ANCIENT ROME and THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

CHAPTER 6 ANCIENT ROME and THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY 509 B.C. – A.D. 476 Section 1: The Roman World Takes Shape   Rome  Began as a small city-state in Italy Geography  Peninsula centrally located in the Mediterranean  Rome center of Italy  Much easier to unify than Greece.  Mountains less rugged  Broad, fertile plains Peoples  Latins Roman ancestors  Settled along the Tiber River  Herded and farmed  Grew into Rome, “city on seven hills”  Shared peninsula with Greeks and Etruscans Etruscans      Ruled much of central Italy, including Rome itself. Provided the alphabet to the Romans (acquired from the Greeks). Provided the arch in building Adapted engineering techniques to drain the marshy lands along the Tiber Etruscan gods and goddesses merged with Roman deities. The Roman Republic 509 B.C. Romans drove out the Etruscans  Date marks the founding of the Roman state  Republic a government in which some officials were chosen by the people  “Thing of the people”  Keep an individual from gaining too much power  The Government Takes Shape  Senate  Most powerful governing body  Patricians  senate members  Landholding upper class  Served for life  Made the laws Senators, cont’d  Consuls  Supervise the business of government and command the armies  Elected from the patrician class  Could serve only one term  Expected to consult with the senate  Provided a system of checks on the power of government  Dictator  Chosen by senate in the event of war  Granted complete control over a government  Power to rule for 6 months Cincinnatus Cincinnatus, cont’d  16 days  Organized an army  Led to Romans to victory  Attended victory celebrations  Returned to his farmland  Plebians Demand Equality Plebians  Farmers, merchants, artisans, and traders  Bulk of the population; had little influence  Government had the Roman laws inscribed on 12 tablets and set up in the Forum, or marketplace.  Laws of the Twelve Tables  Made it possible for plebians to appeal a judgment handed down by a patrician judge.  Tribunes plebian elected officials to protect their interests Roman Society Male the head of the household  Wife, subject to his authority; not allowed to administer her own affairs  In later Roman times, women from all classes ran businesses.  Girls and boys learned to read and write  Jupiter Roman god who ruled over the sky and all the other gods.  Expansion in Italy 270 B.C. Rome controlled most of the Italian peninsula  Legion basic military unit made of about 5,000 men  Roman armies  Consisted of citizen-soldiers who fought without pay and supplied their own weapons.  Conquered Lands People had to acknowledge Roman leadership  Pay taxes  Supply soldiers for the Roman army  Rome let them keep their own customs, money and local government  Some gained full citizenship  Protection and Unification Posted soldiers throughout the land  Built a network of all-weather military roads to link distant territories to Rome  Local peoples incorporated Latin into their languages and adopted many Roman customs and beliefs.  Section 2: From Republic to Empire  Carthage  City-state on the northern coast of Africa  Settled by North Africans and Phoenician traders  Ruled over an empire that stretched across North Africa and the western Mediterranean Wars with Carthage   First Punic War  Rome defeated Carthage and won Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia Second Punic War  Hannibal, Carthaginian general, led his army including dozens of war elephants, on an epic march across the Pyrenees, through France, and over the Alps into Italy.  Carthage gave up all its lands except those in Africa. Wars with Carthage, cont’d  Third Punic War  Rome completely destroyed Carthage.  Survivors killed or sold into slavery.  Romans poured salt over the earth so nothing would grow there again. Other Conquests     Imperialism  Establishing control over foreign lands and peoples Romans confronted the Hellenistic rulers who divided up the empire of Alexander the Great. Provinces  Lands under Roman rule 133 B.C. Roman power extended from Spain to Egypt. Social and Economic Effects    Conquests and control of busy trade routes brought incredible riches into Rome. Generals, officials, and traders amassed fortunes from loot, taxes, and commerce. Latifundia huge estates bought up by newly wealthy Roman citizens.  Forced people captured in war to work as slaves   Widespread use of slave labor hurt small farmers. Many farmers fell into debt and had to sell their land. Social and Economic Effects, cont’d Landless farmers flocked to Rome and other cities looking for jobs.  