Download Christianity and the Roman Empire

Christianity
and the
Roman Empire
The Rome of Caesar Augustus
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Octavian consolidated his
power by giving it all back
to the Senate.
In return, he asked for
exclusive control over
Spain, Gaul, and Syria
These provinces held most
of the Roman Legions
Therefore, Augustus
controlled the Roman
Military
Also ruled Egypt as his own
private possession
63 BC – AD 14
Political Reforms
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Augustus took the office of
tribune for himself, even
though he was a patrician
(and, therefore, ineligible)
Remember: tribunes
represented the political needs
of the plebeians
This enabled Octavian to
consolidate all political
power to himself.
Augustus became both Consul
and Tribune!
The People and Senate,
however, did not mind.
Pax Romana
After brutal civil wars,
Octavian’s policies brought
much needed peace and
prosperity (“Pax Romana”)
Roman civilization flourished:
1. safe and efficient travel
and communication over
vast distances (Roman
Roads)
2. the spread of
Christianity was
facilitated by these
peaceful conditions
 During the Pax Romana,
the empire enjoyed 200
years of peace.
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Via Appia
Cultural Impact of the Romans
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2.
3.
Greeks excelled in literary
expressions (philosophy and
the arts)
Romans excelled in practical
disciplines: organization,
administration, government,
law.
A well organized empire of
Laws and Legions
The literature of the Golden
Age (30 BC – AD 18):
Virgil’s Aeneid
Horace’s satires
Livy’s Roman History
Aeneas flees Troy
Empire: East and West
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West
Deeply influenced by
Latin culture, especially:
North Africa, England,
Gaul, Iberia, Helvetia,
and Germanic lands.
Latin was the root
language in the West
Latin was dominant in
North Africa, long before
Arabic under the
Mohammedans.
East
 Much older, with more
deeply rooted traditions
 Both Greek and Latin
were used.
 Roman administrative
and civil laws respected,
but Greek culture tended
to dominate
Roman Morality
Morality: the science of
human acts (good and
evil)
 Under Augustus, Roman
law supported good
public moral conduct.
 Laws protecting the
family
 Roman Family was the
heart and soul of the
Empire
 Morality will see a terrible
decline towards the end.
In the fullness of
time…
The Roman Martyrology
The 25th day of December
 In the 5,199th year of the creation of
the world, from the time when God in
the beginning created the heavens
and the earth;
 the 2,957th year after the flood;
 the 2,015th year from the birth of
Abraham;
 the 1,510th year from Moses and the
going forth of the people of Israel
from Egypt;
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Cont.
the 1,032nd year from David's being
anointed king;
 in the 65th week according to the
prophecy of Daniel;
 in the 194th Olympiad;
 the 752nd year from the foundation of the
city of Rome;
 the 42nd year of the reign of Octavian
Augustus;
 the whole world being at peace, in the
sixth age of the world,
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Jesus Christ the eternal God
and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world
by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy
Ghost,
and nine months having
passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of
Judea of the Virgin Mary,
being made flesh.
The Nativity of our Lord
Jesus Christ according to
the flesh.
The Roman
Emperors
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
1. Augustus: 27 BC – AD 14
- died of natural causes
2. Tiberius: 14 – 37
- Died of old age, possibly assassination
3. Caligula: 37 – 41
- Assassinated in conspiracy by Senate and Praetorian
Guard
4. Claudius: 41 – 54
- Poisoned by his wife Agrippina the Younger
5. Nero: 54 – 68
- Committed suicide after being declared a public
enemy by the Senate.
- First persecutor of the Catholic Church
The Year of the Four Emperors
and the Flavian Dynasty
6. Galba: June 68 – January 69
- Murdered by the Praetorian Guard
7. Otho: January 69 – April 69
- Committed suicide after losing the Battle at
Bedriacum to Vitellius
8. Vitellius: April 69 – December 69
- Murdered by Vespasian’s troops
9. Vespasian: July 69 – 79
- Died of natural causes
10. Titus: 79 – 81
- Died of natural causes (plague)
11. Domitian: 81 – 96
- Assassinated by court officials
Nervan-Antonian Dynasty
12. Nerva: 96 – 98
13. Trajan: 98 – 117
14. Hadrian: 117 – 138
15. Antoninus Pius: 138 – 161
16. Lucius Verus: 161 – 169
- Natural causes (plague)
17. Marcus Aurelius: 161 – 180
18. Commodus: 177 – 192
- Assassinated at his palace (strangled to
death)
Persecution
and
Martyrdom
First Persecutors
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Jews
After the Ascension of the
Lord, the Apostles had the
mission of the salvation of
souls.
The High Priest, Sanhedrin,
and Pharisees violently
opposed the work of the
Apostles.
St. James was the first
Apostle to be martyred.
St. Stephen the Deacon was
the first martyr.
St. Paul was a vicious
Pharisee persecutor who was
miraculously converted
Roman Proscription
The Emperor Nero (no. 5)
was the first to persecute the
Church.
 He wanted to rebuild Rome,
so he caused a fire which
burned a large portion of the
city
 Much property damage and
deaths of civilians.
