Transcript Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome
Chapter 5 Section 3
Roman Achievement
Roman Culture
• Roman Civilization was not just Roman
– Blending of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman achievements
– Blending is called “Greco-Roman”
• Poetry
– While most Romans wrote in Latin still imitated the Greek form
– Virgil wrote the epic poem the Aeneid
• Tells of the Trojan War
• Tells of the founding of Rome by Aeneas
• Written to instill patriotism after Civil Wars
• Other poets used verse to satirize Roman society
• Historians wrote about the rise and fall of Rome
– Livy wrote to increase patriotism and restore traditional Roman
values
– Tacitus wrote bitterly about Augustus and his successors
– Tacitus felt they took away Roman liberties
• Philosophy
– Borrowed heavily from the Greeks
– Advanced Stoicism and the acceptance of one’s fate
• Idea would later be reflected in Christian teachings
Roman Art
• Based on Greek and Etruscan models but adapted into
Roman style
• Art
– Stress realism – focus on revealing character
– Some was idealistic – like showing rulers as imposing and
powerful
– Romans used art to beautify their homes
– Artists depicted daily scenes in frescoes and mosaics
Roman Architecture
• Romans emphasized grandeur in their architecture
– Viewed as monuments to Roman power
• Improved upon existing devices, columns and arches
• Used concrete
• Developed the rounded dome
– Most famous used in the Pantheon which still stands today
– The Pantheon still holds the record for the world's largest
unreinforced concrete dome.
Pantheon
Applied Science and Math
• Romans excelled at engineering
– Built roads, bridges, and harbors
– Roads were so solid that many were still in use after the fall of
Rome
• Also built aqueducts
– Bridge like structures used to carry water vast distances
• Wealthy had water piped in
• Many cities had public baths
• Generally left research to the Greeks
• Ptolemy suggested that the Earth was at the center of the
universe
– Idea was accepted in the Western world for about 1,500 years
• Greek doctor Galen created the first medical encyclopedia
• Romans put science to practical use
– Geography to make maps
– Pliny the Elder compiled encyclopedias on geography, zoology,
and botany
– Used medical knowledge to improve public health
Roman Law
• “Let justice be done.”
• Greatest legacy of Rome was its commitment to the rule
of law and justice
• Civil Law – Applied to citizens
• Law of Nations – Applied to everyone under Roman rule
• Criminal Law: many common principles
– Innocent until proven guilty
– Guilt had to be clearly established
• Pg 161 vocab, pg 165 3-5
The Rise of Christianity
• In culturally diverse Rome various religious beliefs
coexisted
– Traditional Roman gods were important but people began to
look for spiritual fulfillment elsewhere.
• Rise of Mystery religions
– Emphasized secret rituals and promised special rewards
• Cult of Isis (Egypt)
– Offered Men and Women equal status
• Cult of Mithras
– Persian god who championed good over evil
• Religious Toleration
– Rome generally tolerated various religions
• By 63 B.C. Rome had conquered Judea
– Romans excused the Jews from worshiping the Roman gods
– Many Jewish people adopted Greek and Roman culture
– Lead to divisions among the Jewish people
– Some believed a messiah would come a lead to freedom
Jesus and His Teachings
• Christianity arose out of Jewish turmoil
• Founded by Jesus
– Most of what we know about his life comes from the Gospels
• Born in 4 B.C.
– Descendant of King David of Israel
• Worshiped God and followed Jewish law
• At about 30 began preaching
• Used parables to teach moral lessons
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Recruited 12 followers called apostles
Jesus’ message was rooted in Jewish tradition
Belief in one God and the 10 Commandments
Obedience to the laws of Moses
Defended the teachings of Jewish prophets
Provided new teachings
– Called the “Son of God”
– Many believed he was the messiah
• proclaimed that his mission was to bring spiritual salvation
and eternal life to anyone who would believe him
Condemned to Death
• Jesus traveled too Jerusalem for Passover
• Some welcomed him others thought he was going to
cause trouble
– Jewish leaders felt he was challenging their leadership
– Roman army thought he might lead a rebellion against Rome
• Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples and arrested
and crucified
Christianity Spreads
• After the death of Jesus the apostles and other disciples
spread the word of Jesus and His teachings
• Originally only preached to the Jews of Judea
– Some believed that Jesus was the messiah
– These believers became the first Christians
• Gradually began preaching to other groups
• Paul was influential in spreading Christianity
– Helped progress Christianity from a sect of Judaism
• Rome’s religious tolerance did not extend to Christianity
– Christians refused to honor the emperor with sacrifices or ask
the traditional gods to protect Rome
• Christians would meet in secret to avoid persecution
• Some were killed for their beliefs
• Vocab 166 Questions 3-5 pg 171
The Long Decline
• After ruling the Mediterranean for hundreds of years the
Empire faced threats from inside and out
– Economic problems
– Declining values
– Foreign invasions
• The Empire divides
– In 180 with the death of Marcus Aurelius the golden age of
Rome (Pax Romana) ended
• Political violence then became common
– Emperors were repeatedly overthrown or assassinated
• High taxes were created to support the army and
bureaucracy
• Farmland had been overused and lost it productivity
• In 284 A.D. Diocletian attempted to restore order
– Split the empire into two retaining control of the western part
– Attempted to control inflation
• Constantine gained the throne
– Followed in Diocletian’s footsteps
– Granted toleration to Christians
– Renamed Byzantium to Constantinople as a new capital
• Reforms improved the economy but were unable to
prevent the decline
• Rome was being invaded by Germanic peoples (Visigoths
and Ostrogoths) seeking safety from the Huns
• These invading people proved too much for Rome to
defend against
• As Rome was losing battles new waves invaders began
attacking
• Rome officially fell in 476 A.D. when Germanic leader
Odoacer sacked Rome
• Later Roman military lacked the discipline and training of
the empire of the past
• Political Turmoil as emperors became too oppressive
• The size of the empire resulted in heavy, burdensome
taxes
• Roman civilization was kept alive through the Christian
Church however
• Vocab pg 173, #3-5 pg 177