09-21-2012, 05:05 PM
Quote:As for the so-called Baracks emperors, I only see them as being ambitious power grabbers.
They did their best and by 268-75 saved the Empire.
Quote:OTOH, I think there was a sense of patriotism in the East after Theodosius confirmed Nicene-Christianity as the official state religion. Imperial ideology evolved to the point where the emperor was seen as the defender of orthodoxy. Since paganism was still entrenched in the Roman senate and in the country-side this new ideology didn't really take hold to the same degree.
Very interesting.
Quote:I assume you mean after the Gothic War. But even then I'm not sure that's accurate. By the sixth century, possibly earlier, I think the Slavs began overrunning the Balkins into Greece and settled.
Sure but the surprising thing is, barbarian groups occupied just about every nook and cranny in the West but in the East didn't go beyond the balkans into Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt etc.
Quote:How about when these barbarian groups took over the Western provinces. They "inherited" everything including the churches.
But they were catholic churches which arians weren't so enamored of.
