The Evolution of the Late Roman World: Relgious, Political, and Military Developments in Late Antiquity

Abstract

This thesis examines selected religious, political, and military developments of the late Roman Empire from the end of the second century through the end of the reign of Justinian I. The specific developments under consideration are the military reforms that occurred throughout the history of the Roman Empire and the growing importance of the Roman cavalry, the spread of Christianity, and the complex relationship between Christianity and politics in the late Roman world. These developments allowed the Roman Empire to transition from a concrete political entity, which ceased to exist in 476, into a set of various cultural ideals that influenced most of western Europe throughout the middle ages.