Economy
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•        Yes – more investment in central govt, more élites moved into countryside. Not a social / economic malaise – changes in institutions of society instead.

•        C5 Britain cult / econ collapse, C6 elsewhere in N Europe, C7 Anatolia (Pers invasions) …

•        Hodges and Whitehouse – demographic and manufacturing collapse in C5 W and C6/7 E. Trade reduced to primitive state. By 700, E+W under-populated and dilapidated. All this è decline of urban life and ruralisation (e.g. Italy – collapse on Lombard invasions – militarised and violent society à taxes not obtained).

•        But Whittow – late R churches were hoards of silver – e.g. ability to keep paying off Persians in C6.

•        But these changes had implications for urban culture:

Dictated changes in traditional financial and human resources of cities:

•        Flight of curial class (John the Lydian and Evagrius) = economic issue; this at root of decline of city culture. Complaints re increasing burdens of their local responsibilities – pressure from centre to increase revenues. Too much imperial interference. Continuity of tax responsibilities in areas not affected by barbarian incursions. But limited allocation now for civic spending.

•        Curiales thus tried to get jobs in imperial / clerical service – places taken by less well connected / less educated / poorer citizens. No longer competitive civic centres à less ostentatious architecture. City affairs dealt with in practice by church patriarchs, chosen by local clergy and landowners. New priorities – fundamental nature of city unit likely to change.

•        Thessalonika (Macedonia) – Miracles of St Demetrius in early C7 – curia vanished, A/B / clergy / prominent laymen dominant. Consciousness of citizenship acute. Élites embrace new C culture.

Other Notes in this Category

1. Christianity
2. Decline?
3. Economy
4. Ideological retreat into private sphere?
5. Political Instabilities

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