Always glad to hear that readers are interested! Here is a bit on the ethnopolitical shifts of the Glycerian court.
The insurrection of Symmachus and the largely pagan Roman aristocracy, and their subsequent defeat and destruction at the hands of (St.) Glycerian, would radically re-order the nature of politics in the city of Rome and, more broadly, Italy.
The executions of Glycerian would, at a stroke, quite literally decapitate or otherwise destroy the old Pagan elite of Rome. Julian had indulged them with favors, power and the fact that he himself was a pagan. Glycerian, a faithful Christian, would undo all of these privileges. Notably crowned by Pope Jerome [2], Glycerian would convert or destroy a number of pagan temples, in a manner similar to how Delphi and the Parthenon became monastic communities second only to Mt. Athos and the Patriarchates in the Arian East. The Pantheon of Hadrian would become the main church during his reign, used as the Imperial chapel. He would also repair the heavily damaged St. Peter's Basilica, which had been sacked by the pagans during their short period of dominion over the city of Rome.
With the executions, Glycerian had also gutted both the political elite and the landowning elite. He quickly created a new elite, by rewarding faithful Christians with villas in Rome and lands across non-Rugian Italy. Notably, most of these rewarded men were Germanic or part-Germanic generals, soldiers and potentates. Although many Germans remained pagan themselves, Glycerian would patronize the growing Christian population amongst the Germans and part-Germans in Rome. A few Romans would also be patronized- the father of the future general Lucius Aetius, and the father of the famous Boniface as well. Overall, however, a German/Christian faction had taken power alongside Glycerian. Many of these men were half-Germanic as well.
This shift in the Imperial court also represents the immense power Germans now held within Rome. The Visigoths were masters of most of Gaul, the Rugians controlled southern Italy, the Vandals were in Baetica and other Germans waited beyond the imperial borders, often in lands that had been Roman only a decade before. These Germanic elites would form much of the basis for the urban elites of medieval Italy, eventually ruled over by conquering barbarian nobles of a more military caste [1]. They would also form the backbone of the patricians, who would dominate every Emperor after Glycerian- and who would assassinate any ruler who tried to change that status quo...
[1]Spoiler: The Western Empire will fall.
[2] The Saint Jerome
###
The insurrection of Symmachus and the largely pagan Roman aristocracy, and their subsequent defeat and destruction at the hands of (St.) Glycerian, would radically re-order the nature of politics in the city of Rome and, more broadly, Italy.
The executions of Glycerian would, at a stroke, quite literally decapitate or otherwise destroy the old Pagan elite of Rome. Julian had indulged them with favors, power and the fact that he himself was a pagan. Glycerian, a faithful Christian, would undo all of these privileges. Notably crowned by Pope Jerome [2], Glycerian would convert or destroy a number of pagan temples, in a manner similar to how Delphi and the Parthenon became monastic communities second only to Mt. Athos and the Patriarchates in the Arian East. The Pantheon of Hadrian would become the main church during his reign, used as the Imperial chapel. He would also repair the heavily damaged St. Peter's Basilica, which had been sacked by the pagans during their short period of dominion over the city of Rome.
With the executions, Glycerian had also gutted both the political elite and the landowning elite. He quickly created a new elite, by rewarding faithful Christians with villas in Rome and lands across non-Rugian Italy. Notably, most of these rewarded men were Germanic or part-Germanic generals, soldiers and potentates. Although many Germans remained pagan themselves, Glycerian would patronize the growing Christian population amongst the Germans and part-Germans in Rome. A few Romans would also be patronized- the father of the future general Lucius Aetius, and the father of the famous Boniface as well. Overall, however, a German/Christian faction had taken power alongside Glycerian. Many of these men were half-Germanic as well.
This shift in the Imperial court also represents the immense power Germans now held within Rome. The Visigoths were masters of most of Gaul, the Rugians controlled southern Italy, the Vandals were in Baetica and other Germans waited beyond the imperial borders, often in lands that had been Roman only a decade before. These Germanic elites would form much of the basis for the urban elites of medieval Italy, eventually ruled over by conquering barbarian nobles of a more military caste [1]. They would also form the backbone of the patricians, who would dominate every Emperor after Glycerian- and who would assassinate any ruler who tried to change that status quo...
[1]Spoiler: The Western Empire will fall.
[2] The Saint Jerome
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