Download Ch 4 Ppt notes - Jessamine County Schools

Classical Civilizations of the
Mediterranean
Persia, Greece, and Rome
The Birth of Persia
• Persia developed alongside the Mediterranean world
and inherited man successes of Mesopotamian society
• Persia made leaps in advanced technology, language,
culture, art, and mathematics
• Also developed a new religion called Zoroastrianism
• Zoroastrianism dwindled
as Alexander conquered
Persian territory and once
Islam began to take hold
– The first World religion where
there was an idea of one
universal God (Ahura Mazda)
Cyrus: Was he Really that Great?
• Cyrus the Great (580-529 BCE) is credited with the
establishment of the Persian empire
• Known as a great conqueror he controlled the largest
empire the World had seen to that point: He even
captured Babylon!
• Many welcomed him as a liberator and he allowed the
Jews to return to the Promised Land (Palestine today)
• He often showed great respect for the cultures he
conquered and even was tolerant of their religious
beliefs
• The Hellenes (Greeks), whom he conquered, regarded
him as an upstanding law giver who actually promised
peace to all mankind.
• 539 BCE he even created the first charter of human
rights on the “Cyrus the Great Cylinder” (Social codes?)
Greece
• Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC)
is what ended the Golden Age of Greece.
• Sparta defeats Athens and a transfer of power
shifts to Sparta
– This is a key reason Plato begins his philosophical
work on government and education
• Alexander of Macedonia spread the size of the
empire through Persia and into parts of India
• His empire was short-lived however: Alexander
dies at age 33
– After 13 years of victories (Alexander’s own soldiers
began to believe he was immortal!) and with little to
no injuries; Alexander dies from malaria/typhoid fever
Rome
• The Roman state began small around 800 bce
but spread rapidly during the Punic wars
(264bce-146bce)
• They had fought the Phoenicians at the battle of
Carthage (Which was often celebrated via reenactment in the Coliseum)
• The Carthaginian general Hannibal was
defeated and cut to pieces to send his body to
all corners of the Roman empire
• They then burned the city and spread salt on the
earth so agriculture could not sustain the
rebuilding of a city at that spot
Rome cont.
• In 45 bce Julius Caser sets the path for the development
of a “modern” Rome
• His grandnephew Augustus seizes power and
establishes the basic structures of the Roman empire we
know of today
• The Mediterranean world, Spain, and Africa saw peace,
stability, and economic prosperity under rulers following
Augustus (Marcus Aurelius 180bce)
– Emperors also moved north and took France, Britain, and
Germany as well
• From here the downfall began and would take over 200
years to complete though strong leaders like Constantine
took efforts to reverse the tide
– Attempted to unite his empire by making an obscure religion the
mandated religion of his people: Christianity
Plato and the Republic
Who was Plato?
• Greek philosopher, mathematician, author of
dialogues, and founded the first academy of
higher education in the world in Athens
• Was a student of Socrates & teacher of Aristotle
• Outspoken against the tyranny of government
that was established at the end of the
Peloponnesian War (404-403 bce)
• He laid the foundations of modern philosophy
and science
The Republic
• Plato’s political theory on justice,
order, & the character of the
city-state and the just man
• This takes place during the period of the
Peloponnesian War and the main protagonist is
Socrates, his teacher
• Socrates and various other Athenians examine
justice, just men, the affairs of the city-state, and
political regimes
• They also discussed the roles of philosophers in
society and the immortality of the soul
Allegory of the Cave
• This was an analogy used to describe the perception of
man and to illustrate the nature of his education
• Socrates describes a scenario in which what people take
to be real would in fact be an illusion (Fire and shadows)
• Plato’s aim in the Republic is to describe what is
necessary for us to achieve reflective understanding
Attila the Hun
• 433 becomes ruler of Huns and is called the Scourge of
God by Romans
• Descended from what would later become the Mongols
(Mongolia not established yet)
• 434 Theodosius II paid annual price to keep Huns at bay
• 441Attilla attacks Eastern Roman empire and continues
west
• 451 Set back by Romans and Visigoths at Chalon he
refocuses and attacks Italy
• 452 Lays siege and waste to various cities throughout
Italy and meets with Pope Leo I who convinces him to
leave Rome alone
• 453 Attila dies on wedding night.
Diocletian 285-305AD
• Takes rule in 285 AD and begins reforms
• Political: Creates a two emperor system to rule over
extent of empire (Maximian)
• Social: Emphasis on marriage, justice and due process
• Military: Restructured internally, reduced years of service
(to 20), and created mobile groups to protect capital and
sent local groups to fringes of empire
• Economic: Contracted new building projects, restored
coinage, and enacted new taxes on property
• Religious: Saw Christianity as a threat to his rule, began
persecution
– 303 edicts against practicing and speaking/writing about
Christianity
– Backfired and proved to be a catalyst for its rapid spread
Constantine 306-337AD
• Tolerance: in 313 creates the Edit of Milan granting
religious freedom to all ending years of persecution
• New Rome: He created a new Christian capital for the
Roman Empire (Constantinople)
– Creates a second senate there
• Christianity: Converts to Christianity and supports its
spread
– Makes concessions to fold pagan tribes into Christian empire of
Rome
– Ha setback against his nephew who tries to reinstate polytheistic
views
– Once Theodosius takes rule he officially puts an end to pagan
practices
Rome Begins to Decline
• Army spread thin around empire
• Economy was failing and aristocrats power went
unchecked
• Invasions from outside: Germanic tribes/Huns/Turks
• Internal factors:
–
–
–
–
Couldn’t afford military upkeep
Many soldiers not even Roman (no loyalty to Rome)
Extent of empire cost $$$
Weak leadership
• Rome sacked 410 and after Theodosius death in 455
• Official fall around 476 AD