Chpt 5
Rome and the Rise of Christianity
I The Land and Peoples of Italy
A. it is a peninsula w/ the Apennine Mts running down middle
B. Rome – located 18 miles inland on Tibet R ®easy access to sea yet safe from pirates – also made it easy to defend b/c built on 7 hills – also along N/S traffic route for all of Ity
C. B/C it juts out into Medit Sea, it became stopping point for E/W trade & travel along Medit S ® helped Rome win & maintain its Medit empire
D. Settled by Indo-Eur ppl’s – one group was Latins from Latium – later Greeks & Etruscans moved into Ity
E. Greeks settled in S Ity, giving Romans their alphabet & artistic style (architect, sculpt, & lit) – Grks also occupied parts of Sicily – Etruscans had biggest impact on Rome ® turned it from village into a city, gave them mode of dress (toga & short cloak), & model for their army
II The Roman Republic
A. early Rome – ruled by Kings (some Etruscan) – overthrew last king 509 BC & est republic w/ no king or queen & some citz have right to vote
B. enemies surrounded Rome – began long period of continuous warfare – defeated Latium, ppl of central Apennines, Grks in S, Etruscans to N ® Rome now contl’d most of Ity
C. To rule – set up Roman Confederation – some ppl (esp Latins) had citzship – other groups were allies who cont’ld local affairs but gave Rome soldiers – these could become Roman citz
D. believed success due to 3 virtues: duty, courage, & discipline – these were found in Roman writings of Livy who gave models of these virtues
E. Romans – also successful b/c good diplomats who extended citzship to many & allowing states to run own affairs – were also skilled persistent soldiers & brilliant strategists (planning) – built towns throughout conquered territories & connected them by roads (unlike Greece) – soldiers could always get there quickly if needed – were practical in law & politics, responding effectively to problems
III The Roman State
A. ppl – distrusted kingships b/c of experience w/ Etruscans – wanted diff form of gov’t
B. early Rome – divided into 2 groups: 1) patricians (large landowners & ruling class) ; and 2) plebeians (smaller landowners, craftsmen, & merchants) ® members of both were citz & could vote, BUT only patricians could be elected to office
C. chief executive officers of Rom Rep – consuls & praetors – 2 consuls ran gov’t & led army into battle – praetor directed civil law (that which applied to citz) – later a praetor was added to handle law of non-citz
D. Rom Senate – impt – had 300 patricians who served for life & made up original Senate – y 3rd c, had force of the law
E. most impt ppl’s assembly ® centuriate assembly – elected consuls & praetors and passed laws – organized by classes based on wealth, so wealthiest always the majority
F. conflicts often b/w plebs & pats – plebs wanted pol & social equality, esp when they fought in army to protect Rome – to appease in 471, the pop assembly called the council of the plebs was created – also officials called the tribunes of the plebs were empowered to protect the plebs, & by 4th c, plebs could be counsuls – in 287, the council of plebs received the right to pass laws for all Rome – despite these gains for the plebs, the wealthy ruling class dominated pol life
G. one of Rome’s most impt contributions was its syst of law – their first code of law, the Twelve Tables was adopted – later Romans adopted a more sophisticated syst of civil law which applied to Roman citz only
H. as Rome expanded, legal ? arose that involved Romans & non-Romans ® out of this came a body of laws called the Law of Nations to handle disputes – applied to all ppl equally & many principles used today like: innocent until proven otherwise; accused has a right to a defense before a judge; & judges should decide a case based on evidence
IV Rome Conquers the Mediterranean
A. Rome faced a strong pwr in Medit ® Carthage, founded by Phoenicians on N coast of Af – large trading empire in Medit, & their presence in Sicily worried Romans ® leads to struggle for control of Medit Þ the Punic Wars were on
B. 1st Punic War – b/w Rome & Carthage came when Rome sent troops to Sicily – Rome knew to win it needed large navy, so it built one – after Rome beat Carthage, Cart gave up rights to Sicily & pd $ to Rome, becoming Rome’s 1st province
