Class Notes for 8/25/15

Constantine and the PaxRomana: The Rise of Christianity

PaxRomana – The Roman peace, a period of time starting with the emperor Augustus (31 BC to 180 AD) when Rome was technically not at war.

During this time:

The Roman empire covered the entire Mediterranean basin

Was 3,000 miles long

Had incredible system of roads, cities, temples, public buildings, baths, schools, etc

500,000 soldiers, no pirates, enemies

Rome had 1,000,000 inhabitants alone

Decline

PaxRomana ended in the 3rd century because:

Barbarians broke through the border (was it too big?)

Rome had a string of bad emperors (of the 20 emperors between 235 and 285 all but ONE was murdered or killed in battle)

Plague, famines, floods hurt farms

Economy declined

Recovery

Diocletian and Constantine rebuilt the empire by:

Increasing army size and defeating barbarians

Setting fixed prices for goods and making laws preventing people from changing jobs

Centralizing government

The empire was SPLIT IN HALF in 395 into the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire

Early Christianity and Persecution

Traditional Roman religion and 2 purposes:

  1. Social—to unify the people
  2. Political—to safeguard the people and borders (by the gods’ divine intervention)

So new gods could be added to the system, but people were not allowed to replace the system.

Jews had always been a problem because they believed in one exclusive god (monotheism)

Christianity appeared in the first century after Jesus’ death in 30 AD and was even more troublesome because they believed that God was not just the God of the Jews but God of ALL people. They tried to convert people.

They were persecuted because they refused to sacrifice to state gods.

Nero (54-68 AD) was the first emperor to persecute Christians.

The “Great Persecution” occurred under Diocletian and was more serious, because it covered the whole empire.

Constantine and Christianity

Constantine “The Great” ruled (306-337 AD)

Before the battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, had a dream of a cross (“in this sign you will conquer”) and had his soldiers paint a chi rho (first 2 letters of Christ) on their shields.

He won the battle.

Constantine issued the Edict of Milan making Christianity legal. He not only tolerated but encouraged Christianity and was baptized himself on his deathbed.