The Empire was split between East and West and the Western part was ruled from Mediolanum/Milan so was it a Roman Empire any more? In Mediolanum, another historical figure, Stilicho, dictator of the West, comes on stage to inform Rufinus of the destruction of Ys.
Meanwhile, the other Ysan agent, Maeloch, has met and killed Gunnung, who boasted about his dealings with Dahut. Her reckless dealings with five different men were bound to lead quickly either to the success that she wanted or to complete disaster. Of the five men, four are now dead and Niall will be killed in this concluding volume, The Dog And The Wolf.
The King of Ys Tetralogy shows events not only in and around Ys but also in other parts of Armorica and in Hivernia, Mediolanum and the Islands of Crows (the Channel Islands), combining historical and legendary geography.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
Well, Roman citizenship was extended to all free persons by Caracalla in 212, Latin and Greek were the high status, dominant languages of East and West, Classical Romano/Greco culture and literature was widely known, the governmental/political structure was Roman, and so on and on. Plus the peoples of West and East believed themselves Roman in 395. So, yes, I would say the Roman Empire was still ROMAN even if the capitals of the Two Parts was no longer in the city of Rome. "Rome" had long since become an idea and belief, not merely a location.
Sean
Sean,
Yes. Interesting how "Rome" became an idea. And to this day there are Roman Christians with a special relationship to the Bishop of Rome.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
I would add as well that Rome had also become an ideal, even a DREAM. Men saw how high civilization had risen under the aegis of Rome--and regarded the barbarians with disgust as wild men who would force on them an inferior, more primitive way of life.
And Catholics believe the primacy Our Lord conferred on St. Peter in Matthew 16 was not limited to Peter alone, but was transferred to his successors, the Bishops of Rome. And the grand strategy of Peter and the Early Church was to "conquer" the mightiest empire of the ancient world by boldly establishing his see in Rome herself.
Sean
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