The City in Late Antiquity

by John Rich

The Roman Empire in its early centuries was a world of cities, dominated by landowning elites and conforming to a common pattern in their institutions, buildings and culture. What became of the cities after the crisis of the third century, and later when the Empire collapsed under outside pressure? In this volume archaeologists and historians bring together their two disciplines in addressing this complex question. In the introductory chapter the problem is discussed as a whole, while the remaining chapters focus on particular aspects and regions.
The classical city has often been portrayed as everywhere in decline by the fourth century. This book shows that this picture is too in some regions, like Africa, the old traditions were still vigorous, while in others, such as Britain, urban life disappeared and the cities survived only as fortresses, if at all. Particular attention is paid to the impact on the cities of the Christianization of the Empire.
Many Roman towns survived through mediaeval times and up to the present day. The last two chapters examine the continuities between antiquity and the Middle Ages in the physical fabric and ideology of two very different regions.
The City in Late Antiquity will interest all those concerned with the history or archaeology of the Later Roman Empire or the early mediaeval period, or more generally, with the city as a historical phenomenon.

Genres: History

1000 pages, Hardcover

First published August 14, 1992

Reviews

[Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent reference sources for my study on late antique urban developments, especially the process of demonumentalization in major urban centers during and after the 6th century CE. Noticed that some of the arguments presented in the book were a bit outdated as new archaeological findings in recent years have been reshaping our understanding of the topic.