The Chief Periods of European History / Six lectures read in the University of Oxford in Trinity term, 1885

FREEMAN
THE CHIEF PERIODS OF EUROPEAN HISTORY
SIX LECTURES
READ IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD IN TRINITY TERM, 1885
WITH AN ESSAY
GREEK CITIES UNDER ROMAN RULE
EDWARD A. FREEMAN, M.A., Hon. D.C.L. & LL.D.
REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY FELLOW OF ORIEL COLLEGE HONORARY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE
London MACMILLAN AND CO. AND NEW YORK 1886
Oxford
PRINTED BY HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
The two courses of Oxford lectures which have now been printed are both introductory. In this present course the division into periods which is attempted is, on the face of it, only one among many which might be made. Another man might divide on some principle altogether different; I might myself divide on some other principle in another course of lectures. My present object was to set forth as strongly as possible, at the beginning of my teaching here, the main outlines of European history, as grouped round its central point, the Roman power. The main periods suggested by such a view of things are those which concern the growth and the dying-out of that power—Europe before the growth of Rome—Europe with Rome, in one shape or another, as her centre—Europe since Rome has practically ceased to be. When this main outline, a somewhat formal one, has once been established, it is easy at once to fill in and to subdivide in an endless number of ways and from an endless number of points of view. Thus I have at present little to do with the political developement of particular nations. Of some branches of that subject I have treated at some length in other shapes; I may, in the course of my work here, have to treat of others. But they are not my subject now. Nor have I now to deal with the great events and the great institutions of Europe, except so far as they helped to work out the one main outline which I have tried to draw. The power of the Popes may be looked at in a thousand ways; it con cerns me now only in its strictly Roman aspect, as one, and the greatest, of the survivals of Roman power. The great French Revolution again may be looked on in a thousand ways. It concerns me now as having led to the sweeping away of the last relics of the old Roman tradition, and as having set up for a while the most memorable of conscious imitations of the Roman power. I say all this, that no one may be disappointed if he fails to find in this thin volume even a summary of all European history, much less a philosophical discussion of all European history. My business now is simply to draw an outline, ready either for myself or for others to fill up in various ways.