The Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire

Beginning with Augustus, the Pax Beginning with Augustus, the Pax Romana meant that people didn’t Romana meant that people didn’t have to worry about their safetyhave to worry about their safety

Trade increased (throughout the Trade increased (throughout the known world!)known world!)

Society “building” spread throughout Society “building” spread throughout the empirethe empire

Roman LiteratureRoman LiteratureMost influenced by Most influenced by Greek models.Greek models.

Most distinguished Most distinguished poet of the Augustan poet of the Augustan age was Virgil.age was Virgil.

""Omnia vincit amorOmnia vincit amor " " "Love conquers all”"Love conquers all”

""Audentes fortuna iuvatAudentes fortuna iuvat" " "Fortune favors the bold”"Fortune favors the bold”

Art & ArchitectureArt & ArchitectureThe Romans adopted The Romans adopted many features of the many features of the Greek style of art.Greek style of art.

The Romans The Romans excelled in excelled in architecture architecture (columns and (columns and curvilinear forms: curvilinear forms: arch, vault, & arch, vault, & dome).dome).

11stst people in people in antiquity to antiquity to develop and use develop and use concrete on a concrete on a massive scale.massive scale.

Roman Aqueduct

Roman Bridges

All Roads Led

To Rome

Roman Daily LifeRoman Daily Life

Rome was overcrowded, noisy, & Rome was overcrowded, noisy, & dangerousdangerous

InsulaeInsulae = apartment blocks for the = apartment blocks for the poor/ high rent forced entire families poor/ high rent forced entire families to live in one roomto live in one roomDue to conditions (heat and odors), Due to conditions (heat and odors), Romans spent most of their time in Romans spent most of their time in the streetthe street

Roman Colosseum

Gladiators

Most citizens of Rome were Most citizens of Rome were unemployed as a result of the unemployed as a result of the Latifundia (plantation) system of Latifundia (plantation) system of farmingfarming

Entertainment = gladiator contests-Entertainment = gladiator contests-animals, slaves, & criminals would animals, slaves, & criminals would fight to death/ horse and chariot races fight to death/ horse and chariot races at Circus Maximus/ at Circus Maximus/ free food (bread) free food (bread) and wine were given to the spectators and wine were given to the spectators as a sort of unemployment solutionas a sort of unemployment solution

Magnificent public buildings = baths, Magnificent public buildings = baths, temples, theaters, marketstemples, theaters, markets

Circus Maximus

Economic life in the EmpireEconomic life in the Empire Self-sustaining individual networks—the Saharan caravans, Arab and Chinese ships and most famously the Silk Routes linked at key cities such as Alexandria formed a truly intercontinental trading system.

Roman ReligionRoman ReligionAugustus revived Augustus revived early Roman religious early Roman religious festivals and festivals and ceremonies to bring ceremonies to bring back religionback religion

Beginning with Beginning with Augustus, emperors Augustus, emperors were often declared were often declared gods and citizens asked gods and citizens asked to sacrifice to them – to sacrifice to them – this guaranteed peace this guaranteed peace and prosperityand prosperity

Tolerance of all Tolerance of all religions that religions that weren’t harmful weren’t harmful to the stateto the state

This includes the This includes the diefication of diefication of deceased deceased Emperors!Emperors!

JudaismJudaismJudaeaJudaea was a Roman province was a Roman province

Unrest was common among the Jewish Unrest was common among the Jewish inhabitantsinhabitants

Romans destroyed the temple in Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem in 70 ad and force many Jews Jerusalem in 70 ad and force many Jews from Jerusalem (from Jerusalem (Jewish DiasporaJewish Diaspora))

Jesus (Jew) began to teach during the Jesus (Jew) began to teach during the midst of the conflictmidst of the conflict

Jesus as a profit of Jesus as a profit of God (no room for God (no room for “Emperor Gods”“Emperor Gods”

Message of love, Message of love, hope and Heaven hope and Heaven appealing to the appealing to the

massesmassesSeen as a threat to Seen as a threat to

Rome’s stabilityRome’s stability

Denounced by Roman and Jewish Denounced by Roman and Jewish leadershipleadership

Tried and sentenced to death by the Tried and sentenced to death by the Prefect of Judea – Pontius PilatePrefect of Judea – Pontius Pilate

By the order of By the order of Pontius Pilate Pontius Pilate

Jesus is crucifiedJesus is crucified

Loyal followers Loyal followers believe that he believe that he

overcomes deathovercomes death

The “gospel” of Jesus spreads throughout the The “gospel” of Jesus spreads throughout the EmpireEmpire

Christian Christian communities communities are founded are founded

in Asia in Asia Minor and Minor and along the along the

Aegean SeaAegean Sea

At first, persecution is sporadicAt first, persecution is sporadic In 303, Christian’s lost all legal rightsIn 303, Christian’s lost all legal rights

Later laws called for execution for failure to “sacrifice” to Roman Later laws called for execution for failure to “sacrifice” to Roman GodsGods

The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer; Jean-Leon Gerome; 1883

