ancient rome and early christianity
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Ancient Rome and Early Christianity. 500 B.C. – A.D. 500. Establishment of the Roman Republic . 509 B.C. – Roman nobility or patricians overthrewof the last Etruscan king and replaced the monarchy with an aristocratic republic. Roman forum – heart of the city - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
500 B.C. – A.D. 500
Ancient Rome and Early Christianity
509 B.C. – Roman nobility or patricians overthrewof the last Etruscan king and replaced the monarchy with an aristocratic republic.
Roman forum – heart of the city
Political and civic center filled with temples and public buildings where leading citizens tended to government business
Establishment of the Roman Republic
In the beginning, the patrician-dominated government consisted of 2 elected executives (consuls), the Centuriate Assembly, and the Senate
Patricians owned most of the land and controlled the army
Annually elected consuls where the executive heads of government. They came from nobility, commanded the army, served as judges, and initiated legislation
Centuriate Assembly – controlled by nobilitySenate advised the Assembly and controlled public
finances and foreign policySenate was principal organ of patrician power
Struggle of the OrdersBetween Patricians and Plebeians
At this time, there was an absence of a written code of laws
Plebeians were unhappy with their lack of political representation
Plebeians had one decisive weapon: Their threat to seceded from Rome, that is, not to pay taxes, work, or serve in army.
Patricians realize they needed Plebeian help. Thus, plebeians slowly gained legal equality.
Struggle of the OrdersBetween Patricians and Plebeians
Early 5th century – Plebeians won right to form their own assembly (the Plebeian Assembly, which was later enlarged and called the Tribal Assembly)
This assembly could elect Tribunes – officials who were empowered to protect Plebeian rights!
Plebeian pressure resulted in the first written Roman code of laws – Twelve Tables
This gave Plebeians some degree of protection against unfair and oppressive patrician officials.
Although Plebeians gained legal equality, Rome was still ruled by an upper class.
The Twelve Tables
Rome extends power over the Italian peninsula
146 B.C. – Rome is dominant power in the Mediterranean world
Roman expansion occurred in 3 main stages:Uniting of the Italian peninsula, which gave
Rome manpower that transformed it from a city state into a great power
The Collision with Carthage, from which Rome emerged as ruler of the Western Mediterranean
Subjugation of the Hellenistic states, which brought Romans in close contact with Greek civilization
Roman Expansion
First Punic War (264-241 b.c.)Carthage, founded by the Phoenicians, was a
prosperous commercial centerCarthaginian empire comprised North Africa
and coastal regions of southern Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, and Western Sicily
Rome prevailed over Carthage, which had to surrender Sicily to Rome
Rome then seized the island of Corsica and Sardinia
Rome had the beginnings of an EMPIRE.
Conquest of the Mediterranean World
Carthaginian army was commanded by Hannibal – military genius! Coming from Spain, Hannibal led a seasoned army, complete with
war elephants for charging enemy lines, across mountain passes so steep and icy that men and animals sometimes lost their footing and fell to their deaths.
26,000 men survived the crossing into Italy Battle of Cannae (216) Hannibal’s army completely destroyed a
Roman army of 60,000 soldiers Defeated, Rome invaded North Africa, threatening Carthage and
forcing Hannibal to withdraw his troops from Italy in order to defend his homeland.
Hannibal, who had won every battle in Italy, was defeated by Scipio at the battle of Zama in North Africa
Carthage surrendered Spain Left Rome as the sole great power in the Western Mediterranean
Second Punic War
UnnecessaryCarthage was a second-rate power and no
longer a threat to Rome’s securityRome sold Carthaginian survivors into slaveryObliterated the cityTurned the territory into the Roman province
of Africa
Third Punic War
Agricultural crisisLong wars left farms devastatedRoman soldier-farmers who served in the army
left their fields neglectedReturning veterans were forced to sell their
farms to wealthy landowners at low prices
Collapse of the Republic
Tiberius Gracchus, came from one of Rome’s most honored families was elected tribune
Sought to help Rome’s poorProposed reforms such as limiting
the size of estates and giving land to the poor
Rome’s leading families viewed Tiberius as a revolutionary who threatened their property and political authority
Senatorial extremists killed Tiberius and some 300 of his followers, dumping their bodies into the Tiber River
Gracchus Brothers
Gaius Gracchus, younger brother of Tiberius – elected tribune
Aided the poor by reintroducing his brother’s plan for land distribution
Aroused anger of the senatorial classCivil war rage in Rome – Gaius and 3,000 of
his followers perishBy killing the Gracchi brothers, the Senate
had substituted violence for reason and made murder a means of coping with troublesome opposition.
