ROME:Christianity, Achievements, and Decline

SOL Standards Essential Questions

• How did Christianity become established within the Roman empire?

• What were the essential beliefs of the early Christian faith?

• How and why did Christianity spread?

• What was the impact of the early Church in the late Roman Empire?

• How did Roman achievements influence Western civilization?

• Why did the Western Roman Empire decline?

Origins of Christianity• Had its roots in Judaism

• Was lead by Jesus of Nazareth who was proclaimed the Messiah

• Messiah: savior

Beliefs of Christianity• Monotheism: belief in

one God

• Jesus is both the Son and incarnation (human form) of God

• Life after death

The New Testament

• Contains accounts of the life and the teachings of Jesus as well as the writings of early Christians

of The Bible

Spread of Christianity• Carried by the Apostles, including

Paul, throughout the Empire

PaulThe Apostles

Persecution• Early Christians were persecuted by the Romans

for refusing to worship the Roman Gods

• Martyr: Someone who dies for their beliefs

Church CouncilsChristian doctrine was established by early

church councils

Doctrine: beliefs

The First Council of Nicaea

Emperor Constantine• Adopted and

legalized Christianity

• 1st Roman Emperor to do so

• Later Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire

Impact of the Church in the Late Roman Empire

• As the Roman Empire declined in the West, the church in Rome grew in importance, membership, and influence.

• The church became an example of moral authority

Church in Western Europe• Loyalty to the

church became more important than loyalty to the Emperor.

• The church became the main unifying force in Western Europe.

Diaspora• Scattering of the Jews

•Jews were exiled from Israel by the Romans in AD 132. They migrated to places all around the

Mediterranean Sea

Decline of the Roman Empire

• Moral decay

• Army discipline

• Division of empire

• Political problems

• Invasions

• Economic problems

• MAD PIE

Barbarian Invaders

• Germanic tribes repeatedly attacked along the northern borders.

Barbarians: Non-Romans

Army Membership• To defend against

increasing threats, Rome hired mercenaries (foreign soldiers who fought for money).

• Military started to include invaders

• Discipline and loyalty collapsed.

Division of the Empire• Rome was divided into Eastern and Western

portions• Constantine moved the capital from Rome to

Byzantium (He also ended persecution of Christians)

Invasions • From 376 to 476 Germanic and Mongol invaders poured into the Western portion of

the Roman Empire.

Economic Problems• The high cost of defending

its borders caused the Empire to raise taxes and mint coins with less silver.

• With Roman money worth less(devaluation), prices rose (inflation).

• Small farmers abandoned their lands causing food shortages.

Political Problems• Civil conflict: politician-

generals fought each other for power

• Weak leadership: Emperors were unable to handle problems faced by the empire. They were often brutal and incompetent. Many were murdered.

Moral Decay• Conditions in the later centuries made Romans

lose their patriotism.

• The people lost faith in Rome and the family

Western Empire Falls• The Western Roman Empire ceased to exist in 476 AD when Germanic

invaders overthrew the last Roman Emperor.

Byzantine Empire• The Eastern Roman Empire survived and later became known as the Byzantine Empire

Roman AchievementsRoads

• Connected Rome to all parts of the Empire

• Were built to last (some are still in use today)

Arches and Aqueducts• Arches were used as memorials in addition to

supporting buildings, bridges, and aqueducts

• Aqueducts were designed to bring water from the mountains to the cities.

Victory Arch Aqueduct

The Forum

• Means open space or marketplace

• The political and economic heart of Rome.

Pantheon• Domed temple dedicated to the Roman gods• Similar to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

Roman Coliseum• Stadium which held 50,000

• Mock battles, gladiator contests, and other bloody spectacles were seen here

Roman Baths• Romans swam, exercised, gambled, gossiped,

and played games in addition to bathing.• Both rich and poor could afford to go often.

Public Health• Piped water for drinking and bathing

• Sewage systems to remove human waste

• Medical Schools

Galen

The Aeneid

• Written in praise of Rome and Roman virtues

• Modeled after the Greek Epics of Homer

By Virgil

Virgil Reading The Aeneid to Augustus

Ptolemy• Created the first world Atlas

with longitude and latitude.• Designed an Earth-centered,

(wrong) model of the universe that was held as truth for 1400 years.

Latin and the Romance languages

• Latin: The language of Rome, the Roman Catholic Church, and learning in Western Europe.

• Romance languages: Languages derived from Latin: Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Reflection

• The Christian religion was spread throughout the Roman Empire byA. Abraham.B. Paul.C. Muhammad.D. Caesar.

• Constantine relocated the capital of Rome to Constantinople. The previous name of this city wasA. Carthage.B. Gaul.C. Nazareth.D. Byzantium.