jan 1, 647 - The Crisis of the 6th Century
End of the Roman Principate Era
Beginning of the Roman Dominate Era
Metellan reforms lay the foundation of feudalism
Description:
Following the immense devastation caused by the Plague of Justinian over the last century, the Roman state has been greatly weakened and finds itself unable to properly control its vast territories. Spartacist as well as christian revolts grow unchecked in many provinces outside of Italy and the shortage of manpower following the plague makes it a considerable challenge to police the troubled areas.
To solve all these problems, Emperor Lucretius empowers the office of emperor far beyond Caesar's original limitations. Casting off all pretenses of Augustan principal republicanism, he abandons the title of Princeps in favor of "Dominus", which marks the beginning of the considerably more autocratic and monarchistic Dominate era of the Roman Empire.
With truly imperial powers, he carries out sweeping reforms of the weakened Roman state, abandoning the ancient Roman tradition of expensive but elite standing armies in favor of short-term conscription forces to reduce military upkeep. He also sells enormous swathes of state lands to wealthy Roman patricians - an act which would essentially lay the foundations of european feudalism - in order to bolster the Roman treasury and fund the maintenance of its vast infrastructure as well as the policing of its equally vast territories.
However, this consolidation of power had it's price - by the end of the century, the western and northern provinces would secede to form their own independent kingdoms in revolt against the Roman state.
Added to timeline:
Imperium Caesarum Timeline
From the founding of Rome to 1936
Date:
