Pomiędzy antykiem a wczesnym średniowieczem : Italia wobec inwazji Longobardów

Abstrakt

Th e present article examines the effect of Lombard occupation of the Apennine Peninsula in the 6t h century on everyday life of the local society; traditionally the event thought to usher in the early Middle Ages in Italy. The author traces the repercussions of occupation of the formerly Roman lands by this Germanic people on the formation of a new model of society and culture in the period between 6t h to 8t h century. Special attention is paid to the following questions: 1. How did material culture evolve after the Apennine Peninsula was settled by the Lombards? 2. What was the imprint of Lombard culture on local society, as reflected in archaeological evidence? In examining the above issues the author drew on the more recent findings from archaeology. The article traces pivotal issues associated with occupation of Italy by the Lombards and the formation of early political organisations in the north and south of the country. Some space is given to a discussion of the question of "black earths" and their importance in relation to the great urban centres of late antiquity. Rather than espousing the view that their origin was associated with the decline of the earlier urban communities the author discusses more recent results from studies of early medieval Rome, particularly, the findings furnished by the 1980s investigation of the Balbi Crypt. Also the results ofstudies made in other cities, especially those first to be occupied by the Lombards, indicate that the invaders became rapidly assimilated and readily adopted many of the elements of earlier Roman culture. The course of developments in the city of Rome itself, which remained outside Lombard dominion, was somewhat different; here, at the onset of the Middle Ages individual quarters of the city underwent substantial transformation but much of the existing urban substance was retained. Farther south, the early Lombard period was a time of impressive investment, particularly, in Benevento and Salerno, discussed in the article at more length.<br>BETWEEN ANTIQUITY AND THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES: IMPRINT OF LOMBARD OCCUPATION IN THE APENNINE PENINSULA. The present article examines the effect of Lombard occupation of the Apennine Peninsula in the 6t h century on everyday life of the local society; traditionally the event thought to usher in the early Middle Ages in Italy. The author traces the repercussions of occupation of the formerly Roman lands by this Germanic people on the formation of a new model of society and culture in the period between 6t h to 8t h century. Special attention is paid to the following questions: 1. How did material culture evolve after the Apennine Peninsula was settled by the Lombards? 2. What was the imprint of Lombard culture on local society, as reflected in archaeological evidence? In examining the above issues the author drew on the more recent findings from archaeology. The article traces pivotal issues associated with occupation of Italy by the Lombards and the formation of early political organisations in the north and south of the country. Some space is given to a discussion of the question of "black earths" and their importance in relation to the great urban centres of late antiquity. Rather than espousing the view that their origin was associated with the decline of the earlier urban communities the author discusses more recent results from studies of early medieval Rome, particularly, the findings furnished by the 1980s investigation of the Balbi Crypt. Also the results ofstudies made in other cities, especially those first to be occupied by the Lombards, indicate that the invaders became rapidly assimilated and readily adopted many of the elements of earlier Roman culture. The course of developments in the city of Rome itself, which remained outside Lombard dominion, was somewhat different; here, at the onset of the Middle Ages individual quarters of the city underwent substantial transformation but much of the existing urban substance was retained. Farther south, the early Lombard period was a time of impressive investment, particularly, in Benevento and Salerno, discussed in the article at more length. In rural areas churches were becoming more numerous, serving as foci in the life oflocal communities. From the 8t h c. onwards, new workshops and artisan settlements were established, in the south set up close to older sanctuaries as well as on territory nominally under Byzantine rule. Some settlements developed on site of earlier Roman villas favoured with a water supply and fertile soils. Many of these investments, started at the time of the Lombard invasion, were to vanish from the map of Italy in early 9t h century, with the spread of monastic land holdings and other large latifundia. A separate discussion is made of Lombard fortifications and monasteries foundations which accompanied them. The author notes the evidence from Lombard necropoli which testifies to the transformation of the model of material culture. Ceramics, weapons and jewellery all indicate by their nature and variation in time that the invaders rapidly became acculturated within the local environment. In different areas of the peninsula the described processes were linked to the specific local conditions. Consequently, it is hard to posit a common model of the developments throughout the 6t h and the 7t h century for northern, Adriatic and Tyrrhenian provinces. At the time when they were occupying Italy the Lombards had been conscious not only of their political and tribal identity, they also had a distinct material culture. It is interesting at the same time that typically Lombard artefacts are recorded only in northern and central Italy. Even there, the process of losing cultural traits proper for the people was relatively short, limited to just one or two generations. Another situation still is noted on the territory of the Duchy of Benevento where evidence of Lombard material culture is altogether absent. Does this mean that here the newcomers at the very outset adopted the local higher civilisation or is there perhaps some different interpretation? It is symptomatic in this context how the Lombard way of life came to resemble that of their Roman predecessors. This found expression not only in the models of material culture and elements of art but also in the revival of traditions in decline for at least two centuries, eg, the practice of placing inscription of public buildings. During the early period the shift from antiquity to early Middle Ages was actively aided by the Lombard church. In place of Roman buildings, early Christian basilicas and episcopal cathedrals became the dominant element in urban topography, focal points in the layout of town squares and streets. In this respect, the church found allies among the members of the Lombard elite, many of whom initiated the establishment of new churches and monasteries. It seems that the adoption of Catholicism by the Lombards would finally level the major ideological barrier which divided them during the early period from the local population. Even so, the state continued to view them with distrust and reserve. Lombards in Italy came to be known as patrons of the arts, widely drawing on the skills of masters in local communities. Their mobility in adopting Roman and subsequently, Byzantine models, not only helped to salvage but to some extent, also to sustain great Roman traditions, sometimes, even as far as the Renaissance. As such, the effects of their activity in Italy can hardly be viewed using the category of conqueror - the oppressed, even though in the earliest period the relationship indubitably must have been of such nature. To answer the question set at the beginning of the present article, the author shares the view of those scholars who believe that early medieval Italy profited much from the Lombard invasion. First of all, their coming finally put an end to the succession of other barbarian pretenders, whose attempts were mostly of short duration but responsible for causing outright barbarian destruction and a growing impoverishment of the post-Roman population. Secondly, from a longer time perspective, the Lombards may be seen to have fully taken advantage of the benefits of a higher civilisation, even so far as to adopt the religion of the local population. Finally, in spite of the differences which divided them from the Romans, they succeeded in laying down the foundations of a lasting political power which ultimately helped to saved the peninsula from many other misfortunes of the age. (translated by Anna Kinecka)