Things Get Dark Chapter 15, Section 1, Part 4. Roman Numerals I = 1 V = 5 X = 10 L = 50 C = 100 D =...
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Things Get Dark Chapter 15, Section 1, Part 4. Roman Numerals I = 1 V = 5 X = 10 L = 50 C = 100 D = 500 M = 1,000 Quiz: VIII = XIV = XLII = XCIX = DLXXIV
Roman Numerals I = 1 V = 5 X = 10 L = 50 C = 100 D = 500 M =
1,000 Quiz: VIII = XIV = XLII = XCIX = DLXXIV MCMLXXXII 8 14 42 99
574 1,982
Slide 3
Cracks Appear Rome wasnt built in one day. It didnt collapse in
one day either. From about the year 200 on, Rome faced military,
social and economic crisis it never overcame. The first problem was
the economy. The Romans didnt have enough gold or silver to keep
the value of their money throughout their huge empire. Instead they
used more and more copper money, which became worth less and less,
leading people (especially soldiers) to violence and crime. A
Denarius featuring Marcus Aurelius
Slide 4
Cracks Appear The military was a huge problem. The empire was
so large that it was nearly impossible to protect. Rome was forced
to hire barbarian (non-Roman) armies to protect the borders from
other barbarians. These soldiers were poorly trained and poorly
equipped. The cost of maintaining all of these armies devastated
the Roman economy. Visigoth Warrior
Slide 5
Instability Starting in 192, the Roman army made a palace guard
named Pertinax emperor. Pertinax promised to make soldiers wealthy,
but couldnt fulfill his promise. He was killed by his own men
within 3 months. Until 270, Rome was led by puppet emperors put in
place by the military. Each usually lasted around a year before he
was murdered and replaced.
Slide 6
One Last Gasp Starting in 270, the emperors Aurelian and later
Diocletian stabilized the empire for a time by holding off the
barbarians, ending imperial assassinations and trying to fix the
economy. One of ancient Romes greatest contributions to the world
was an organized system of laws. Diocletian, however, changed the
way people saw the emperor. He made the people of the empire
worship him as a living god. He also split the empire in two.
Slide 7
An Empire Divided Rather than take the western half of the
empire, Diocletian moved to Byzantium where there was little
barbarian threat, the people were more supportive and great riches
still existed. Diocletian left the western empire and all of its
problems to a supporter named Maximian. As time went on the east
became the important part of the Roman Empire and the west became
insignificant. In the east the emperors solved the problems facing
them and thrived for another thousand years.
Slide 8
Christian Supremacy One major change in the empire was the
rapid conversion of most people to Christianity. In 312 the emperor
Constantine had a vision that led him to victory in a battle. He
credited the victory to the Christian God and made it the favored
cult of the empire. By the end of Constantines reign, Christianity
was the main religion of the empire. Churches were built, bishops
were given authority by the state and the bishop of Rome became the
leader of the Christian world. Constantine himself converted on his
deathbed. The city of Byzantium was renamed Constantinople after
this powerful ruler.
Slide 9
The Barbarian Invasion In the 300s, the brutal Huns invaded the
empire and created a domino effect on other barbarian groups. By
this time, most of Romes armies were made up of barbarians. Many
even considered themselves Roman. These frightened groups looked
for protection from the Romans, but were refused help.
Slide 10
The Barbarian Invasion Barbarian groups entered the empire
anyway, usually with a chip on their shoulders. Beginning in the
late 300s, Rome was repeatedly sacked. Though this had happened
before, it had always been from other Romans. The once great city
was invaded and looted by Celts (390), Visigoths (410) and Vandals
(455). These barbarians settled in the empire and barbarian
generals replaced Roman emperors in the west. Gaul and Britain were
abandoned to Germanic tribes like the Franks, Angles and
Saxons.
Slide 11
What Remained Across the west, wealthy land owning families
called aristocrats gained power. They could afford to hire soldiers
to protect their lands and the people living on them. Most record
keeping of this time was done by the Catholic church, which also
acted as a protector of the people. Though the west still claimed
to be part of the empire, everyone knew that this wasnt true. The
empire didnt crash down, instead it slowly faded away as the Roman
military and government left western Europe bit by bit. By 500, not
even barbarian kings claimed to be Roman anymore.
Slide 12
The Eastern Empire After the fall of Rome, the Eastern Roman
Empire survived and sometimes even thrived under leaders like
Justinian and Theodora. The powerful Byzantine (eastern Roman)
emperors were absolute rulers. Their empire was run by eunuchs who
could not have children. The Byzantines also spread Orthodox
Christianity throughout eastern Europe at this time.
