The transformation of classical cities and the Pirenne debate
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• Hodges and Whitehouse conclude – Roman trade, cities, rural settlement and population levels collapsed not in 7^th century but in 5^th century partly under barbarian invasion – East 6^th 7^th century due to wars of Justinian.  Leads to general entropy of social and economic life – autarkic settlements, decline cities vanish or administrative or ecclesiastical admin.  Trade only for non-commercial means.  Recovery only when silver from Caorlignians, Byzantium irrelevancy.
• Rome by Krauthheimer and Constantinople by Mango as under populated, dilapidated fading distortions of their past.
• Ward-Perkins – archaeologist, literary evidence etc – 3^rd century decline of patronage by local aristocracies, replacement first by state, and then senatorial nobility, then by state and church.  Marks 6^th century change from sentimental and aesthetic attitude towards public monuments to strictly utilitarian – argues for continuity through keeping of street plans.
• Hodges and Whitehouse – never clarify concept of society and economy – essentially shops and manufacturing industries, which disappear in 5^th century. Classicists see city more of centre religion, politics, culture local administration and display.
• Fate of nobiles, secular administration, secular Roman-style government, patrons and stimulants more important – indeed Rome never a manufacturing city, decline bound up with decline of its aristocratic
• WP rarely looks at political and economic contexts, but instead reminds of rich regional variations behind uniform faηade of Roman urbanity

Other Notes in this Category

1. Factors Transforming the city
2. Post-Roman unity, disintegration and renewal
3. Regional survey of urban change ad survivals
4. The 5^th century and after: the East
5. The ancient city: a centre of administration and a way of life
6. The Fifth Century and After: the West
7. The third-century crisis and the inscriptions of Aphrodisias
8. The transformation of classical cities and the Pirenne debate
9. Types of Post-Roman City
10. Urban Survival and the role of the middleman
11. Why and when did the ancient cities end?

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