C. Carthage wanted revenge ® sent Hannibal, the greatest Carthaginian general to begin 2nd Punic War – Hannibal changes strategy & moves into Spain, crosses Alps with large cavalry of horses & elephants – although many died along way, Rome is still under a huge threat
D. Battle of Cannae – Rome lost 40,000 men – responded by raising another army – Hannibal still roaming around Ity but could not successfully attack major cities – in a brilliant move, Rome attacks Carthage, forcing Hannibal to make a decision to stay or go back & defend his home – Hannibal returns & is crushed at the Battle of Zama – Spain became a province as Rome contr’ld Medit
E. 50 yrs later is 3rd Punic War – Roman soldiers sacked Carthage – 50,000 men, women, & children sold into slavery – Carthage becomes a province of Rome called Africa
F. Rome conquered Macedonia & Greece – both put under Roman control
5.2
I Growing Inequality and Unrest and a New Role for the Army
A. 2nd c, the Senate was made of mostly landed aristocracy & governed Rome – Senate & pol offices were increasingly contr’ld by small group of wealthy, pwrful families
B. backbone of state & army was the small farmer – most of them now have lost land to the larger landowners – formed a new urban class of landless poor – Rome began to suffer econ & social unrest
C. 2 brothers Tiberius & Gaius Gracchus (reform-minded aristocrats) believed problem was decline of small farmer ® they called for laws giving pub land of aristocrats back to landless poor (where have we heard this before???) – this angered a group of senators (they stood to lose lots) and both brothers were killed ® discontent & unrest grew in Rome
D. Sulla – won pwr by seizing Rome in 82 BC – he tried to restore Rome to the traditional Rep by restoring pwr to Senate & by taking away pwr of the pop assembly – this example of seizing pwr thru use of mil would later be repeated to Rome’s detriment
II The Collapse of the Republic
A. for almost 50 yrs (82 to 31 BC) Rome had civil wars – 3 men emerged victorious and agreed to rule together as the 1st Triumvirate: Crassus, Pompey, & Julius Caesar – they would all have equal pwr ???!!!
B. Each man had mil command – Crassus dies
C. Pompey went to war agst Caesar & lost – Caesar became dictator, but he knew Rome needed reform
D. Caesar’s right hand man, Antony, sought to continue the reforms so he formed the 2nd triumvirate w/ Octavian and Lepidus – more conspiring – civil wars in Roman Rep ended – a new period of Roman history known as Age of Augustus began
III The Age of Augustus
A. Octavian proclaimed “the restoration of the Republic” – gave only some pwr to Sen & became Rome’s 1st emperor ® Sen gave title of Augustus – the revered one
B. Aug was pop even though army was chief source of pwr – Sen also gave title of imperator or commander in chief
C. Had army of 28 legions (5,000 troops ea) – also est the Praetorian guard of 9,000 to protect emperor
D. He stabilized Rome’s frontiers & conquered new areas – German warriors wiped out 3 Roman legions – taught Aug that Rome’s pwr was limited
IV The Early Empire
A. period called the Early Empire lasted AD 14 to 180 – after Aug, emperor allowed to pick successor form his family – 1st 4 after Aug were from his family: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, & Nero – under these, the role of emp became more pwrful & more corrupt
B. Nero killed any one he wanted out of his way, including own mother – lacking an army, Sen could not oppose Nero, but his own legions revolted agst him & he committed suicide
C. Later came the 5 good emp – Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius Pius, & Marcus Aurelius – created a time of peace and prosperity called the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) – lasted almost 100 yrs – these emp’s stopped arbitrary executions, respected the ruling class & maintained peace – took pwr from Sen – appointed officials who ran gov’t – adopted capable men into families to serve as successors – some instituted programs to help ppl by helping poor educate their children & bldg projects
D. During beginning of early emp, Rome expanded – Hadrian was wise enough to see the emp getting too large – he w/drew troops from Mesop & became defensive along frontiers, strengthening fortification b/w Rhine & Danube R – also built wall in N Britain to keep out Picts & Scots – with all these efforts, defending emp became difficult
