Download Chapter 11: Rome and Christianity

Chapter 11: Rome and
Christianity
Mr. Davis
Social Studies 7
Spring 2016
Section 1
FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
Disorder in the Republic
• By the year 70 BC, Rome was a dangerous place.
• Political leaders and generals went to war for
power.
• There were riots to try to restore order to the
tribunes (the leaders of the assemblies who were
common people).
• During all of this chaos, more and more people
were moving in to Rome from other places.
Cicero
• Cicero was a philosopher
and a gifted speaker.
• He wanted the rich people
to work together to make
Rome a better place.
• He thought it was a good
idea to limit the power of
the generals.
• He wanted Romans to give
more support to the Senate
and to bring the system of
checks and balances back
to the government.
Cicero and Caesar
• Even though Cicero called on changing the
government, it did not change. Many Romans
did not agree with him. Generals still
continued to fight for power. The most
powerful of these generals was Julius Caesar.
Caesar’s Rise to Power
• Caesar was a great general.
• Romans admired him for his skill
and his bravery in battle.
• His soldiers respected him for
treating them well.
• Between 58 and 50 BC, he
conquered nearly all of Gaul (the
land that is now France).
• Because of his success, he became
an important person in Roman
politics.
Caesar’s Rise to Power
• He was an excellent
speaker.
• He won over many
supporters by speaking in
the Forum.
• Caesar also had many
powerful friends.
• Among these friends were
Pompey and Crassus.
• Together, Caesar, Pompey,
and Crassus, ruled Rome.
Challenges to Caesar
• Caesar’s partnership with Pompey and Crassus
lasted about 10 years. (THE FIRST
TRIUMVIRATE)
• His conquests made his friends jealous of him.
• In 50 BC, Pompey’s friends in the Senate
ordered Caesar to give up his armies because
they wanted Pompey to be ruler.
Challenges to Caesar
• Caesar didn’t like to be told to give
up his armies.
• Instead, he led his armies out of
Gaul back to Rome.
• Once they crossed the Rubicon
River into Italy, there was no going
back.
• When Pompey heard Caesar’s
army was coming, they fled Italy.
They didn’t think they had enough
troops to stay and fight.
• Caesar’s army chased Pompey and
his men out of Italy. In 48 BC,
Pompey was killed by order of an
Egyptian king.
Caesar Names Himself Dictator For LIFE
• Even though Caesar worked hard to improve life
in Rome, many people were still angry for the
way he came into power.
• The Senators were especially angry with Caesar
for taking away much of their powers. On March
15, 44 BC, a group of senators attacked Caesar on
the floor of the Senate and stabbed him to death.
This is called “The Ides of March.” (Et Tu, Brute?)
Marc Antony and Octavian Caesar
• The first thing these men wanted
to do was punish the men who
killed Caesar.
• The men that killed Caesar
thought they would be viewed as
heroes. It was just the opposite!
They ran for their lives from Rome.
• Riots broke out in the city because
many people liked Caesar and
were angry he was killed.
• Antony made a speech at Caesar’s
funeral and Octavian sent his
armies after the killers. They met
at Philippi in 42 BC and the killers
were quickly defeated.
Octavian Becomes Emperor
• After Philippi, Octavian
returned to Italy.
• Marc Antony went off to the
east to fight more enemies. He
married Octavian’s sister,
Octavia. But that marriage
only lasted 8 years before he
divorced her and married
Cleopatra of Egypt.
• When Marc Antony divorced
Octavia, Octavian viewed this
as an insult to their family.
• This led to a civil war in Rome.
The “Antony-Octavian” Civil War
• 31 BC  Octavian sends a fleet to attack Marc Antony.
• Antony’s army meets them west of Greece. This was
called THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM.
• Antony’s army was defeated, but he fled back to Egypt
to be with Cleopatra.
• Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide because
they didn’t want to be captured by Octavian.
• Marc Antony and Cleopatra’s death made OCTAVIAN
the sole ruler of the Roman Empire.
Octavian Becomes Augustus
• By 27 BC, Octavian had
absolute power over all
of Rome. It was then the
Senate named him
“Augustus” which means
“revered one”
(“respected one”). Many
historians believe this
was the true end of the
Republic and the
beginning of the Empire.
Rome’s Growing Empire
• Roman emperors wanted to control hostile
neighbors, or gain control of gold, farmland,
or other resources
• They conquered Gaul, central Europe, Britain,
Asia Minor, east Mediterranean, north Africa
• Expansion promoted trade, which was
important because people needed raw
materials not found in Italy.
