800 BC 400 AD

Classical Europe began to flourish.

800

BC

Hippocrates, the Greek Father of Medicine, was born.

460

BC

The Parthenon was started in Athens as a temple for Athena.

447

BC

Constantine I moved the capital from Rome to Constantinople.33

0 AD

31 B

C

Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.30

0 AD

Alexander the Great and his father, Phillip II of Macedonia, invaded and conquered all of Greece. Alexander then spread Greek culture wherever he invaded.

300s

BC

1-3

AD

Jesus Christ was born in Palestine under Augustus.

Julius Caesar’s nephew, Octavius, became the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus and initiated Pax Romana.

Rome’s northern frontier defenses crumbled. Rome was invaded by Germanic people.40

0s A

D

By: Mary Grace Smith

Classical Europe began around 800 BC in ancient Greece and lasted until about 400 AD when Rome’s world power diminished. Classical Europe is considered to be a very significant culture that also is the foundation for Western Civilization and the Roman Empire.The Greeks believed in a lot of gods and goddesses who lived on Mount Olympus. In 460 BC, the “Father of Medicine,” Hippocrates, was born and later challenged the Greeks’ belief that diseases were punishments from the gods. He was thrown in jail for 20 years for teaching that diseases were caused naturally by diet, living habits, and the environment.

A few years later in 447 BC, the Parthenon was built as a temple to the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Located on top of the highest hill in Athens, the Acropolis, it was designed to be the most beautiful temple in all of Greece, made to look like it is floating in the air.

In the 300s BC, an ambitious father and son team invaded Greece – Phillip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great. Alexander became king of Macedon and Greece when he was 20 years old and his father died. He crossed into the Persian Empire and Egypt, conquered them and spread Greek culture wherever he went. He especially loved learning and built a huge museum-library which lasted until a Roman attack in about 200 BC.

In the 200s BC, Rome increased its power and conquered cities all over Europe. In 44 BC, Julius Caesar tried to become the first emperor (or dictator for life) of Rome, but he was assassinated by supporters of the Senate. A 13-year civil war began with by Julius Caesar’s nephew Octavius, his girlfriend Cleopatra, and his former friend Mark Antony. When the war ended, Octavius Caesar was crowned the first Roman emperor in 31 BC, and called Caesar Augustus, which means “The Good.” He worked hard to provide peace and prosperity for everyone, or Pax Romana.

The Roman Empire had spread to Palestine, an area of land around the Mediterranean. In 1 to 3 AD, Jesus was born in Bethlehem when his parents went there to pay taxes to Caesar Augustus. When Jesus grew up, he taught revolutionary religious concepts, called Christianity, around the Sea of Galilee and near Jerusalem. He was killed for his teachings in 33 AD, and his followers were tortured by the Romans for their beliefs.

However, by the 300s AD, Christianity was the official religion of the Roman Empire. Just before a battle, the emperor Constantine had a dream about the power of the Christian god, won the battle, then forced everyone to become Christian. In 330 AD, he moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Constantinople, near the Black Sea. He wanted to be between the warring forces in Germany and the East. Because of plagues, people began abandoning the cities and moving to the country.

By 400 AD, the powerful Roman Empire had decayed and was invaded by various groups of German people. The invading Germans drank beer and used butter to cook and clean with, rather than wine and olive oil. This offended the Romans, who thought the Germans stunk for invading them and for the way they smelled.

Summary of Classical Europe

Bibliography“Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography,” http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html, 2001-2003.

Baker, M. “Octavius Caesar,” caesura.jpg, http://en09h01.sswiki.com/Julius+Caesar-Character+Analysis.

Birth of Jesus, <a href="http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/do-you-believe-in-the-virgin-birth-of-jesus/question-768175/?link=ibaf&imgurl=http://www.manywallpapers.com/d/74484/-/the-birth-of-jesus_1152_x_864.jpg&q=jesux christ+birth"><img src="http://www.manywallpapers.com/d/74484/-/the-birth-of-jesus_1152_x_864.jpg"><br>jesux christ+birth pics on Sodahead</a>. 2011.

Classical Europe 800 BC. “Essential Humanities, History of Ancient Europe.” http://www.essentialhumanities.net/his1.php, 2008-11.

Gowan, Ewan. “Germanic role in the Fall of Rome.” Archeology, Culture, Forn Sed, History. http://marcelgomessweden.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/germanic-role-in-the-fall-of-rome, April 5, 2011.

Hayes, Holly. “Parthenon, Athens under Full Moon.” http://www.sacred-destinations.com/greece/parthenon-pictures/slides/parthenon-moonrise-c-sacredsites.htm . Sacred Destinations, April 2005. Holly Hayes.

Hippocrates. Encyclopedia of World Biography, Hippocrates. Hippocrates Biography - life, family, death, history, school, son, information, born, time http://www.notablebiographies.com/He-Ho/Hippocrates.html#ixzz1gAEKSqON. Advameg, Inc. 2011.

McLachlan, Sean. Christianity in the Roman Empire, 4th century mosaic from Santa Pudenziana. “The death of paganism: how the Roman Epire converted to Christinaity.” http://www.gadling.com/2010/09/21/the-death-of-paganism-how-the-roman-empire-converted-to-christi/, 9/21/2010.

The Vizier. Constantine, Byzantine mosaicist 1000 AD. “Constantine and his new imperial capital; Constantinople.” http://neobyzantium.com/constantine-the-great-and-the-impact-of-his-sole-rule/, January 24, 2010.