent
May/June 2022
Examination Answer Booklet
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1
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Add your answer below: Source 1 is a mosaic of Justinian I dressed in purple and a halo
encapsulates him. The mosaic was completed in 547 and currently lays at Basilica of San
Vitale in Ravenna, Italy a late antiquity church built In the 6th century. In Source is only a
small segment of the whole mosaic includes his wife Theadora, his favoured Generals
Belisarius and Narses men who reconquered the Italian Peninsula, the bishop of Ravenna
Bishop Maximian and his praetorian guards.
The halo is around his head which gives him the same aspect as Christ in the dome of the
apse, but is part of the tradition of rendering the imperial family with haloes described by
Ernst Kantorowicz. With the guards surrounding him, the Decons on his left bring forward
the idea that Justinian I was the leader of the Church and of the Byzantine empire. Empress
Theadora also has a halo around her in addition to the Byzantine Crown Jewels, this is
significant because her background differs from Justinian’s golden background being more
intricate, this could reflect on the role women had in society. To Justinian she was a chief
advisor being active in many legal matters have great influence in the courts arguing that
Justinian should remain during the Nika revolts. Justinian is place at the centre with other in a
‘V’ shape symbolising that he is the important figure and should have their full commitment
to him.
1
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1
Add your answer below: There we’re many significant changes between c. 400 and c.1000
each ad there difference but they all were a catalyst that transform late antiquity into the
feudal system. The collapse of the Roman Empire was a significant event as the breakup into
east and west in addition to the Wests collapse meant many citizens found themselves Roman
but in Visigothic territory. It wasn’t just the Sack of Rome in 455AD the expensive
corruption in the senate, and loss of political and military unity resulted in a weaker state.
This differ form the Eastern Roman Empire who in the beginning had a shaky start but grew
to be the bridge between Asia and the Mediterranean until it fall over a century later in 1453
AD. The Byzantine Empire also brought the Roman Laws that built the basic legal
infrastructure to Europe. The collapse of Roman Empire into East and West were significant
changes to society.
Roman had lost its strength, At is height in 117AD it controlled 4.4 million square kilometres
therefore came into contact with many ethic groups. But calling these groups barbarians was
not a fluid as one would think. Major barbarian groups included the Vandals, Goths, Franks,
Huns, Alemans and Suebes and it is wrong to think of them as united ethnic groups, though;
in the early 4th century, they were usually smaller tribes with separate leaders or kings. So
why do people associate the fall on western Rome? Peter Heather has theorised that the
‘movements of huge numbers of barbarians caused the great changes of c.400 – c.600.’
People migrated close to the Roman border as Pax Romana provided security to people living
close, further more it meant trade could flourish as well as an increase in infrastructure but,
the gradual breakdown and transformation of economic and social linkages and infrastructure
resulted in increasingly localized outlooks. This breakdown was often fast and dramatic as it
became unsafe to travel or carry goods over any distance so connections were lost collapsing
some societies who were solely dependent on trade such as the Tintagel In Cornwall. The
‘fall of Rome’ was a violent process, although it differed from place to place and across time
and throughout the period 376–476, the idea of the Roman Empire dominated the political
aspirations of Roman and barbarian leaders where the key change came in the 470s, when a
world without the Western empire became imaginable.
Theodosius I was the last emperor of the entire Roman Empire and after his death in 395 AD
divided the empire between his sons. After the fall of Rome it made the Eastern Roman
Empire the continuation of it Latin speaking predecessor. This Empire survived compared to
it Western counterpart due to the trade between the Asia and European continent made them
wealthy, they held onto this with a united military defended themselves from Barbarians.
Constinteine move to Byzantium making it the new capital due to its strategic placement in
linking it trade routes. They yearned to reunite the entire Roman Empire and under Justinian I
it almost happened as he reconquered the Italian peninsula, he was ultimately unsuccessful in
fulfilling his dream of restoring the Empire in the West and reuniting it with the East. His
biggest and most significant change to society was the codified Roman Law which only
ended in the 18th century. To maintain the pease Justinian payed reparations to the Sassanids.
The Byzantine was a significant change due to the citizen still identified themselves as
Roman up until the Fall of Constantinople, it also displays how Roman couldn’t be uniteded
again
2
Overall the split of the Roman Empire and its subsequent split was a significant change to
Europe and Mediterranean societies due to it prevalence. Urbanisation, trading and
population were in decline it opened up opportunities for those outside the empire to rise the
ranks and become so powerful that they can place those loyal to them in positions that could
threat or allow barbarians in. The Byzantine empire was Rome’s continuation however with a
more powerful position it was undesirable to expand and risk what was currently held.
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