Rome’s Growing Empire
• Romans used CURRENCY (money) to pay for
their trade goods. Nearly everyone accepted
Roman coins.
• The first 200 years of the Empire were a time
of peace and prosperity known as the PAX
ROMANA.
• During the Pax Romana, population grew,
trade and wealth increased, and quality of life
for people improved.
Roman Art
• GRECO-ROMAN art = Roman
art with Greek influence
• Realistic statues
• Wealthy Romans had murals
and mosaics
• FRESCO – a threedimensional mural
• Romans funded the arts—
spent lots of money to create
works
Roman Art
• Roman art influences
RENAISSANCE painters many
years later (Michelangelo,
for example)
• Statues and art in
Washington, DC have Roman
influence
• Romans brought a sense of
luxury to everyday items.
Roman Architecture
• Arches, vaults, and
domes
• Widespread use of
concrete—able to build
much larger than
anyone else had before
• Invented the stadium
(Colosseum)
• Influence seen today in
Washington, DC
Roman Engineering
• World’s greatest builders of roads, bridges,
and aqueducts
• 53,000 miles of road
• Aqueducts transported water into Rome for
baths and fountains
Language
• LATIN – the language of Rome
• It is a dead language, but many of our words
come from it
• “Romance” languages = Italian, Spanish,
French… heavily rooted in Latin
• Julian calendar (“July” and “August” are from
the Caesars)
Language
• English words start with Latin prefixes (pre-,
re-, trans-…)
• Many root words come from Latin as well
• Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, X, XX, L, C, D,
M)
Philosophy
• STOICISM = belief that godly
intelligence rules all nature.
• To “live rightly” meant to live
in a way that agreed with
nature
• Have good character
(integrity), self-control,
courage
• Marcus Aurelius – famous
stoic Roman emperor
Law and Justice
• Law covered marriages, inheritances,
contracts between people… etc.
• Romans believed there was a universal law of
justice that came from nature
• By this law, every person had rights
• Even still, laws were not fair based on status.
Science & Engineering (Health &
Medicine)
• Doctors studied works of the Greeks
• GALEN = a surgeon who lived in the 100s AD
• Studied the body, valves of the heart, arteries,
and veins.
Literature
• VIRGIL = wrote the Aeneid
• OVID = wrote poems about Roman mythology
• Romans wrote histories, dramas, and
speeches still enjoyed today.
Section 2
THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND
RELIGION
Religious Tolerance and Conflict
• Romans were very religious. They held many
festivals to honor many gods, but did not
impose (force) beliefs on others.
Freedom of Worship
• Romans allowed conquered people to keep their
own religious customs.
• Influences from Greeks and Egyptians… temples
were built to many of these “outsider” gods.
• Romans prayed to many gods because they didn’t
know which gods existed and which ones didn’t
• Romans would ban a religion if the leaders viewed it
as a political problem.
Clash with the Jews
• Unlike many Romans, Jews worship one god.
MONOTHEISM
• Jews lived in Judea, which was conquered by
the Romans
• They resented Roman rule and rebelled
throughout the 1st Century AD… Rome defeats
the Jews every time.
Clash with the Jews
• By the year 100, Romans
treated Jews harshly
• Jews were taxed heavily, and
some rituals were banned.
• Jews rebelled again in
response. Emperor Hadrian
sent his army to destroy
Jerusalem. The Jews were
forced out and the Romans
rebuilt a new city on top of
Jerusalem.
Christianity
• Christianity is based on
the life and teachings of
Jesus of Nazareth.
• At this time, Jews
followed the teachings
of Moses (The Ten
Commandments and
Covenant with God)
• This made daily Jewish
life VERY structured
Christianity
• According to prophecy, a “MESSIAH” (meaning
“anointed one”) would come as a descendant
of King David. This Messiah was chosen by
God to lead the Jewish people.
• With the Roman conquest of Judea, many
Jews were awaiting for this Messiah to come.
Jesus of Nazareth
• Arguably the most influential man in history.
• Historically, we know little about his life as a
man—what we do know is what is in the
Bible, the Christian holy book
• Two parts: Old Testament (time before Jesus),
and the New Testament (time after Jesus)
Birth of Jesus
• Born in a city called
Bethlehem
• His mother, Mary, was
married to a carpenter
named Joseph.
• Christians believe that God is
actually Jesus’ father—
Joseph was his “father on
Earth.”
Jesus’ life
• Grew up in Nazareth, studied
under his father Joseph to be a
carpenter, but also studied Jewish
teachings.
