Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And the Vatican, I'm sure. That must have been the one area of the city that maintained some standards of cleanliness and civilization.
This a very interesting subject btw. I just don't know if there is much historical record of it. What there is must have been written by monks.
True, they say that over 90% of those that could read and write during that time were the clergy. I don't believe there were any centers of higher learning, no schools, no universities, nothing of the sort.
I believe it wasn't until the 8th or 9th century that the church began to become a major player in Europe. It would be interesting to read about their history immediately following the fall of Rome until their pinnacle of power in the high middle ages.
People threw their slops -- human waste -- into the streets along with their other garbage.
They were crowded together and one could always tell when they were nearing a town or village by the horrid odors coming from them.
The vast majority of people lived in awful conditions while the rich and powerful luxuriated with lots of servants and slaves.
And, as Italy had a warm climate, all of the worst diseases spread quickly.
There was a show about the discovery of seveal mass graves in the catacombs under ancient Roman streets recently, and it was interesting that these were not marters or anything to do with chrstians, as origionally thought. It was a combination of men, women and children. DNA testing showed they were from multiple places, but apparently well fed and until their deaths in good health. But scraps of clothing finally led to them to being identified as skilled workers recruted to work in Rome.
Well paid, well taken care of, they were highly seceptable to the mass of diseases which plagued Rome. These catacombs were apparently where they were buried. But they discussed the famous baths. They were one of the primary sources of the diseases which spread rapidly. Roman doctors advised their patients to soak in the baths for a cure. So people with highly contagious diseases sat in the baths with everyone. Imagine the pool at the park with no chlorine and a mix of the sick and the well.
Towns all the way through the middle ages and beyond had a massive stink announcing they were there.
I have a copy of Time-Life books on the history of the Coloessium and a description of Rome in the Dark Ages is provided similar to what is referenced above. City mostly abandoned due to aqueducts no longer in use. Overgrown scrub vegetation. Much fire damage from previous sackings and lack of civil authority. Many feral animals loose in the city. Accumulated garbage. etc.etc.
I would recommend Guiccardini's History of Italy for further reading.
I remember this from college history. It makes me want to read more.
It mirrors how most empires die. They gradually fade and weaken, and at the end, their traditions fail too. It does Rome credit that even after the Roman's were gone the Goths were sufficently inspired to try to emulate it.
I have this vision of Rome with the tumbled buildings and the overgrown areas and animals and the people who may have kept a small memory of what it had been in the first generation past.
Rome declined gradually over hundreds of years, remember that Constantine moved the capital of the empire to Byzantium, (Constantinople) in 330AD. Also, the empire split into east and west as Roman influence declined. Then the Catholic church split as various popes in different cities each claimed to be the true head of the church.
Thoedorcic the Great became king of Ostrogoths on February 25, 493 after defeating Odoacer. Theodric's reign was nearly a continuation of the old Roman ways with the fact is that he ruled Italy with the help of his Roman staff. The period of Theodric saw many improvements take place such as fixing the infrastructure, expansion of the frontiers and a strong economy. However this period of prosperity did not live much longer than Theodoric himself as weaker Goth rulers followed. - See more at: Life in Italy During the Dark Ages | Italy
I had always read and been led to believe that in 476 Rome just fell into utter chaos, and things progressively got worse. I wasn't aware that they nearly had another emperor. Also, had Justinian not conquered the Italian peninsula in the 6th century, Italy may have reunited or have been stronger.
And then again, had the plague never struck the Byzantines, Justinian may have been able to hang onto Italy.
Honestly, this topic only shows the ignorance of the West. Italy was Byzantium during the time you are talking about. I am baffled by why the Byzantine Empire is not taught in western schools. I grasp that in the US it's a bit Anglo-centric, but this is ridiculous.
Towns all the way through the middle ages and beyond had a massive stink announcing they were there.
Istr reading that it wasn't until the 19C that any city's birth rate exceeded its death rate. Until then their populations were sustained by immigration from the surrounding country.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
