Chapter 6 - World History

Rome & ChristianityRome & Christianity

Chapter 6

The Roman RepublicThe Roman Republic

•Myth of Rome–Founded by Romulus and

Remus•Twins abandoned and raised by she-wolf

http://www.sbceo.k12.ca.us/~vms/carlton/Rome_Reading_1.html


•Benefits of location–Hills–River–Peninsula–Alps


•Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans–Alphabet and

arch


•After being taken over and ruled by a number of Etruscan kings, the people of Rome wanted new government–Republic: power rests with the

citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders


•Social classes–Patricians:

wealthy landowners with most power

–Plebeians: commoners who made up majority of population


Patricians• Inherited status• Make laws• Forced to write

the Twelve Tables– All free citizens

have right to protection of law

Plebeians• Right to vote• Couldn’t hold

government positions

• Tribunes: assemblies of plebeian representatives


•By the 1st century B.C.


•Two consuls– Like kings–Ran military–One-year term–Can veto each other


•Senate–Originally

only had patricians

–Made foreign and domestic policies


•Tribunes & Assemblies–Mostly

plebeians–Made laws

for the common people


•Dictator– In times of

crisis– In power

for only 6 months


•Roman army–Responsible for much of

Rome’s success•All landowners must serve•Highly organized:

– Legions: largest military unit


•Page 157–With a partner, answer

questions #1 and 2 that go with the chart “Comparing Republican Governments”


•By 265 B.C. Rome had conquered most of Italy– Latins became full citizens–Conquered people had all rights of

citizens except the vote

•Why do you think the Romans gave full citizens to conquered people living close to Rome?


• Rome’s only enemy was Carthage (pg. 159)– Punic Wars (264-

146 B.C.):•Rome vs. Carthage•Hannibal: famous

general of Carthage led a massive attack through Spain to Italian peninsula

•Finally defeated Carthage under General Scipio

The Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire

• What are the benefits of having a What are the benefits of having a single ruler in power?single ruler in power?

• What are the drawbacks?What are the drawbacks?


• Problems in Roman Republic:Problems in Roman Republic:1. Rich/poor gap widened

– Poor totaled over half of population

2. Murders of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus– As tribunes, attempted to give more land to

the poor– Civil war began

3. Power-hungry military leaders– Recruited the poor by promising land

» Soldiers now felt allegiance to generals, not the republic


• One military leader One military leader takes controltakes control

– Julius Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey• Triumvirate: group of three

rulers• Won men’s loyalty because

he also fought in war• Served one year as consul,

then governor of Gaul


• Becoming dictatorBecoming dictator– Success in Gaul gains Success in Gaul gains

popular supportpopular support• Pompey feared Caesar was

power-hungry, ordered him to disband his army

• Marched to Rome and the senate declared him “dictator for life”


• Good absolutism?Good absolutism?– Had total power, but used it

to make reforms• Citizenship granted to

provinces• Expanded senate• Created jobs• Increased soldiers’ pay• Created regions where poor

could own property


• Many feared Many feared Caesar’s power and Caesar’s power and popularitypopularity

– Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius plotted to kill him at the Senate


• Second Triumvirate:Second Triumvirate:– Lepidus, Octavian, Marc

Antony• Octavian forced Lepidus to

retire and defeated Marc Antony/Cleopatra’s forces– Declared “Augustus”: exalted

one

• Pax Romana: 200-year period of peace1. Stable government

• Paid civil service

2. Stable economy• Agriculture- 90% of ppl worked in farming• Denarius- same coin throughout empire• Extensive network of roads


• Roman values• Gravitas: Strength, loyalty, usefulness, power,

and discipline


Assignment• Sections 3-4 worksheet

• Extra Credit (10 pts):– Re-read pages 164-165 and read 166-167– Write a short story (one page) set in Rome. Choose a

character and a problem.• A person may be unable to afford the luxuries required for a

business banquet• A charioteer may need to win an important race• A poor child gets lost coming home from the Coliseum• A family is separated when Vesuvius erupts

ChristianityChristianity

Development, Teaching, and Spread of the

Religion

Rise of Christianity

• This religion grew out of Jewish traditions.– Jewish prophets predicted that a messiah, or

one anointed by Yahweh, would be sent to deliver the Jews from foreign rule

• Jesus, founder of Christianity


• Gospels: written by the followers of Jesus, tell about the life of Jesus


• Roman officials worried about Jesus’ popularity– They considered him to be a rebel

• Jesus was sentenced to die by crucifixion

Teachings of Jesus

• Monotheism– Believed in the Jewish God and the Ten

Commandments

• Placed less emphasis on law– More emphasis on compassion, forgiveness,

and equality of all people

• Taught with parables: short stories with simple moral lessons

Teachings of Jesus

• Bible: the holy book of Christianity– Includes all prophets of Torah and most

books of the Torah– Adds the New Testament, which includes the

Gospels and other books by Jesus’ followers

• Compared with Judaism, Christianity spread over far distances in a very short time

• This was due to a few factors:– Judaism is mostly an ethnic religion– Missionaries and martyrs– Appeal of Christianity

Spread of Christianity


• Followers of Jesus were called “Christians”– Christ= Savior= messiah

• Missionaries were able to spread Jesus’ teachings by taking advantage of a peaceful time in the Roman empire, and also good roads were available

• Eventually, enough people were involved in Christianity that the Roman empire began to respond

• Christians were persecuted for not believing in the Roman gods

• Many Christians became martyrs: people who suffer or die for their beliefs


• Widespread persecution continued until 313 AD– Emperor Constantine ended persecution of

Christians with an Edict of

tolerance– He converted on his deathbed


ASSIGNMENT

• In-class:– Emperor’s Edict

• Homework:– Sections 4 and 5 worksheets

• How have people responded to difficult economic times and political uncertainty?

• Panic• Pessimism• Anxiety• Anger/blame

Fall of the Roman EmpireFall of the Roman Empire

• 180 AD is the end to Pax Romana– Economic problems:

1. Reached limit of expansion, lacked new resources

2. Raised taxes

3. Inflation: drop in value of money and rise in prices

4. Low harvests• Overworked soil• Warfare destroyed land


• 180 AD is the end to Pax Romana

– Military and Political Problems:

1. Roman soldiers lost allegiance to Rome

2. Mercenaries: foreign soldiers who fought for money

3. People were less patriotic


• Severely limited personal freedoms

• Doubled size of Roman army

• Set fixed prices on goods to control inflation

• Claimed descent from Roman gods

• Split the empire in two– Greek East– Latin West


Emperor Diocletian’s reforms:

• Emperor Constantine’s Reforms– Re-united East and West– Moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium

• Why this city? (pg. 175)• Renamed Constantinople• Shifted power of empire to East


• Fall of the West– Germanic invasions

• Attila the Hun• “barbarians” sacked Rome in 410 and 476 AD

– Romulus Augustulus was the last emperor of Rome


• East becomes the Byzantine Empire


Chapter 6 - World History

Education

Transcript of Chapter 6 - World History