Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages Flashcards

Flashcards covering key terms and events from the Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages period.

Decline and Eventual Demise of the Original Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire fell due to internal corruption, economic struggles, military overextension, and invasions by Germanic tribes between the 3rd and 5th centuries CE, marking the end of classical antiquity and the beginning of the Middle Ages.

Roman Villa

Luxurious rural estates owned by elite Roman citizens from the 1st century BCE to the 5th century CE, symbolizing Roman wealth and rural economic structure.

Foederati

Non-Roman allies, mainly Germanic tribes, used by Rome from the 4th to 5th centuries CE to bolster military forces, contributing to the militarization and eventual collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Stilicho (365–408)

A Roman general of Vandal origin in the late 4th to early 5th century CE who defended the Western Roman Empire against invasions and internal threats; his death marked further decline of imperial strength.

Goths (Ostrogoths / Visigoths)

Germanic tribes who migrated and invaded Eastern and Western Europe from the 3rd to 6th centuries CE due to pressures from the Huns and Rome’s weakness, playing key roles in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and founding successor kingdoms.

Alaric (d. 410)

Leader of the Visigoths in the late 4th to early 5th century CE who led invasions due to lack of recognition and support from the Roman Empire, sacking Rome in 410 CE and symbolizing the vulnerability of the Western Roman Empire.

Odoacer

A Germanic chieftain and soldier who deposed the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, in 476 CE, marking the formal end of the Western Roman Empire.

Ambrose (d. 397)

Bishop of Milan and early Church Father in the 4th century CE who was influential in defining the Church’s role in politics, setting precedents for Church authority over secular rulers.

Augustine (354–430)

Christian theologian and philosopher who shaped Christian doctrine through influential works like 'Confessions' and 'City of God' during a time of religious and political transition in the 4th to 5th century CE.

Monasticism

A practice by Christian monks and religious communities beginning in the 3rd century CE to seek spiritual purity and separation from worldly life, preserving knowledge, providing social services, and strengthening the Church.

Cassiodorus (d. circa 585)

Roman statesman and scholar in 6th century CE Italy under Ostrogothic rule who worked to preserve classical learning and integrate it with Christian teachings, helping lay foundations for medieval education.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern continuation of the Roman Empire from 330 to 1453 CE, centered in Constantinople, which preserved Roman law and Greek culture and played a central role in medieval geopolitics.

Justinian (r. 527–565)

Byzantine emperor in the 6th century CE who sought to restore the Roman Empire's former glory, codifying Roman law (Corpus Juris Civilis) and expanding the empire.

Belisarius

General under Emperor Justinian in the 6th century CE, tasked with reconquering former Roman territories, crucial in Justinian's military campaigns to restore Roman lands.

Nika Riots of 532

Protests by citizens of Constantinople in 532 CE against imperial rule and corruption, nearly overthrowing Justinian and leading to brutal suppression and rebuilding of Constantinople.

Corpus Juris Civilis

A commission under Justinian in 529–534 CE to simplify and unify Roman legal texts, which became the foundation for many modern legal systems.

Iconoclast Controversy (730)

Debate among Byzantine emperors and Church leaders from 730–843 CE over the use of religious images (icons), causing major religious divisions and weakening imperial authority.

Islam

A monotheistic religion founded as a reform movement by Muhammad in the 7th century CE onward on the Arabian Peninsula, becoming one of the world’s major religions with a vast cultural impact.

Muhammad (570–632)

The founder of Islam, believed to be the last prophet of God, who revealed the Quran and established the foundation of Islamic belief and society in Mecca and Medina.

Hijrah (622)

Muhammad and his followers' migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE to escape persecution and establish a Muslim community, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar and Muslim state-building.

Five Pillars of Islam

Core practices mandated in the Quran for Muslim practitioners, established in the 7th century CE and forming the religious framework of a Muslim’s life.

Shi’ites vs Sunnis

Muslim sects that divided in the 7th century CE after Muhammad's death over the rightful succession of leadership, leading to enduring sectarian division in Islam.

Battle of Yarmuk (636)

Conflict in 636 CE near the Yarmuk River where the Arab Muslim army defeated the Byzantine Empire, securing Muslim control of Syria and weakening Byzantine influence.