E. cities – impt in spread of culture, law, & Latin lang – while this was standard in west, Greek was used in east- this mixture of Roman & Grk cult after spread of Rom Emp’s spread is called Greco-Roman civilz
F. early emp – was prosperous – internal peace helped trade grow – trade went to China for silk & imported large amounts of grain & luxury items
G. farming – basis of Rome’s prosperity – large landed estates called latifundia, dominated farming
5.3
I Roman Art and Architecture and Roman Literature
A. devel’pd taste for Greek art
B. Romans excelled in archit – forms based on curved lines: dome, arch, & vault – also engineers built roads, bridges, & aqueducts – 500,000 miles of road
C. Lat Lit came to a high point
II The Roman Family
A. headed by the paterfamilias – the dominant male
B. Romans raised children at home (unlike Grks)
C. Rom’s believed women should have male guardians, usually the paterfamilias who arranged the marriage
D. Legal minimum age for girls to marry was 12, though 14 more common - boys married at 14 – once divorce was introduced, it became easy for men or women
E. By 2nd c, paterfamilias lost complete authority in family – he could not sell children into slavery or have them put to death (WOW!) – women now did not always have to have guardian – Upper-cl women could own, sell, & inherit prop and were not segregated in house from men like Grk
F. Outside house, women could attend races, theater, & events in amphitheater, BUT could not participate in pol
III Slavery
A. no ppl relied on slavery as much as Romans – even small farmers owned one
B. slaves came in as conquered war captives from around Medit
C. masters feared slave revolts – punishments were harsh – most famous slave revolt was led by Spartacus
IV Daily Life in The City of Rome
A. largest pop in Rome – brought overcrowding and noise – they organized a police force, but city was still dangerous – filthy place to live
B. poor – lived in apts called insulae – bldgs were 6 stories tall & poorly constructed (often collapsed) – fires were constant threat
C. high rents forced entire families to live in one room – apts did not have plumbing or cent heating® forced many ppl to spend time in streets
D. Unequaled pub bldgs like baths, temples, theaters, & markets – poor received free grain
E. Ppl entertained by grand pub spectacles & entertainments – gladiator contests, chariot races, & dramatic performances.
5.4
I. Background: Roman Religion
A. Augustus - revived traditional Roman relg festivals & ceremonies to bring back the Roman state relg - focused on worship of number of gods and goddesses ® Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, and Mars (based onthe Greek Olympian deities) ® Beginning with Augustus, emperors often were declared gods.
B. Romans believed that observing the proper rituals brought them into a right relationship with the gods - guaranteed peace and prosperity. They also believed that their success at empire building meant the gods favored them.
C. The Romans were tolerant of local religions and worshipb/c drawn to the religions of eastern areas they had conquered ® religions gave a more spiritual experience to them, promised entry into a higher reality, and taught of a life after death is superior to the present one.
II. The Jewish Background and The Rise of Christianity
A. By A.D.6, Judaea, covered the lands of ancient kingdom of Judah ® was a Roman province under the direction of a procurator. (Remember the Jews had been conquered several times and been passed along as slaves/conquered territory many times) - Unrest was common in Judaea, even among factions of Jews.
B. Among the Jews were 4 different groups w/ different motives:
1.Sadducees- taught to cooperate with the Romans.
2.Pharisees promoted close observance of religious law to protect Jewish identity from Roman influences.
3.Essenes awaited God to save Israel from oppression.
4.Zealots advocated overthrowing Roman rule (A revolt begun in 66 was crushed by the Romans, who destroyed the temple in Jerusalem).
C. Jesus, a Jew, began to preach in the midst of this conflict. Jesus taught that inner transformation was most important, not adhering to laws or rituals. He commanded we love God and love each other, treating all as our neighbors. Jesus taught the virtues that would later shape the value system of Western civilization: humility, charity, and love of others.