CHAPTER 6ANCIENT 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

Cincinnatus Dictator

Chosen by senate in the event of war

Granted complete control over a government

Power to rule for 6 months

Cincinnatus, cont’d

16 days Organized an

army Led to Romans

to victory Attended victory

celebrations Returned to his

farmland

Plebians Demand Equality Plebeians

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

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

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 self-government.

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 Nero

Viciously persecuted Christians and wan even blamed for setting a great fire that destroyed much of Rome

Hadrian Codified Roman law; built a wall across Britain to

hold back attackers Marcus Aurelius

Philosopher-king; stoic philosophy and commitment to duty

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 Law of Nations

Applied to all people under Roman rule 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. Zealots

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.

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, non-

Jews 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 Augustine

Bishop of Hippo in North Africa Wrote The City of God

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

434 Attila, Hun leader “scourge of God” Embarked on a savage campaign of conquest

across much of Europe 476 “fall of Rome”

Odoacer ousted the emperor in 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

Social Causes Decline of patriotism Upper classes devoted to luxury and self-interest