Dr. David Gwynn

More than there had been previously? That's difficult to argue. It's there. It's emphatically always there in Roman society. After all, we are now experiencing in our modern world a very expanding rich-poor gap. The Roman world has a colossal divide between the senators with their enormous wealth and the vast majority of the population who are a couple of bad harvests away from starving to death.

More than there had been previously? That's difficult to argue. It's there. It's emphatically always there in Roman society. After all, we are now experiencing in our modern world a very expanding rich-poor gap. The Roman world has a colossal divide between the senators with their enormous wealth and the vast majority of the population who are a couple of bad harvests away from starving to death.

More than there had been previously? That's difficult to argue. It's there. It's emphatically always there in Roman society. After all, we are now experiencing in our modern world a very expanding rich-poor gap. The Roman world has a colossal divide between the senators with their enormous wealth and the vast majority of the population who are a couple of bad harvests away from starving to death.

The third century, this is why it's such a period of disruption. Not everywhere across the empire. Some regions were basically untouched, like Britain, like North Africa. But if you are a farmer and everything is unstable, then you are extremely vulnerable. There's no question, therefore, that Diocletian prioritized stabilizing the economic system, ensuring a greater degree of social harmony.

The third century, this is why it's such a period of disruption. Not everywhere across the empire. Some regions were basically untouched, like Britain, like North Africa. But if you are a farmer and everything is unstable, then you are extremely vulnerable. There's no question, therefore, that Diocletian prioritized stabilizing the economic system, ensuring a greater degree of social harmony.

The third century, this is why it's such a period of disruption. Not everywhere across the empire. Some regions were basically untouched, like Britain, like North Africa. But if you are a farmer and everything is unstable, then you are extremely vulnerable. There's no question, therefore, that Diocletian prioritized stabilizing the economic system, ensuring a greater degree of social harmony.

It never totally succeeds. After all, the army want their supplies. They're going to clash with the local aristocracy, who usually are both the tax collectors and the people trying to avoid paying tax. And then the local populations, who of course we almost never hear about in our sources, are trying to get on with their lives. But we don't see colossal social revolutions.

It never totally succeeds. After all, the army want their supplies. They're going to clash with the local aristocracy, who usually are both the tax collectors and the people trying to avoid paying tax. And then the local populations, who of course we almost never hear about in our sources, are trying to get on with their lives. But we don't see colossal social revolutions.

It never totally succeeds. After all, the army want their supplies. They're going to clash with the local aristocracy, who usually are both the tax collectors and the people trying to avoid paying tax. And then the local populations, who of course we almost never hear about in our sources, are trying to get on with their lives. But we don't see colossal social revolutions.

There are some individual major outbreaks of what look like social violence, famously the Begaldi, who are a Gallic revolt, who get put down under the Tetrarchy. But Christianity does actually help here because Christianity does believe in spreading out wealth. It does believe in charity. much more so than the traditional structures did. So on that score you're getting more support.

There are some individual major outbreaks of what look like social violence, famously the Begaldi, who are a Gallic revolt, who get put down under the Tetrarchy. But Christianity does actually help here because Christianity does believe in spreading out wealth. It does believe in charity. much more so than the traditional structures did. So on that score you're getting more support.

There are some individual major outbreaks of what look like social violence, famously the Begaldi, who are a Gallic revolt, who get put down under the Tetrarchy. But Christianity does actually help here because Christianity does believe in spreading out wealth. It does believe in charity. much more so than the traditional structures did. So on that score you're getting more support.

The monasteries help here because monasteries, although they're often on the fringes of society, they're also there to provide assistance. So you're getting the rise of hospitals, You're actually getting the emergence of a number of key features that will emerge over the next centuries in the fourth century because they're coming under Christian patronage. Likewise, pilgrimage, major centers.

The monasteries help here because monasteries, although they're often on the fringes of society, they're also there to provide assistance. So you're getting the rise of hospitals, You're actually getting the emergence of a number of key features that will emerge over the next centuries in the fourth century because they're coming under Christian patronage. Likewise, pilgrimage, major centers.

The monasteries help here because monasteries, although they're often on the fringes of society, they're also there to provide assistance. So you're getting the rise of hospitals, You're actually getting the emergence of a number of key features that will emerge over the next centuries in the fourth century because they're coming under Christian patronage. Likewise, pilgrimage, major centers.

So it's difficult to say there's a major increase in social tensions. What there always are are major social divisions because there is a massive rich-poor imbalance.

So it's difficult to say there's a major increase in social tensions. What there always are are major social divisions because there is a massive rich-poor imbalance.

So it's difficult to say there's a major increase in social tensions. What there always are are major social divisions because there is a massive rich-poor imbalance.

So what you always have, and in a sense, it's the theme that's running through all of these different problems, is it's not that the Roman Empire is going to collapse, but there are fracture lines within it that are going to be drastically exposed if the opportunity really does emerge.

So what you always have, and in a sense, it's the theme that's running through all of these different problems, is it's not that the Roman Empire is going to collapse, but there are fracture lines within it that are going to be drastically exposed if the opportunity really does emerge.