Spatial and Temporal Boundaries and Important Parameters of Late Antıquity in the Scope of Pre-Asian History Studies

Abstract

There are different approaches for Late Antiquity, which is generally expressed as the end of the Ancient Age and the beginning of the Middle Ages. The boundaries of the period, which is expressed as the Late Antiquity, have not been fully revealed. Some of the scholars who speculate on the boundaries of this period, tend to place Late Antiquity within a thousand-year period. Western historians try to define the spatial and temporal boundaries of this period based on Roman and Eastern Roman history. While determining the boundaries of this period, it would be more appropriate to reveal its distinctive features that are different from the Ancient Ages and the Middle Ages and to define a border in this way. There are many developments that make this period different from the periods before or after it. Late Antiquity is a transitional period between the old and the new world. This period is a period that the political map of today's Europe emerged, the east-west border became clear and also the foundations of the religious structures of today's world were laid. In the context of Late Antique Pre-Asian studies, the political and military developments that emerged due to the presence of Rome and Iran have an important place in determining the boundaries of the period. Therefore, when defining the borders of Late Antiquity, it is necessary to consider the history of Pre-Asia. This article aims to make some determinations about the borders of Late Antiquity, based on the important events that emerged in this period in the context of the history of Pre-Asia. © 2023, Osman Kose. All rights reserved.