DISCUSSION RESPONSE ITALY

Disunity – Respond to (4) discussion post in 1-3 paragraphs per (for) each response?

Must be relevant and in Q & A format with the question preceding the response in print?

After the fall of the Roman empire, Italian peninsula definitely divided into eight different states and remained this way for about 2,000 more years. As mentioned in David Gilmore, “an idea of Italy did emerge, not the Italia of the Social War but the concept of a peaceful, united, Romanticized Italy, a reconciliation of the peoples of the peninsula after centuries of warfare”. The following saying answers the question indicating that the author saw the era as continuity for the Italians, others beg to differ. Virgil’s laus italiae, which means “praise of Italy”, had a purpose as well. It was believed that the country was a place of extraordinary variety for its strength and destiny lay in ‘unity in diversity’.  Virgil also wrote that the battle was seen as a struggle not apart of the Roman empire, even though it was. Virgil, along with Cierco like the idea of diversity because it gave many advantages. Cicero did not think of Italia as a whole.  In fact, he replied that one part was the homeland and another part was citizenship.

I see the era as both a heroic struggle along with positive changes that occurred. Events such as crucifixions and slavery, the corruption and degeneracy of its rulers, and the gladiatorial contests only revealed bad results for the people. The empire also experiences prosperity and was encouraged by free trade and a common currency that shows another side of the economy. In all, the people wanted the empire to survive. UnitDG-1

RESPONSE ONE HERE –

1. (Dis)-Unity Discussion Post MUST RESPOND TO Parts A & B

.Do the authors we read for the course see this era more of a disintegration or continuity in the lives of Italians? RESPOND TO PARTS A & B

As author David Gilmour examines the collapse of the Roman empire within his book “The Pursuit of Italy” explains that Italy during this turbulent era was indeed extremely fragmented as varies ruling powers wrestled for control over the Italian peninsula but the lack of stability experienced within the roman empire during this time period didn’t directly ignite the process of losing cohesion or strength as demonstrated on page 51 of David Gilmour’s “The Pursuit of Italy: A History of land, Its Regions and Their Peoples.” Within this portion of his book author David Gilmour explains how “although the Byzantines were in fact Greek and were phasing out Latin, they called themselvesrhomaioi (Which is Greek for Roman) and continued to do so for centuries to come. Author David Gilmour reveals that the Byzantines regarded themselves as the heirs of classical and Christian Rome believing they had reversed the process of decline. I believe that author David Gilmour  would come to favor the Roman Continuity Theory because even as foreign influences occupied the Italian peninsula, these influence favored the Roman identity as they looked to implement similar political structures and policies. As author Christopher Duggan examines the collapse of the Roman empire within his book “A Concise History of Italy” he also comes to explain that Italy during this turbulent era was indeed extremely fragmented as varies ruling powers wrestled for control over the Italian peninsula but the lack of stability experienced within the roman empire during this time period didn’t directly ignite the process of losing cohesion or strength as demonstrated on page 32. Author Christopher Duggan states that ” The invasions of Italy by the Ostrogoths at the end of the fifth century did not result in any clear break with Roman traditions.” Author Christopher Duggan also examines the Lombard invasions and how they were a turning point politically but not so much in other aspects such as culture, religion, fashion, language, politics and economy which all were still dominated  by Roman influences..