 The Senate suspected Nero,
but deflected the issue by
blaming it on a growing
Jewish sect known as
“Christians.”
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Nero was seen playing
his fiddle while Rome
burned
Christiani Non Sint!
Nero declared Christianity
illegal and subject to:
1. Arrest
2. Imprisonment
3. Confiscation of property
4. Death
 Tacitus says that Nero
was unable to procure
any real evidence
against Christians, so he
charged them “hating
the human race”
St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna
The Martyrs of Rome
AD 64: The Christians were first taken
across the Tiber to an arena on the
Vatican Hill called Nero’s Circus.
* Also killed at the Circus Maximus
The Catholics were:
1. Crucified
2. Hunted and killed by wild beasts
3. Burned alive
 St. Peter was crucified on Vatican
Hill
 St. Paul was beheaded on the
Appian Way
 They were both martyred on the
same day.
Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus - today
The Emperor Domitian: “Lord and
God”
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Titus Flavius
Domitianus
(murdered 18
Sept)
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Domitian (81-96): good relationship
with the military; relationship with the
Senate was not so good.
He always referred to himself as:
Dominus et Deus.
Wanted to stop the spread of Christianity
from the lower classes to the patricians.
Many in his own family!
Levied a special tax for Christians and
Jews to build a temple to Jupiter.
Murdered his cousin, Flavius Clemens, a
Catholic, who served as Consul of
Rome.
Pope St. Clement I mentions this
persecution (also martyred)
“The Five Good
Emperors”
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2.
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5.
Nerva (96-98)
Trajan (98-117)
Hadrian (117-138)
Antoninus Pius (138-160)
Marcus Aurelius (160-180)
Intro
They were considered “good” because
they enjoyed the support of the Military,
the Senate, and the People (like
Octavian).
 They were not necessarily supportive of
Christianity, but not fanatical like Nero,
either.
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Trajan (53-117)
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His 25 year reign is considered
the most excellent in the history
of the empire.
Humane treatment of abandoned
children and the poor.
Military conquests of Dacia
(Armenia) and Parthia (Iraq)
Took the title of Optimus (the
best).
The Senate used as a blessing:
“May you be even luckier than
Augustus and even better than
Trajan.”
Trajan’s Rescript (AD 112)
Trajan took an enlightened and
balanced approach to the Christian
situation.
At the request of Pliny the Younger
(61-112), Trajan decreed that:
1. If a Christian renounced his faith
and offered sacrifice to the gods,
he would be allowed to live;
2. Anonymous denunciations would
not be allowed;
3. If one publicly admitted to being a
Christian, he is to be put to death;
 Under Trajan, it was either death
or apostasy.
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Hadrian (117-138)
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Adopted by Trajan
after his father’s death.
Was a self-professed
Hellenist (lover of Greek
culture)
Interested in science, art,
philosophy.
Planned to turn Jerusalem into
a Roman colony called Aelia
Capitolina.
The Jews revolted under their
leader Bar Kokhba in 132.
Jews were suppressed in 135
and forbidden to enter
Jerusalem.
Hadrian’s Rescript (123/124)
Serenus Granianus (Proconsul
of Asia) asked Hadrian about
the often violent mobs intent
on murdering Christians.
In answer, Hadrian decreed that:
1. Christians could only be
prosecuted for breaking the
common laws of Rome, not
just for being simply Christian.
2. If an accuser made a false
accusation, then the accuser
was to be punished.
 Under Hadrian, Christians were
respected as citizens.
Hadrian’s Villa
- Tivoli
Hadrian’s Wall
The Philosopher-King
Marcus Aurelius (121-180),
adopted son of Hadrian.
 Greek Philosophy was the focus of
his life, particularly Stoicism.
 Wrote the Meditations.
With respect to Christianity, he followed
Trajan rather than Hadrian:
1. Reinstated anonymous
denunciations;
2. Killed Christians if it suited him;
3. Allowed mobs to kill Christians at
will;
 Under Marcus Aurelius, the northern
borders of the Empire were being
pestered by Germans.
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Later Persecutions
and the
Edict of Milan
Towards the End
Septimus Severus (193-211): decreed
in 202 that Baptism was forbidden.
 After Septimus, Christians enjoyed roughly
50 years of peace.
 Christians could even own private property
and build churches!
 Troubles returned with a severe
destabilization in the Empire.
 From 238-284, there were 18 legitimate
emperors, and many others who were
pretenders. Many met violent ends.
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Decius (249-251)
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Imperial troubles from both
the military and Germanic
barbarians in the eastern
frontier.
By this time, one third of the
empire had converted to
Christianity.
Inaugurated the first empirewide persecution. Wanted to
exterminate Christianity
forever.
Wanted the Empire to return to
the purity of the old pagan
cults.
Gaius Messius
Quintus Decius
The Edict of Decius
Law of Extermination.
 Anyone suspected of being a
Christian had to present himself
before a local magistrate.
Sacrificanti: offered sacrifice to
the gods of Rome.
Thurificati: offered incense to
the gods.
 Certificates were issued
verifying your allegiance to the
gods of Rome.
Libellatici: Christians who
purchased these certificates.
