Rome and the transformation of the imperial office in the late fourth–mid-fifth centuries AD1
M McEvoy - Papers of the British School at Rome, 2010 - cambridge.org
Papers of the British School at Rome, 2010•cambridge.org
For many years, the general view of the place of the city of Rome in late antiquity has
suggested that, from the era of Constantine down to the deposition of the last western
Roman emperor in 476, Rome had lost its pre-eminent position as the seat of the emperors,
and the capital of the empire. From the reign of the usurper-emperor Maxentius (306-12)
onwards, 3 not a single emperor resided at Rome throughout the whole of the fourth century,
with cities such as Trier, Aries, Milan and Ravenna coming to be preferred as imperial seats …
suggested that, from the era of Constantine down to the deposition of the last western
Roman emperor in 476, Rome had lost its pre-eminent position as the seat of the emperors,
and the capital of the empire. From the reign of the usurper-emperor Maxentius (306-12)
onwards, 3 not a single emperor resided at Rome throughout the whole of the fourth century,
with cities such as Trier, Aries, Milan and Ravenna coming to be preferred as imperial seats …
For many years, the general view of the place of the city of Rome in late antiquity has suggested that, from the era of Constantine down to the deposition of the last western Roman emperor in 476, Rome had lost its pre-eminent position as the seat of the emperors, and the capital of the empire. From the reign of the usurper-emperor Maxentius (306-12) onwards, 3 not a single emperor resided at Rome throughout the whole of the fourth century, with cities such as Trier, Aries, Milan and Ravenna coming to be preferred as imperial seats, often for pragmatic reasons of defence or proximity to the frontiers in this age of barbarian invasions and military emperors.
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