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Desert. That old empire was the Ro- '
man Empire.
It was near death in Western
Europe in the late fourth and fifth
centuries; but before it entirely
perished, a new manifestation or
phase of empire arose from its
ashes. This new empire - a Euro–
pean-Roman empire - has since
been resurrected periodically, to
continue down through the cen–
turies.
History is a great teacher. For it
allows us to do a social and política!
autopsy on the victim; the post–
mortero exarnination can show us
why the body died. On the positive
side, it can tell us what the victim
could have done to preserve its life.
This series of articles on Europe's
past
is
a historical diagnosis of that
continent's revivals and the catas–
trophes which inevitably followed
unity.
The important events are pre–
sented as a chronicle, using on-the–
spot newspaper format. The first
article deals with the events sur–
rounding the fall of the Roman Ero–
pire in the West.
To sketch the background for the
"fall" we go back almost 2000 years.
Year A.D. 9: Rome's Expansion
Cbecked. Three legions under the
Roman general P. Quintilius Varus
are annihilated by a German chief–
tain named Arminius. The site of
the destruction is the Teutoburg
Forest. Thereafter, the Roman em–
perors give up the idea of sub–
jugating the Germans, even though
it is still possible.
The consequences of this policy
will
become evident approximately
400 years later. For potentially dan–
gerous enemies - the Germanic
tribes - are left unconquered.
Year
100:
Rome at l ts Height.
The Roman Empire is a great,
world-ruling state which stretches
from the Euphrates to Scotland and
from the Danube to the Sabara
Desert. There is
Pax Romana
-
peace Roman style. The empire is
tied together by good roads and ex–
cellent administration. Trading
fiourishes as the Roman world is
32
one vast, free trading area.
Year
180:
The Glory Is Fading.
The great emperor Marcus Aurelius
is dead. With him, the great age of
the Antonines is extinguished. The
end of an era of rnight and prosper–
ity is in sight. Military anarchy and
economic problems are beginning to
take· their toll on the empire. Dio
Cassius, summing up the great age
of the Antonines, writes, "Our his–
tory now descends from a kingdom
of gold to one of iron and rust."
Years
312-325:
Christianity tbe
Religion of the Empire. Constantine
crosses the Milvian bridge near
Rome and defeats the army of Max–
entius. With this victory, Con–
stantine becomes ruler of the
Western Roman Empire. By 325,
Constantine is sole ruler of the en–
tire Roman Empire and has called
the Council of Nicaea, a conclave
ordered to settle doctrinal and reli–
gious disputes among Christians in
the empire.
What the world had come to
know as Christianity is increasingly
becoming the religion of the empire,
though paganism is still allowed to
fiourish. Constantine is converted to
Christianity and thus becomes tpe
first Christian emperor. The Church
begins to play a vital role in the
empire.
Years
370-378:
Tbe Barbarian ln–
vasions Begin. About 370, the ter–
rifying Huns crash into European
history. They first overcome the
Alans and then the Ostrogoths. In
373, it is the Visigoths who are de–
feated. About 80,000 strong, the
Visigoths are allowed to settle
peacefully in the empire in 376, af–
ter begging the emperor Valens for
protection from the Huns. But the
Visigoths are mistreated severely by
Roman officials.
Then comes the year 378. In one
sense, it marks the real beginning of
the German invasion. The Vis–
igoths, driven to war, decirnate a
Roman army and kill the emperor
Valens, who is with his army.
But even when the Visigoths, un–
der Alaric, invade Jtaly in the fifth
century, it will be more in the nature
of a "picketing demonstration than
actual warfare," as one historian
will describe it. The Visigoths are
more interested in better treatment;
they have no intention of destroying
the empire.
·
The existence of the empire
is
taken for granted. A barbarían
might try, as Alaric will, to force the
government to give him what he
wants. But any personal ambition
presupposes that the Roman Ero–
pire will continue. The very thought
of destroying imperial Roman
power is foolish. How could a bar–
barían tribe with perhaps 100,000
roen, women and children destroy.
an eropire of fifty to seventy rnillion
people, with incredible riches and a
professional army?
Year
394:
Ancient Gods Obliter–
ated. The ancient gods are outlawed
in the empire. Many temples are
destroyed; persecution of adherents
is undertaken. Freedom of worship
is no longer allowed in the empire.
The Catholic church becomes a
state within the Roman state.
Though few roen of that time un–
derstand the implication of this de–
velopment,
it
will become evident in
the fifth century. For in the fifth
century, the Roman state will disin–
tegrate. A political and social vac–
uum will be created. Only one
institution will remain which can
provide sorne unity and leadership:
the Church.
But more importantly, it will be
the bishop at Rome, the acknowl–
edged leader of the Christian church
in tbe West, who is destined to sup–
plant the Roman state in ltaly.
Years
396-405:
Stilicho vs. Alaric
- Meo in Contlict. Alaric the Vis–
igoth has been trying to crash the
gates of Italy for many years. Para–
doxically, the military genius of a
Vandal general in the service of
Rome saves the empire from de–
struction. His name is Stilicho. And
he controls tbe entire military com–
plex ofthe Western Roman Empire.
Stilicho defeats Alaric in 396 and
again in 397. Then, strangely, we
find Alaric being "appeased" by bis
PLAIN TRUTH October 1973