Aezanis, Temple of Zeus, 117-138 AD 
  
History/Medieval Studies 303
Early Medieval and Byzantine Civilization: Constantine to Crusades

Index 

Syllabus 

Readings: 
 Book List  
 Iconoclasm 
 Discussion Topics 

Chronologies: 
 Imperial Crisis 
 Later Roman Emperors, 306-395 
 Fall of Western Empire 
 Age of Justinian 
 Islamic Caliphs 
 Byzantine Dark Age 
 Triumph of Christianity 
 Macedonian Resurgence 
 Crusades 
 Restoration and Ottoman Advance 

Handouts: 
 Population 
 Finances under Justinian 
 Byzantium c.850A.D. 

Links 

 POPULATION ESTIMATES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
IN AGE OF CONSTANTINE (306-337) AND THEODOIUS I (379-395)
WESTERN EMPIRE
BRITIAN 
GAUL & RHINELAND 
SPAIN 
ITALY 
SICILY, SARDINIA & CORSICA 
AFRICA, NUMIDIA, MAURETANIA 
RHAETIA, NORICUM, PANNONIA & 
DALMATIA 

TOTAL WESTERN EMPIRE

750,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
250,000
3,000,000
3,000,000
 
22,000,000
EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
MOESIA & THRACE 
GREECE & MACEDONIA 
ASIA MINOR 
SYRIA, PALESTINE & MESOPOTAMIA 
EGYPT 
CYRENAICA 

TOTAL EASTERN EMPIRE

2,500,000
3,500,000
15,000,000
6,500,000
6,500,000
500,000
 
34,000,000
 
TOTAL POPULATION
WESTERN  ROMAN EMPIRE 
EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE 
TOTAL:
22,000,000 
34,000,000 
56,000,000

POPULATION OF CITIES:
In the Principate, the five leading cities were ROME, ALEXANDRIA, ANTIOCH, EPHESUS, and CARTHAGE. In 100 A.D., Rome boasted a population of over 1,000,000 permanent residents; Alexandria was perhaps between 500,000 and 750,000.  The cities of Antioch, Ephesus and Carthage had populations on the order of 350,000 to 500,000 residents.  There were many more cities in the eastern provinces boasting large populations.  In the province of Asia (western Anatolia), Ephesus (500,000) competed for title of “first city of Asia” with SMYRNA (250,000) and PERGAMUM (150,000).  Middle sized cities in Italy, Africa, and the Roman East ranged between 50,000 and 100,000, perhaps twice the size of their counterparts in the northern provinces.  Most cities in the Roman world numbered between 10,000 and 25,000 residents, although many citizens resided in the surrounding countryside (Latin, pagus; Greek ????) rather than in the civic center. 

In the fourth century, Rome declined steadily in population, and in 400 A.D. possibly counted between 500,000 and 750,000 residents.  The collapse of the Western Empire in 395-476 saw Rome decline precipitiously to 75,000 to 100,000 residents by 500.  The Gothic War (535-554) nearly ruined Rome which sank to the level of  to an armed camp of 30,000 residents.  CONSTANTINOPLE, dedicated as the New Rome in 330, grew from a population of 30,000, when she was still the city of Byzantium, to 300,000 by 400 A.D.  By the age of Justinian (527-565), residents of Constaninople, “Queen of Cities,” might have totaled 1,000,000, but perhaps 500,000 to 750,000 is a more accurate estimate. 

POPULATION ESTIMATES, 400-1500 A.D
 
Population (reckoned in millions of people)
Region   400 650 1000   1200 1340 1500
               
British Isles   1 0.5 2 2.8 5 3
France & Lowlands   5 3.5 6   10 19 16
Germany & Scandinavia   3.5 2 4   7 11.5 7.5
Iberian Peninsula   4 3.5 7   8 9 8.3
Italy   6 2.5 5   7.8 10 9
                 
Greece & Balkans   5 3 5   ---- 6 4.5
Asia Minor   12 7 8   7 ---- ----
                 
Syria & Levant   5 3 2   3 ---- ----
Egypt   6 3 1.5   2.5 4.5 ----
North Africa   2.5 ---- 1   1.5 ---- ----
 
Figures based on J. C. Russell, Late Ancient and Medieval Population (Philadelphia, 1958). 

Byzantine Empire: In 850, the imperial army (theme and tagmatic units) is estimated at 150,000 men; in 1025 the army was perhaps 150,000 men.  Basil II (976-1025) possibly ruled over 18 million subjects: 10 million in Anatolia, 5 million in the Balkans and Greek homeland, 1 million in Constantinople, and possibly another 2 million in southern Italy and Syria.  The imperial army perhaps mobilized for military service 3-4% of an adult males reckoned at 4.5 million.  Defeats in 1071-1078 and Turkomen migrations reduced the population of Anatolia.  By 1125, the emperor John II (1118-1143) possibly ruled over an empire of 10-12 million subjects or two-thirds of the number of subjects over whom Basil reigned one hundred years earlier. 

Western Europe: Figures for Western show remarkable growth from 900 A.D. on as northern Europeans cleared forests and perfected deep ploughing techniques.  By the eleventh century the populations of Western exceeded those of the Mediterranean world and Near East for the first time in history. 

Crusader States: By 1140, the Crusaders occupied the most densely populated regions of the Levant, possibly dominating 1,625,000 residents.  Crusader numbers can be sensed by the number of knights who could take field in 1140.  The King of Jerusalem could field 675 knights from his vassals and additional 300 knights of the military monastic orders of the Templars and Hospitalars.  The Count of Tripoli could field possibly 100 knights; the Prince of Antioch and Count of Edessa together could field no more than 700 knights. This was a potential force of 1,775 knights, but the greatest host that ever engaged was at the Battle of Hattin in 1187, and King Guy of Jersualem could muster no more than 1,200 knights. 
 

Dr. Kenneth W. Harl 
Office: History 211 (504)862-8621 
Fax: (504) 862-8739 
Home: (504)866-5392 
 
 Tulane University
Last updated 03/19/98
by Annette Lindblom