Clash with Monotheism, Accomplishments, and Fall of Rome
EQ: Why did the Romans feel that Judaism was a threat to their society? How did Roman accomplishments in literature and language influence later societies?
Rome’s Growing Empire The Romans wanted to expand their empire to gain more land and resources (ex. control of gold & farmland) Conquests led to more trade and access to raw materials​. •
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Pax Romana:​ first 200 years of the Roman Empire was a time of peace and prosperity. -
Trade grew, making the Romans very wealthy Roman life improved The Pax Romana ended in 180s AD. Rome’s Accomplishments (WH 326-327)
Science and Engineering
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Studied the stars & created calendar
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Roman Arch ( ex. Aqueduct, Coliseum)
Architecture and Art
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Greek style columns & marble buildings
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Frescos, mosaics, and lifelike sculptures
Literature and Language
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Epics, poems (Aeneid by Ovid)
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Development of Romantic languages Clash with Monotheism ● Romans allowed the conquered places to keep their religions​...​but that was only for those who were polytheistic. ● people who believed in Judaism only worshipped ONE god ● Romans thought Jews insulted Rome’s gods by not praying to them. ● Judea, a territory where most Jews lived was under Roman rule​.​ ​66-70 AD the Jews rebelled against the Romans​. ● every time they rebelled against the Romans they were defeated​. Rise of Christianity: ● The Jews were defeated and forced out and banned from Jerusalem. ● Rome brought in people from inside the Roman Empire to settle in Jerusalem. ● A new religion appeared in Judea (region), Christianity. Christianity:​ ​A religion based upon the teachings and life of Jesus of Nazareth​. Messiah ​(​“God’s anointed one”​). ● Jesus turned 30, he travelled around Judea and taught about religion​. ● Jesus’s teachings challenged the authority and politics of Rome. ● Roman soldiers arrested Jesus around 30 AD. Soon after his arrest he was crucified. Crucifixion​: A type of execution where a person is nailed to a cross. ● Through the teachings of 12 Apostles, who received special training from Jesus, Christianity grew. ● Roman Emperors feared that Christians would cause unrest in the empire so they persecuted Christians. Persecution​: punishment of a group because of their beliefs. Struggles within the Roman Empire •
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Invasions and battles with the Persians, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals,the Huns, etc. Not enough food for the empire and Rome was too big to govern. Disease A Split Empire ● Emperor ​Diocletian felt the empire was too big for just one person to rule. Diocletian ruled the eastern half of the Roman Empire. Constantine ● Diocletian’s successor​, ​moved Rome’s capital from Rome to Constantinople: “City of Constantine”. Western Empire Falls ● In 408 AD​,​ ​the city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths. ● Attila the Hun​, ​a great military,​ ​was successful in defeating the Western Roman Empire. Justinian and Theodora (527-565 AD) ● As the Western Roman Empire fell, the Eastern Roman Empire grew. ● Emperor Justinian made it his passion to reunite the old Roman Empire and take back Italy and to make sure that the laws he created treated all fairly. ● Justinian Code:​ ​Justinian organized all laws into a new legal system, with Christianity at its center. ● However, Justinian made enemies within the empire​; although, ​his powerful wife Theodora helped him combat the enemy riots and ruled well until the end of his reign. Justinian’s Death and the end of the Roman Empire ● After Justinian’s death, the empire, for the next several hundred years shrank into nothing. ● In 1453, the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople, and the Byzantine Empire (eastern Europe) came to be. ● Christianity was still very important in east and created iconic churches to reflect their faith. Summary: ​The Romans felt that Judaism was a threat to their society because _____________________________. The Roman accomplishments in literature and language affected later societies in a couple ways. One way that later societies were affected was ___________________________. Another way was _________________________.