Gracchus Brothers
Marius – consul in 107 b.c. adopted a military policy that eventually contributed to the wrecking of the Republic
As the republic grew most unstable, generals began seizing great power for themselves
Recruited soldiers from the landless poor by promising them land
These soldiers fought for pay and owed allegiance only to their commander
Replaced citizen-soldiers whose loyalty had been to the republic
Now possible for a military leader supported by his own troops to take over by force.
Eventually, one would do just that…
Rival Generals
60 b.c., a TRIUMVIRATE (ruling group of three) consisting of: Julius Caesar – politicianPompey – generalCrassus – wealthy bankerThese men conspired to take over Rome
Julius Caesar
•Recognized importance of military command•Gained command of the legions in Gaul (France) in 59 b.c.•Following year, began conquest of part of Gaul outside of Roman control•Successful Gallic campaign and invasion of Britain revealed Caesar’s exceptional talent for generalship•Caesar’s victories alarmed Senate!!!•Triumvirate falls apart – Crassus perished and Pompey (jealous of Caesar’s success sides with the Senate)
Julius Caesar
Senate orders Caesar to relinquish his command
Caesar decides to march on Rome Crosses Rubicon River into Italy, civil
war ravaged the Republic Pompey cannot defeat Caesar Senate acknowledges Caesar’s victory
and appointed him to be dictator – a legal office – 10 years!!!!
Julius Caesar
Governed as an absolute ruler – total power Started a number of reforms Granted Roman citizenship to many people in the provinces Expanded the senate Helped the poor by creating jobs, especially through the construction of new
public buildings February 44 b.c. – Rome’s ruling class, jealous of Caesar’s success and
power and afraid of his ambition, became alarmed when his temporary dictatorship was converted into a lifelong office
Aristocracy saw this event as the end of senatorial government and rule March 15th – a group of aristocrats, assassinated Caesar
Julius Caesar – Assassinated!!!
After Caesar’s death – civil war broke out and destroyed what was left of the Roman Republic.
Octavian – Caesar’s 18 year old adopted son Mark Antony – experienced general Lepidus – powerful politician All 3 join forces to crush the assassins – defeat the armies of
Brutus and Cassius, conspirators in the plot against Caesar
Beginning of the Empire
Lepidus was forced by Octavian into political obscurity
Antony and Octavian fight each other – prize is ROME.
Battle of Actium – Western GreeceOctavian crushed the forces of Mark Antony
and his wife Egypt’s Queen CleopatraOctavian emerges as master of Rome and 4
years later he becomes THE FIRST ROMAN EMPEROR!!!
Beginning of the Empire
BATTLE OF ACTIUM
Born in Alexandria during the reign of the Ptolemy family
Cleopatra and her family were not Egyptian, Macedonian – descended through a general of Alexander the Great
Married her 12 year old brother Rules Egypt for 3 years then exiled, along with her
sister Cleopatra’s brother, Ptolemy, became involved in a
bitter war with Julius Caesar She was smuggled into Egypt in a rug – begins affair
with Julius Caesar (they have a child) joins Caesar in Rome.
