Low Roman Empire

The Low Roman, along with the High Roman, forms part of the historiographical division of the Roman Empire as seen by French-speaking historians.^{[Notes 1]}

While these terms are widely used, the date of the transition from the High to the Low Roman Empire is the subject of debate. Some historians suggest that the Low Roman began at the end of the Antonine dynasty (192 AD), others with the overthrow of the Severan dynasty (235 AD), and others with the beginning of the reign of Diocletian (284-305).^{[Notes 2]} On the other hand, there is virtually unanimous agreement that the end of the Roman Empire coincides with the end of the Western Roman Empire in 476.^{[Notes 3]}

In place of the period of military anarchy that had seen a rapid succession of emperors chosen by the army, Diocletian wanted to substitute a cooperative system called "tetrarchy", in which two emperors called "Augustus" would choose two assistants called "Caesars", who would replace them on their departure, choosing two new Caesars themselves. This system, which required a great deal of goodwill and altruism, only lasted one generation, and the following one, Constantine I, son of the Caesar and later Augustus Constantius Chlorus, put an end to this co-optation system and returned to the dynastic system, dividing the empire between his sons and nephews on his death. This first Constantinian dynasty lasted just one generation, until one of the three brothers, Constantius, took over the domains of the other two on their death. It was succeeded, after the brief interlude of Emperor Julian, a relative of Constantine I, by the Valentinian dynasty, which lasted only a short time in the East, being replaced by the Theodosian dynasty after the death of its first representative, Valens, in 376. In the West, it continued for five generations, notably during the long reign of Valentinian III (423-455). However, its representatives soon fell under the influence of generals of barbarian origin who, after Valentinian III's death, installed several fanto emperors on the throne, until Odoacer proclaimed the destitution of Romulus Augustulus and returned the imperial ornaments to Constantinople in 476.

This Low Roman period differed from the preceding one in several ways: the administration underwent numerous changes, notably under Diocletian and Constantine I; the economy saw the creation under Constantine of a gold coin, the "solidus", which would remain the basis of Byzantium's monetary system for centuries; the great cities lost their importance to the large estates that competed with them; finally, Christianity, initially persecuted, spread until it became the state religion with the Edict of Thessalonica in 380.
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