Les capitales impériales en Occident dans l’Antiquité tardive : éléments de définition et étude de cas

Arles emerged as a significant imperial capital during late antiquity, alongside Trier, Vienna, Milan, Ravenna, and Aquileia, following Rome's declining political prominence from the third century A.D. This study defines an imperial capital by two key traits: lasting imperial presence and palaces that combined administrative functions with prestige structures. While reviewing known palaces in Trier, Arles, Milan, Ravenna, and Aquileia, it delves deeper into Vienna's potential status as an imperial residence. The research evaluates whether these criteria effectively distinguish late Roman capitals, providing a nuanced understanding of political power distribution in the Western Empire.

Reboul, J.-P. (2012). Les capitales impériales en Occident dans l’Antiquité tardive : éléments de définition et étude de cas. Les Marqueurs Archéologiques Du Pouvoir, 259–285. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.psorbonne.5661