• By age 30, Jesus was traveling and
teaching about religion… much of
this makes up the New Testament
of the Bible
• Jesus was very charismatic—well
liked. He stirred up excitement
wherever he went.
Crucifixion
• Jesus’ teachings challenged the
authority of Roman leaders.
• Jesus was arrested by the
Romans around the year 30.
• He was put on trial by Pontius
Pilate and sentenced to
crucifixion—death by being
nailed to a cross.
• Crucifixion was a VERY
common Roman execution
method—especially among
political prisoners.
Resurrection
• According to Christian
beliefs, Jesus rose from the
dead three days after his
death. RESURRECTION
• Several of Jesus’ disciples
claim to have seen him after
his death.
• Christianity is rooted in the
belief that Jesus’ rise from
the dead must mean he is
the Messiah. “Christ” =
Messiah in Greek
The Teachings of Jesus
•
•
•
•
•
Two big things: Love God, Love other people
Be generous to the poor and the sick
The way you treat others shows how much you love God
Salvation: rescue of people from sin
It is hard to love money and material things and receive
salvation
• These are interpreted in many different ways. Over the years,
denominations of Christianity develop (Catholic, Baptist,
Methodist, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Presbyterian,
Pentecostal… etc.) The main idea of these is still centered on
Jesus’ life and teachings.
Spread of Jesus’ Teachings
• Jesus’ 12 APOSTLES
(followers) spread his
teachings by traveling
and writing.
• PAUL’s letters spread
Jesus’ teachings further
than any other apostle…
these letters are in the
New Testament of the
Bible
The Growth of Christianity
• Within 100 years after Jesus’ death, thousands
of Christians lived in the Roman Empire
• Some Roman officials arrested and killed
Christians for refusing to worship Roman gods
• Some leaders banned Christianity
• PERSECUTION = the punishment of people for
their beliefs
The Growth of Christianity
• Christians continued
to meet in secret
• 300s – Emperor
Constantine becomes
a Christian. He
removed all bans on
Christianity in the
Roman Empire.
Section 3
THE END OF THE EMPIRE
The Height of the Roman Empire
External Threats
• In the 200s, emperors had to give up some of
their lands—the empire was too large to
manage
• Attacks: Germanic tribes from the North,
Persians from the East
Internal Threats
• Roman farmers leave borderlands
• Germans come in to farm
• Outsiders moving in elect their own leaders
and ignored emperors
• Disease
• Government increased taxes for defense
Diocletian
• Became emperor in
the late 200s
• Decided the empire
was too big for one
person to rule
• Ruled the Eastern
empire, named a coemperor to rule the
West.
Constantine
• Ruled after Diocletian
• Moved the capital to
a city in the east
named
Constantinople
• Rome was no longer
considered the
center of power
Decline of Rome
• HUNS = fierce warriors from Central Asia.
Defeated the Goths (neighboring people of
the Roman Empire)
Decline of Rome
• GOTHS = fled the Huns
into Roman territory,
battled Roman armies
and pushed farther
into the Empire
• 410: The Visigoths
attack Rome. First
attack on the city in
800 years.
Other Attackers on Rome
•
•
•
•
•
Vandals
Angles
Saxons
Jutes
Franks
Attila The Hun
• Fierce ruler from
Mongolia (in the Far
East) that led brutal
attacks across the
known world
• Vicious military
tactics led him to
attack Rome around
the late 300s
The End of the Empire
• Military leaders take
over power from the
emperors by 450.
• 476 – Official end of
the Roman Empire;
foreign military
leaders overthrow
the last emperor
Factors of Rome’s Fall
•
•
•
•
Empire was too large to control
Difficult to communicate
Corruption: the decay of people’s values
Wealthy citizens flee to estates and build up
armies
• Population decreased
• Schools closed
• Taxes & Prices soared
Growth of the Eastern Empire
• Justinian – ruled 527-565
• Reuniting the Old Empire was
his passion
• Developed Justinian’s Code:
removed outdated, nonChristian laws
• Supported by his wife,
Theodora
• The empire shrunk after his
death
• By 1453 (900 years after his
death!) His lands became
known as the Ottoman Empire
Byzantines
• The Byzantines created an
Eastern society that deviated
(strayed) from Rome
• People spoke Greek, not Latin
• Importance of Christianity is
reflected in the art and
architecture of the area.
• Christianity practiced different
in this area than in the west
• 1000s = Orthodox Church
created, dividing Christian
practices in the east and west