Sack of Rome (410)
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| - | '''''The City of God''''' ('''De Civitate Dei''', also known as '''''De Civitate Dei contra Paganos''''', "The City of God against the [[Paganism|Pagans]]") is a book written in [[Latin language|Latin]] by [[Augustine of Hippo]] in the early 5th century, dealing with issues concerning [[God]], [[martyr]]dom, [[Judaism|Jews]], and other aspects of [[Christian philosophy]]. | ||
| - | Augustine wrote the treatise to explain Christianity's relationship with competing religions and philosophies, and to the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] government with which it was increasingly intertwined. It was written soon after [[Sack of Rome (410)|Rome was sacked]] by the [[Visigoths]] in 410. This event left Romans in a deep state of shock, and many saw it as punishment for abandoning their [[Roman mythology|Roman religion]]. It was in this atmosphere that Augustine set out to provide a consolation of Christianity, writing that, even if the earthly rule of the empire was imperilled, it was the City of God that would ultimately triumph — symbolically, Augustine's eyes were fixed on [[heaven]], a theme repeated in many Christian works of [[Late Antiquity]]. | + | The '''Sack of [[Rome]]''' occurred on August 24, 410. The city was attacked by the [[Visigoths]], led by [[Alaric I]]. The Roman capital had been moved to the Italian city of [[Ravenna]] by the young emperor [[Honorius (emperor)|Honorius]], after the Visigoths entered Italy. |
| - | Despite Christianity's designation as the official religion of the empire, Augustine declared its message to be spiritual rather than political. Christianity, he argued, should be concerned with the mystical, heavenly city the [[New Jerusalem]] — rather than with Earthly politics. | + | This was the first time in almost 800 years that Rome had fallen to an enemy. The previous [[Battle of the Allia|sack of Rome]] was by [[Gaul]]s under their leader [[Brennus (4th century)|Brennus]] in 387 BC. Some historians see this as a major landmark in the [[Decline of the Roman Empire|decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire]]. [[St Jerome]], a citizen in Rome at the time, wrote that "The city which had conquered the whole world was itself conquered..." |
| - | The book presents human [[history]] as being a conflict between what Augustine calls the City of Man and the City of God (a conflict that is destined to end in victory of the latter). The City of God is marked by people who forgo earthly pleasure and dedicate themselves to the promotion of Christian values. The City of Man, on the other hand, consists of people who have strayed from the City of God. The two cities are not meant to represent any actual places or organizations, though Augustine clearly thought that the Christian Church was at the heart of the City of God. | ||
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| - | While the book is framed by discussion of these themes, it is largely made up of various digressions on philosophical subjects and presentations of flaws in pagan religions upon which Augustine wished to comment. | ||
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The Sack of Rome occurred on August 24, 410. The city was attacked by the Visigoths, led by Alaric I. The Roman capital had been moved to the Italian city of Ravenna by the young emperor Honorius, after the Visigoths entered Italy.
This was the first time in almost 800 years that Rome had fallen to an enemy. The previous sack of Rome was by Gauls under their leader Brennus in 387 BC. Some historians see this as a major landmark in the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire. St Jerome, a citizen in Rome at the time, wrote that "The city which had conquered the whole world was itself conquered..."
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Sack of Rome (410)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