After his death – she marries Mark Antony Her reign marks the end of the Hellenistic Era in
Egypt and the beginning of the Roman era in the eastern Mediterranean
Egypt’s Queen Cleopatra
Reign of Augustus signified the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire – termination of aristocratic politics and the emergence of one-man rule
Not a tyrant, considered a “creative statesman”
Regarded his power as a public trust, delegated to him by the Roman people
Octavian (Augustus) 1st Roman Emperor
Rome’s greatest ageDuring this time, Roman empire included
more than 3 million square milesPopulation numbered between 60 and 80
million people1 million lived in Rome itselfTime of HappinessOne of the finest periods in ancient history
Pax Romana – Roman Peace
Held empire together through efficient government and able rulers
Augustus was Rome’s ablest emperorStabilized the frontierGlorified Rome with splendid public buildingsCreated a system of government that survived
for centuries
Vast and Powerful Empire
After Augustus died in A. D. 14 – system of government he established maintained the empire’s stability
2nd century AD – empire stretched from Spain to Mesopotamia, North Africa to Britain
Agriculture was MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY
90% of people engaged in farmingVast trading network – traded with China and
IndiaComplex network of roads linked the Roman
empire to Persia and Southern Russia
Vast and Powerful Empire
Most people lived in the countryside and worked on farms
Slavery was a significant part of Roman lifeWidespread and important to economyMade more use of slaves than any previous civilizationMost slaves were conquered people brought back by
victorious Roman armiesMany treated cruelly, children were slavesSome strong, healthy males – forced to become
gladiators (professional fighters) who fought to death in public
Roman World
Born as a movement within JudaismEmphasized a more personal relationship
between God and people (attracted many Romans)
Roman power spread to Judea, (home of the Jews)
God promised a savior known as the Messiah
Rise of Christianity
Born in Bethlehem in JudeaRaised in Nazareth (northern Palestine)Baptized by John the BaptistMain source of information about Jesus’
teaching are the Gospels (1st four books of the New Testament)
Gospels are thought to have been written by one or more of Jesus’ disciples (pupils) – these 12 men became the APOSTLES
1o commandments (Hebrew law)Jesus ignored wealth and status – attracted
poor
Jesus of Nazareth
Growing popularity concerned Jewish and Roman leaders
Crowds called him Messiah (king)Jewish priests denied this, said his teachings
were blasphemyPONTIUS PILATE accused Jesus of defying the
authority of RomeArrested Jesus and sentenced him to be crucifiedAccording to the Gospels, 3 days after Jesus was
buried, his body was goneApostles convinced he was the Messiah!!!
Jesus’ Death
Apostle Paul (huge influence on Christianity’s development). Paul was a Jew, never met Jesus, at first an enemy of Christianity.
Pax Romana made travel and the exchange of ideas fairly safe, provided the ideal conditions for Christianity to spread
Paul wrote letter (EPISTLES) to groups of believersIn his teaching, Paul stressed that Jesus was the son
of God who died for people’s sinsUniversality that enable Christianity to become
more than just a local religion
Christianity Spreads
Christians posed a problem for Roman rulersMain reason – refused to worship Roman
gods (seen as opposition to Roman rule)When Pax Romana began to crumble,
persecution of the Christians intensifiedRomans exiled, imprisoned, or executed
Christians for refusing to worship Roman deities
Thousands were crucified, and burned
Persecution of the Christians
A.D. 312 Roman emperor Constantine announced an end to the persecution of Christians
Edict of Milan – declared Christianity to be one of religions approved by the emperor
380 – Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the empire’s official religion
Constantine Accepts Christianity
Local level – priest led each small group of Christians
Bishop (also a priest) supervised several local churches
Apostle Peter became 1st bishop of RomeEvery major city had its own bishopLater bishops of Rome claimed that Peter was
the first pope – father or head of the Christian Church
Since Rome was the capital of the empire, logical choice for it to be center of Church
Early Christian Church
Church leaders tried to set a single, official standard of belief – THE NEW TESTAMESTContained the four GospelsEpistles of PaulOther documentsNew Testament was added to the Hebrew Bible
(Old Testament)Constantine called Church leaders to Nicaea
where they wrote the Nicene Creed – defined the basic beliefs of the Church
Nicene Creed