Gap between poor and rich widened  New wealth increased corruption  Attempts at Reform     Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus  Young patrician brothers  Among the first to attempt reform Tiberius, tribune, called on the state to distribute land to poor farmers Gaius, tribune 10 years later, sought a wider range of reforms  Use of public funds to buy grain to feed the poor Killed in waves of street violence set off by senators and their hired thugs. Decline of the Republic   Rome was plunged into a series of civil wars  Senate  Wanted to govern as it had in the past  Popular political leaders  Wanted to weaken the senate and enact reforms Turmoil sparked slave uprisings and revolts among Rome’s allies Julius Caesar’s Rise to Power      Ambitious military commander Completed the conquest of Gaul – now France “Veni, vidi, vici” Forced the senate to make him dictator Absolute ruler of Rome Caesar’s Reforms      Public works to employ the jobless Gave public land to the poor Reorganized the government of the provinces Granted Roman citizenship to more people Julian calendar Introduction of a new calendar based on Egyptian knowledge; still our calendar today (with minor changes). Assassination    Caesar’s enemies worried that he planned to make himself king of Rome Plotted against him to save the republic March 44 B.C. enemies stabbed him to death in the senate Civil Wars     Caesar’s death plunged Rome into a new round of civil wars Mark Antony Caesar’s chief general Octavian, Caesar’s grandnephew  Joined forces to track down the murderers  Quarreled, Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra Roman Empire and Roman Peace  Octavian received the title of Augustus, or “Exalted One”      Declared him princeps, or first citizen Exercised absolute power and named his successor Created an efficient well-trained civil service to enforce the laws High level jobs open to talented men, regardless of class Cemented the allegiance of cities and provinces to Rome by allowing them a large measure of selfgovernment. Augustus     Ordered a census, population count, to make the tax system fair Set up a postal service Issued new coins to make trade easier Jobless worked on building roads and temples and farmed the land Bad Emperors and Good Emperors  Caligula  Appointed his favorite horse as consul Viciously persecuted Christians and wan even blamed for setting a great fire that destroyed much of Rome Codified Roman law; built a wall across Britain to hold back attackers Philosopher-king; stoic philosophy and commitment to duty  Nero   Hadrian   Marcus Aurelius  The Pax Romana    “Roman Peace” 200 year span that began with Augustus and ended with Marcus Aurelius Roman rule brought peace, order, unity, and prosperity to lands stretching from the Euphrates River in the east to Britain in the west. Bread and Circuses      Circus Maximus Rome’s largest racecourse Chariot races Gladiator contests  Slaves trained to fight  Good fighter could win his freedom Government provided free grain to feed the poor Section 3: The Roman Achievement  Greco-Roman Civilization    Rome absorbed ideas from Greek colonists in southern Italy Blending of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman traditions produced Greco-Roman civilization. Trade and travel during Pax Romano helped spread. Literature, Philosophy and History     Aeneid  Written by Virgil after Augustus came to power; hoped to arouse patriotism and unite Rome Satirize, make fun of  Other poets, like Horace, used playful wit to attack human folly. Livy, historian, sought to rouse patriotic feeling and restore traditional Roman virtues by recalling images of Rome’s heroic past. Stoics stressed the importance of duty and acceptance of one’s fate; showed concern for the well-being of all people. Art and Architecture     sculptors stressed realism, and revealed an individual’s character Romans beautified their homes with works of art. Pompeii Mosaic picture made from chips of colored stone or glass Pantheon    Most famous domed structure Temple to all the Roman gods Still stands in Rome Technology and Science  Romans excelled in engineering  the application of science and mathematics to develop useful structures and machines.  Built bridges, roads, harbors, and aqueducts  Aqueducts bridge-like stone structures that brought water from the hills into Roman cities  Public baths  To wash themselves and to hear the latest news and exchange gossip Roman Law  Civil Law  System of law that applied to Roman citizens Applied to all people under Roman rule  Law of Nations      When Rome extended citizenship across the empire, the two systems merged. Accused allowed to face the accuser Presumed innocent until proven guilty Judges interpret the laws and make fair decisions Section 4: The Rise of Christianity   Mystery Religions  Cult of Isis  Offered women equal status with men  Mithras  Championed good over evil and offered life after death Rome tolerated the various religious traditions  As long as citizens showed loyalty to Roman gods and acknowledged the divine spirit of the emperor. Divisions in Judea  63 B.C. Romans conquered Judea, where most of the Jews of the time lived.  Romans excused Jews from worshipping Roman gods. Called on Jews to revolt against Rome and reestablish an independent state. Messiah, anointed king sent by God, would soon appear to lead to Jewish people to freedom.  