Ancient Rome and the Rise of
Christianity
Chapter 5
509 BC to 476 AD
Section 1
The Roman World Takes Shape
• A. Roman Civilization Arises in Italy
– Geography made Italy easier to take over
– Latins had settled on Tiber River
– Romulus and Remus- brothers, settled on the
seven hills- founders of Rome
– Sons of Latin women and god Mars
– Eventually take over Etruscans
• Adopted alphabet from them
• Also arch architecture
B. Rome Republic
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Res publica- belongs to the people
People chose the officials that run gov’t
Patricians
Consuls
Dictator
Plebeians
Tribunes
Veto
Rome’s 12 tablets
C. Roman Society
• Males head of the household
• Women did have larger role- could own
property, own businesses, get educated, but
most worked in the home
• Most children educated
• Adopted many Greek gods
D. Republic Grows
• Army made up of citizen soldiers divided into
legions of 5,000
• Eventually, would become well trained
professional soldiers
• Paid with the spoils of war
• Honor, bravery, courage rewarded
• Running away punished
• Defeated enemies usually treated well
• Created roads to increase trade and protect
lands
Section 2
From Republic to Empire
• A. Rome Grows Through Conquest
– Carthage was a city state in Northern Africa
– North Africans and Phoenician traders
– 264BC to 146BC fought 3 wars
– Called the Punic Wars
B. First Punic War
• Rome defeated Carthage
• Won the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia
C. Second Punic War
• Carthaginians seek revenge
• General Hannibal leads army through France
and over Alps
• Brings war elephants
• 1/3 of his army doesn’t survive the march
• Invades Italy from North
• On war path for 15 years
• Hannibal failed to take Rome
• Had to return home to defend Carthage
• Was defeated
• D: Third Punic Wars
– Rome invades and destroys Carthage
– Salts the land so nothing will grow again
E. Ruling Mediterranean
• Imperialism- Rome took over areas, colonized
them, and used their influence to benefit
Rome
• Pretty soon, the Mediterranean was a Roman
lake
• Spain, Gaul, North Africa, Britain, and parts of
Asia Minor belonged to Romans
F. Impact
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Riches brought to Rome
Latifundia?
1/3 of Rome eventually slaves
Farmers couldn’t compete
Unemployment rises
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus attempt reform
– Feed the poor
– Killed by the Senate
G. Republic Declines
• Revolts and slave uprisings weakened the
republic
• Professional soldiers loyalty to their generals
• Julius Caesar marches back with army and
makes himself dictator
– Veni Vidi Vici
• Once in charge, made many reforms
• However, 44BC stabbed on Senate floor
H. Empire
• Octavian defeated Marc Antony
• Senate names him Augustus and appointed
him First Citizen
• Rome no longer a Republic as emperors had
complete power
• Used census to build a stable gov’t
• However, didn’t lay out how to replace an
emperor
I: Emperors Vary
• Good Emperors would follow
– Hadrian
– Marcus Aurelius
• However, many bad emperors
– Nero
– Caligula
J: Pax Roma
• Roman Peace- 200 years of peace ending with
Marcus Aurelius
• The Coliseum
• The Circus Maximus
• Games hid underlying economic problems
Section 3
The Roman Achievement
• A. Literature, History, and Philosophy
• Blending of Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman
traditions called Greco-Roman Civilization
• Poem- Virgil’s epic- Rome’s great past
– Satirize- Horace’s satires
• Philosophy- almost stole completely from
Greeks
• History- stressed heroic past
• Art– Sculptures stressed realism
– Mosaic- picture made of tiny pieces
• Architecture- used concrete
– Immense palaces and structures
– Most famous domed Pantheon
B. Engineering
• Best roads, bridges, and harbors united
empire
• Aqueducts
• Ptolemy?
C. New Law Codes
• Rule of law- Let justice be done though the
heavens fall
• Civil Law
• Law of nations
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Innocent until proven guilty
Could face your accuser
Guilt established using evidence
However, Penalties still not equal
Section 4
The Rise of Christianity
• A. Diverse Religion
– As Rome conquered territory, new religions fell
under their dominion
– Most were polytheistic
– Had to acknowledge and honor Roman gods
B. Judea
• Jews were monotheistic
• Conquered by the Romans in 63 BC
• Tried to rebel, defeated, and the temple
destroyed
• Masada?
• Many Jews leave Judea, but believed Messiah
would soon appear and lead them to freedom
C. Jesus
• What we know comes from the bibleMathew, Mark, Luke, and John
• Preached near Galilee
• 12 Apostles, or followers
• Romans and Jewish leaders felt he was a
threat
• Had him Crucified
D. Christianity spreads
• Peter and apostles spread the teachings of
Jesus
• Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, was one
of the most influential preachers
• Using good Roman roads, Christianity spread
and became its own religion
E. Persecution
• Romans felt Christianity a threat
• Persecuted Christians- made them martyrs
• However, many moved by their faith and
willingness to die for it
• Emperor Constantine issued Edict of Milanmade Christianity acceptable
• Theodosius actually made official religion of
Rome
F. Early Church
• Baptized to join
• Became a hierarchy
– Clergy, bishops, patriarchs, Pope
• Heresies?
Section 5
The Long Decline
• A. Roman Empire Divides
– After death of Marcus Aurelius in 180, turmoil
would grip the empire
– Many coups and assassination- 50 years- 26
emperors- only one died of natural causes
– Bad economy as more and more people become
poor- live on large estates owned by few
B. Empire Splits
• Rome divided into East and West
– West still centered on Rome, crumbling
– East- Diocletian puts capital at Constantinopleempire much richer and last a 1,000 years longer
C. Invaders
• The Huns, emerging out of Asia, pushed into
Europe
• Attila the Hun- leader, forced Visigoths,
Ostrogoth, and other Germanic people into
Roman territory
• Weakened Roman legions can’t repel attacks
• 378- Rome is sacked by Alaric of the Visigoths
• Meanwhile, most of Roman colonies breaking
away
• 476- Odoacer, a Germanic leader, ousted the
emperor and the Roman empire ceased to exist
as it was
• Why
– Military attacks- mercenaries and barbarians
– Political Turmoil- politics and leaders corrupt
– Economic weakness- more taxes to support army hurt
economy as most people become poor
– Social Decay- parties prestige instead of morals
• Many aspects of Rome survived, and Eastern
empire continued as Byzantine empire