(1) Reading quiz 2 - Salvian: Romans and Barbarians, c. 440

In the first text, “Salvian: Romans and Barbarians,” what is going on?

In the 400s, some writers began comparing the Romans to the barbarian tribes. They noticed big differences in how they both lived and ruled.

In the first text, “Salvian: Romans and Barbarians,” who is Tacitus?

An earlier Roman writer who described the germanic tribes in great detail, often pointing out that the Romans didn’t look so good day comparison.

In the first text, “Salvian: Romans and Barbarians,” who is Salvian?

A christain priest writing around 440 AD, said that all the troubles the Roman Empire was facing were God’s punishment for the peoples wickedness and corruption. He was an eyewitness, living through the collapse and all this. Had a theory about why it’s happening.  

What are some barbarian tribes?

Goths, vandals, etc.

Salvian asked what:

In what way are our (Roman) customs better than those of the Goths or Vandals?

Salvian asked: In what way are our (Roman) customs better than those of the Goths or Vandals? What are the answers to that. 

• Barbarians love one another, especially those from the same tribe or family.

• Romans are jealous and hateful toward each other.

  • Romans try to harm their neighbors instead of help them.

Salvian talked about how corrupt Romans were. He said the

rich and powerful oppress the poor.

Salvian talked about how corrupt Romans were. He said the rich and powerful oppress the poor. Elaborate how?

Rich people used taxes to get even richer. Low-level officials also stole and abused their power. Every city had local bullies who took advantage of others.
The rich even stole from widows, orphans, and the church.

Salvian wrote about why people fled Rome. 

Good people stayed silent out of fear. The poor were robbed and mistreated.
Even wealthy, educated Romans fled to live with the barbarians.

The barbarians had rough manners, bad smells, and spoke different languages. Why would the Romans ever close to live under them?

They said: “Better to live free under the barbarians than be a slave among Romans.”

Once, being a Roman citizen was a great honor. Now,

people were ashamed of it.

What was an argument some other people made?

“If Romans are wicked, so are the barbarians. Why punish us more?”

What did Salvian reply to the question: ““If Romans are wicked, so are the barbarians. Why punish us more?”

Barbarians did evil out of ignorance, since many weren’t Christian. But Romans knew right from wrong — and still chose evil.

Give examples that the roman stew right from wrong and chose evil, versus the barbarians doing evil out of ignorance, not being christain/

• The Huns (barbarians) were unchaste (engaging in sexual activity), but didn’t know it was wrong.

• The Franks (barbarians) were liars, but thought lying was normal.

  • The Alemanni (barbarians)drank too much, but they weren’t Christians who knew better.

Salvian’s main claim for the Romans being deemed as bad with their evil:

the sins of Christians are more serious, because they sin despite knowing God’s law.