Grows slowly at Grows slowly at first, but begins to first, but begins to

appeal to the appeal to the Romans for several Romans for several

reasons:reasons: salvation for allsalvation for all

simple baptismsimple baptism

could relate to could relate to Jesus’ sufferingJesus’ suffering

sense of belongingsense of belonging

More personal More personal relationship with relationship with

godgod

Constantine becomes Constantine becomes the first emperor to the first emperor to

convert to Christianityconvert to Christianity

Constantine issues the Constantine issues the Edict of Milan in 313 Edict of Milan in 313 (official tolerance of (official tolerance of

Christianity)Christianity)

On February 27On February 27thth, 380, , 380, Emperor Theodosius Emperor Theodosius

makes Christianity the makes Christianity the official religion of the official religion of the

empireempire

……he’s also the last he’s also the last Emperor to rule both Emperor to rule both

the Eastern and the Eastern and Western halves of the Western halves of the

Roman Empire…Roman Empire…

Upon Theodosius’ death, the empire Upon Theodosius’ death, the empire is permanently divided into eastern is permanently divided into eastern

and western empiresand western empires

Transformation Transformation of the Roman of the Roman

EmpireEmpireThe problem of The problem of “barbarians”“barbarians”– CeltsCelts– GermansGermans– Steppe peoples, Steppe peoples,

especially Hunsespecially Huns

Huns upset balance of borders c. 370 C.E.Huns upset balance of borders c. 370 C.E.

Move of Goths into imperial territory to Move of Goths into imperial territory to escape Hunsescape Huns

Transformation of the Roman Transformation of the Roman EmpireEmpire

Plague!Plague!

410 sack of Rome by the Visogoths

476 abdication of last western 476 abdication of last western emperoremperor

Fall of RomeFall of RomeMany Germanic kingdoms over the Many Germanic kingdoms over the years replaced the western empireyears replaced the western empire

Eastern Roman Eastern Roman empire became empire became known as the known as the Byzantine Byzantine Empire Empire and and thrived around thrived around ConstantinopleConstantinople

Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

Resurgence under Justinian I Resurgence under Justinian I (r. 527–565 C.E.)(r. 527–565 C.E.)

The Emperor Justinian called The Emperor Justinian called on all of Rome’s existing on all of Rome’s existing laws to be “laws to be “codifiedcodified”. ”. (collected and simplified into a (collected and simplified into a clear and simple “code” of laws.)clear and simple “code” of laws.)

“innocent until proven guilty”

Many current legal systems around the Many current legal systems around the world are based on the Justinian Code…world are based on the Justinian Code…

Justinian Code Justinian Code 529ce529ce

Eastern Roman Empire Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)(Byzantine Empire)

Religious DisputesReligious Disputes– MonophysitesMonophysites– IconoclasmIconoclasm

Lasts until 1453! Lasts until 1453!

Nearly 1,000 Nearly 1,000 years longer than years longer than the eastern half…the eastern half…

What is the Legacy of the What is the Legacy of the Roman Empire?Roman Empire?

LinguisticLinguistic

LegalLegal

UrbanUrban

Transformation of Roman Transformation of Roman administration by Christian administration by Christian churchchurch

ETC….what can you think of?ETC….what can you think of?

ContributionsContributions

Roman LawRoman Law– all equalall equal– guaranteed legal protectionguaranteed legal protection

ArchitectureArchitecture– roads, aqueducts, bridgesroads, aqueducts, bridges– arch, dome, concretearch, dome, concrete

LatinLatin– Romance languages: Spanish, French, ItalianRomance languages: Spanish, French, Italian– ½ of English words½ of English words

The Fall of the Roman EmpireThe Fall of the Roman Empire

……any theories??any theories??

The Fall of The Roman EmpireThe Fall of The Roman Empire

Political CausesPolitical Causes

– inefficient and inefficient and corrupt corrupt GovernmentGovernment

– empire too bigempire too big

– succession succession problems led to problems led to civil warscivil wars

SOCIAL SOCIAL CAUSESCAUSES

interested in interested in luxury instead of luxury instead of patriotismpatriotism

sharp class sharp class distinctionsdistinctions

Plague!Plague!

Lead poisoning Lead poisoning from water pipes from water pipes caused mental caused mental declinedecline

ECONOMIC ECONOMIC CAUSESCAUSES

small farmers abandoned small farmers abandoned land to big estates land to big estates ((latifundialatifundia), less ), less productiveproductive

economic decline due to economic decline due to large estates’ self-large estates’ self-sufficiencysufficiency

heavy taxation destroyed heavy taxation destroyed peoples willingness to peoples willingness to workwork

slaves led to slaves led to unemploymentunemployment

MILITARY MILITARY CAUSESCAUSES

Warlike spirit Warlike spirit weakened by weakened by Christian Christian teachings of teachings of peacepeace

Barbarian Barbarian mercenaries in mercenaries in armyarmy

armies set armies set government policygovernment policy

……and many more reasons.and many more reasons.

What reasons can you think of?What reasons can you think of?

Do you think it was a single Do you think it was a single reason or several?reason or several?