Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity (509 B.C.–A.D.476) CHAPTER 6 37.
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Transcript of Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity (509 B.C.–A.D.476) CHAPTER 6 37.
Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity
(509 B.C.–A.D.476)
CHAPTER 6
37
*Two geographic factors played a major role in the growth of Rome
Central location Lack of geographic barrier
Etruscans
In 509 B.C. the Romans drove out their Etruscan king
• *Set up a republic (thing of the people)
• 300 member Patrician Senate
• Senate elected two Consuls as the executive branch
• In event of war a dictator was elected and granted power for six months
In 450B.C. Plebeians demanded more power
• *Laws of the Twelve Tables– The earliest code of
Roman law
• Could elect their own officials called Tribunes. – plebeian tribunate – *Had the power of veto
(Lat. "I forbid") over elections, laws, decrees of the senate
• A dreadfully deformed child shall be quickly killed.
• females should remain in guardianship even when they have attained their majority.
• A man might gather up fruit that was falling down onto another man's farm.
• If one is slain while committing theft by night, he is rightly slain.
• Marriages should not take place between plebeians and patricians
War and rivalry with Carthage 264 B.C. to 146 B.C.
Punic Wars• *General Hannibal
– Led Carthaginian army over the Alps
– Fought Rome for 15 years before being called back to Carthage
– Took poison– Carthage destroyed and
survivors sold in slavery
By 133 B.C. Roman territory extended from Spain to Egypt
*Called the Mediterranean Mare Nostrum meaning
(“Our Sea”)
From Republic to Empire
*Social Effects of Expansion• New class of wealthy
Romans– Bought huge estates and
used slaves to work them
• Forcing small farmers bankrupt– Angry mobs rioted
A Roman could tell how important or wealthy a person was from their toga
Julius Caesar100 - 44 B.C.
Forced the Senate to make him dictator
• * Reforms Rome
• Public works
• Gave land to the poor
• Gave Roman citizenship more people
• Introduced the Julian calendar
Ides of March 15th 44B.C.
Caesar stabbed to death of the steps of the Senate
Rome again in civil war
The end of the Republic
MARCUS ANTONIUS 83-31 BC
Gaius Octavius
63 B.C. - 14 C.E.
CleopatraB.C. 69-30
Caesar’s chief general
Caesar’s grandnephew
The Last Pharaoh
Augustus Caesar “Exalted one”
*Pax Romana or Roman Peace
* Augustus Contributions
•Created a stable gov’t.
• Well trained civil service.
• Gov’t jobs went to those with talent .
• Allowed cities and provinces a large measure of self-government
Pax Romana opened up trade
*Extending Roman influence and culture
along the growing silk road trade network
*CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Racing Chariot
Military Chariot
Third of a mile long and 150 yards wide, the Circus Maximus allegedly held 250,000 people."
*The Coliseum
Over 160 ft high with eighty entrances, the Coliseum could hold upwards of 50,000 spectators. Public events such as gladiator fights, mock naval battles and wild animal hunts were held at the Coliseum. During the staged fights as many as 10,000 people were killed. Fighters were slaves, prisoners or volunteers. Spectators saw persecuted Christians killed by lions. After 404 AD gladiatorial battles were no longer held, but animals such as lions, elephants, snakes and panthers continued to be massacred in the
name of sport until the 6th century.
Tour
*Greco-Roman civilizationA blend Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman achievements
Aqueducts and Roads
Many used after Rome fell and some even today
Science
*Ptolemy proposed the earth centered universe which lasted for 1400 years
*It was Galen who first introduced the notion of experimentation to medicine.
On the Natural Faculties remained the authority on medicine until the sixteenth century
Rome’s greatest legacy“The rule of law”
A principle that continues to shape western civilization today
*Common principles
• Equal before the law
• Presumed innocent
• Face accuser and defend
• Guilt through evidence
• Fair decisions
The Rise of Christianity
Romans conquered Palestine in 63 BC
*Jews were tolerated and excused from worshiping roman gods
Jews absorbed Greek influence creating rifts in the religion
Jesus, the founder of Christianity
Called himself the Son of God
Said his mission was to bring spiritual salvation and eternal life to anyone who would believe in him.
Our history comes from the Gospels.
• Written by four of his followers
Was Jesus Dangerous?
*Jewish priests considered Jesus dangerous to their leadership
*Romans considered Jesus a revolutionary
He was tried and crucified
They became jealous of the great crowds that followed Him and believed in Him, and finally decided to get rid of Him by having Him killed.
Spread of Christianity
Jesus talked to his disciples telling them to spread his word
Those who spread his message are know as Apostles
Paul from Asia Minor
*Christians were persecuted and became Martyrs
Greek ideas from Plato and the Stoics moderated the Christian church which many Romans liked
Christianity the official of the Roman Empire
Theodosius the Great
346-395
*After the empire fell, The Church preserved,
adapted and spread Greco-Roman
civilization
Reforming emperors tried to reverse the decline
*Diocletian in 284• Divided the empire
into two parts• Fixed prices
*Constantine in 312• Granted toleration to
Christians• Built a new capital in
Constantinople
Foreign Invasions
*Christian Romans saw the Huns as the very Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Pushed the Germans (Visigoth) into Roman territory
In 410 the Visigoth general Alaric plundered Rome
*Internal problems combine with foreign invasion to bring
about the “fall” of Rome
*Causes for Rome’s downfall• Military causes
– German invasions– Lack of discipline among
the empire’s soldiers
• Political causes– Authoritarian and corrupt
government – Division of the empire
• Economic causes– Heavy taxation– Diminishing wealth– Reliance on slave labor– Population decline
• Social causes– A decline in moral values– A devotion to luxury and
self-interest among the upper classes
– A loss of self-reliance among the masses
Summarize your notes