Slide 13
The Eastern Empire The Byzantines slowly lost their territory
to barbarians in the west and Turks and Muslims in the east. Soon,
the empire was limited to a small territory around Constantinople.
The City itself remained strong with a population over a million.
It was a beacon of pride and glory to Europeans during an age of
turmoil.
Slide 14
Muhammad In 610, an Arabian merchant named Muhammad claimed to
have been visited by the angel Gabriel, who spoke verses to him
that would later be written down in the Muslim holy book, the
Koran. Muhammads Muslim teachings stressed that there was one God
the same one worshipped by Christians and Jews. Muhammad gradually
built up a following of true believers (Muslims), first in Medina,
then Mecca, then all across the Middle East.
Slide 15
Reasons for Success Islam spread rapidly through the world for
a number of reasons. Muslim women, though not equal, had more
rights than other women. Muslims are not allowed to fight one
another, so within the Islamic world there was great security.
Christians and Jews, as fellow believers of the one God, were
protected by law. Muslims controlled a wealthy trading region. Many
people became Muslims to share in economic prosperity.
Slide 16
Islam To continue gaining plunder, Muslims had to attack
non-Muslims. In this way they conquered as far west as India,
across north Africa and even into Spain. In the mid-600s the
Muslims conquered most of the Byzantine Empire including the Middle
East, and northern Africa. They also conquered the enemy of the
Byzantines, the Sassanid Empire. Muslim empires would be a constant
threat to European nations for the next thousand years.
Slide 17
New Western Empires While Byzantine power grew and shrank, new
empires in the west emerged. These new empires combined barbarian
and Roman ways. Even their languages blended. The Ostrogoths of
Italy fell to the Byzantines and the Lombards during the 500s. The
Visigoths of Spain proved to be brutal rulers. They were conquered
by a Muslim people called the Moors during the 700s. The Angles and
Saxons divided Britain, uniting only to resist Viking invaders
during the 800s.
Slide 18
The Franks The Franks (Fierce or Free) built a Germanic empire
in the 500s that surpassed all the others. Clovis, their first
great King, worked with the remaining Romans to create an advanced
government. He also converted to Orthodox Christianity in the hope
that God would bring him victory.
Slide 19
The Carolingian Empire In the late 700s, the Frankish king
Charlemagne began a 40 year rule. By the end of his life, he had
conquered nearly all of Europe. Charlemagne was an invincible
warrior. Every spring, he would lead his armies against an enemy.
His heavily armored cavalry stomped over enemy forces.
Slide 20
The Carolingian Empire Charles the Great was more than a
warrior though. His government was the most complex since Rome. He
worked closely with the Catholic church to create an educated
clergy that could run his empire. By this time, western European
Christians were different than Eastern Orthodox Christians. The
Roman Christians became known as Catholics. When Charlemagne
visited the Pope in Rome on Christmas Day in 800, the Pope
surprised everyone by crowning Charlemagne declaring him to be a
holy emperor.
Slide 21
The Carolingian Empire After his death, Charlemagnes three
grandsons fought over and divided the Carolingian Empire. All three
kingdoms eventually collapsed in the 900s because of their own
weakness. Supporters of the empire had become rich from victory.
Now, rather than expanding, the empire was defending itself from
Vikings, Magyars and Saracens Muslims. A bulky imperial army was
useless against raids. Only local lords could counter these
attackers. These lords quickly became independent rulers.
Slide 22
The Dark Ages For most people, medieval times were brutal and
harsh. The knowledge, security and technology of the Roman Empire
had disappeared. This thousand year dark age is known as the Middle
Ages. During the Middle Ages, society was organized according to a
system called feudalism.
Slide 23
In the 700s, Scandinavians developed a longboat that was fast
and flexible. With a longboat, they could cross an ocean or row up
a shallow river. Scandinavian culture gloried in war and pillaging.
Their kings were warriors chosen by chiefs called jarlars (earls).
With their new boats, many Scandinavian groups began to go Viking
(raiding). Vikings
Slide 24
Viking Invasions Norwegian Vikings invaded Ireland, Scotland,
Greenland and even North America. Swedish Vikings known as the Rus
expanded into eastern Europe in search of slaves and furs. They
mixed with the local Slavs to become the first Russians. The Danish
Vikings attacked England and France, Spain and Italy. They
established themselves in Normandy and mixed with the French. In
1066, the Normands would invade and rule England.