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Mass Apostasy
Apostasy: the public renunciation
of the Catholic Faith.
 Decius’ persecution resulted in
countless defections of the Faith
(lapsi)
 The Church was divided on how
to treat these “traitors”
 Novatian, a Roman priest, said
that apostates could never be
re-admitted into the Church.
 The Popes finally decreed that
they could, after many years of
penance.
Certificate of
Sacrifice
The Beginning of
the End
Diocletian (244-311)
Gaius Aurelius Valerius
Diocletianus born in Dalmatia
(modern-day Croatia)
284: Became emperor when
Numerian was assassinated.
 Greatly desired to unite the Empire
(like Decius and Valerian)
 First 10 years spent fighting the
German and Persian frontiers.
 This preoccupation left the
Catholic Church alone.
 Eusebius (Church historian)
praised Diocletian’s goodness
towards Christians.
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Tetrarchy (“Rule of 4”)
The Tetrarchy (AD 293)
St. Sebastian before
Diocletian and
Maximian
Diocletian divided the Empire into
4 administrative districts, with
2 co-emperors: Diocletian and
Maximian.
 Each district had a “Caesar”
(regional ruler): Galerius and
Constantius.
East
1. Diocletian: ruled Trace, Egypt,
Asia Minor
2. Galerius: along the Danube
West
1. Maximian: Italy and Africa
2. Constantius: Gaul
Imperial Changes
None of the tetrarchs lived in Rome
 Rome begins to lose its prominent status as
the capital of the Empire
 Also weakened the power of the Senate.
 Diocletian divided the Roman provinces into
manageable units called “dioceses”.
 Size of the Roman Army increased.
 Fortified the borders of the Empire.
 After Diocletian abdicates in 305, the four
positions of power competed for absolute
supremacy.
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Diocletian: Anti-Christ
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Diocletian was tolerant at
first. Maximian and Galerius
were not.
Constantius’ wife was a
Christian, so Catholics were
quite safe in Gaul and
Britain.
Diocletian issued 4 Edicts
which resulted in the worst
persecution in the history of
the Roman Empire.
More Catholics died under
Diocletian’s reign than all
other persecutions together.
St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
The 4 Edicts
First
Fourth
 Ordered churches destroyed
 Demanded sacrifice from
and the burning of the
every Christian.
Scriptures.
 Resulted in the martyrdom
 Banned all Christian
of thousands who refused.
gatherings.
 Penalty: execution or
Constantine the Great would
enslavement.
later say:
=================== “If the Romans had slain
as many barbarians as
Second (only in East)
they had slaughtered
 Imprisonment of the clergy
Christians during the
(deacons, priests, bishops)
reign of Diocletian,
Third
there would be no more
barbarian threats to
 Demanded pagan sacrifice
the Empire.”
from the clergy.
The Church
Triumphs
Divine Justice
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Diocletian abdicates in 305, and convinces Maximian to
step-down as well.
Galerius controlled the East, and Constantius the West.
Constantius’ son, Constantine, takes over in 311.
Galerius continued to persecute the Church, but
contracted a form of leprosy and venereal disease that left
him decrepit and crippled.
He said he was being punished by the Christian God!
Before Galerius’ death, he admitted his failure towards
Christians and allowed freedom of worship under two
conditions:
Obey the laws of Rome
Pray for the Emperor and the Empire
This edict was adopted in the West, and the Church
enjoyed peace…again.
Power Play
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With Galerius’ death,
Maximian’s son Maxentius
controlled Italy.
Wanted complete control of
the West
This meant: defeat
Constantine’s Army!
Constantine, anticipating
Maxentius, attacks Rome.
Both armies met at the
Battle of the Milvian
Bridge.
Marcus Aurelius
Valerius Maxentius,
son-in-law of Galerius
In Hoc Signo Vinces
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Chi-Ro: the first
two letters in the
name of Christ in
Greek: Χριστος
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Prior to the battle, Constantine
had a vision of the Chi-Ro with
the words: “In this sign you will
conquer”
After the vision, Constantine
ordered this symbol placed on the
shields of his Army.
Maxentius’ Army was four times
bigger.
Constantine emerged victorious
and secured rule of the West.
Maxentius drowned near the
Milvian Bridge.
Triumph of the Church
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In
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Constantine declared that the
Christian God had favored him.
Rome:
The Senate proclaimed him
Emperor of the West
The Arch of Constantine
commemorated his victory;
His statue was placed in the
city.
In one hand, the statue held
the Labarum, a banner of
victory with the image of the
cross.
Inscription: “Through this
saving sign have I freed your
city from the tyrant’s yoke.”
The Edict of Milan - 313
Constantine, together with the
Caesar of the East, Licinius,
issued the famous Edict:
1. Restored property back to the
Church;
2. Granted freedom of worship to
Christians.
 Marked the end of Christianity as
an outlaw religion since Nero in
64.
 Licinius, Constantine’s brother-inlaw, later lapsed and began to
persecute the Church in the East.
 Constantine crushed him in 324.
 Constantine becomes sole
emperor of East and West.
Constantine I
considered a Saint
in the Greek
Church
The End