Zealots   Jewish Revolt     A.D. 66 Roman forces crushed the rebels  Captured Jerusalem  Destroyed the Jewish temple Roman armies leveled Jerusalem Many Jews decided to leave Judea Jewish rabbis extended and preserved the religious law as set forth in the Talmud Jesus and His Message   Founder of Christianity Gospels   First four books of the New Testament Matthew, Mark, Luke and John    Born about 4 B.C. in Bethlehem Worshipped God and followed Jewish law Apostles, “a person sent forth”  Twelve close followers  Roman authorities a revolutionary who might lead the Jews in a rebellion against Roman rule. Spread of Christianity  Paul       Jew from Asia Minor Had never seen Jesus Had a vision in which Jesus spoke to him Spread the teachings of Jesus to gentiles, nonJews Journeyed around the Mediterranean and set up churches from Mesopotamia to Rome. His letters explained difficult doctrines, judged disputes, and expanded Christian teachings  Apart of the new Testament Persecution     Rome did not tolerate Christianity Christians refused to make sacrifices to the emperor or to honor the Roman gods. Roman rulers used Christians as scapegoats, blaming them for social or economic ills. Thousands of Christians became martyrs, people who suffer or die for their beliefs. Reasons for Christianity’s Appeal       Found comfort in Jesus’ message of love Welcomed all people Equality, human dignity, and the promise of a better life Incorporated the discipline and moderation of Greek philosophy Christian documents written in Greek or Latin, languages that many people understood Impressed by the strength of Christians’ belief. Triumph  Persecution ended with the Edict of Milan  Emperor Constantine  Granted freedom of worship to all citizens of the Roman empire The Early Christian Church      A person fully joined the Christian community by renouncing evil in the rite of baptism. Through baptism sins were forgiven by the grace of God Members of the community are equals Gather each Sunday as a thanksgiving to God Eucharist  Sacred meal in which baptized ate bread and drank wine Structure of the Church     Each Christian community had its own priest Only men allowed to be members of the clergy Bishop church official responsible for all Christians in a diocese district or region under the care of a bishop. Patriarch highest church official in a major city. Divisions in the Church   Bishops in Rome popes; began to claim greater authority over all other bishops.  Greek-speaking east patriarchs felt that the five patriarchs should share spiritual authority as equals. Heresies beliefs said to be contrary to official Church teachings.  Church leaders met to decide official Christian teachings.  Sent out missionaries to convert people to Christianity Theology and Scholarship   Theology talk or discourse about God. Clement and Origen     Leading scholars of the early Christian Church Lived and worked as teachers in Alexandria Both wrote in Greek Could reach a deeper understanding through reflection Bishop of Hippo in North Africa Wrote The City of God  Augustine   Section 5: The Long Decline  180     Marcus Aurelius dies  Pax Romana ends Disruptive political pattern emerges 50 year period, 26 emperors reigned High taxes Poor farmers left their land to work for wealthy landowners  Emperor Diocletian        284 A.D. Set out to restore order Divided the empire into two parts Kept control of the wealthier eastern part himself Appointed a co-emperor to rule the western provinces Retained absolute power Fixed prices for goods and services to slow inflation Emperor Constantine    312 A.D. Granted toleration to Christians Built a new capital, Constantinople  Made the east portion of the empire the center of the power Foreign Invasions  Huns    Nomadic people, migrating across Central Asia Dislodge Germanic peoples in their path Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and others crossed into Roman territory seeking safety   Roman legions were hard pressed to halt invading peoples Surrendered Britain, France and Spain Rome Defeated  410  Visigoth general Alaric overran Italy and plundered Rome Attila, Hun leader “scourge of God” Embarked on a savage campaign of conquest across much of Europe Odoacer ousted the emperor in Rome  434     476 “fall of Rome”  Causes of the Fall of Rome   Military Causes  Roman legions lacked the discipline and training of past Roman armies.  Use of mercenaries foreign soldiers serving for pay Political Causes  Government became more oppressive and authoritarian lost support of the people  Corrupt officials  Frequent civil wars  Dividing the empire Causes of the Fall of Rome  Economic Causes      Heavy taxes Reliance on slave labor discouraged Romans from exploring new technology Farmers abandoned their land Middle classes sank into poverty War and epidemic diseases swept the empire Decline of patriotism Upper classes devoted to luxury and self-interest  Social Causes  