PowerPoint text from Lecture 7
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Lecture 7A- The Third-Century Crisis
I)
From Above
II)
From Outside
III)
From Below
IDs:
Bread and circuses
gladiators
Antonine dynasty
Marcus Aurelius
Septimus Severus
Debasement
Barracks emperors
Sassanids
West Germanic Revolution
Goths
Provincial revolts
banditry
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69 AD- “The Year of the Four Emperors”
Invasion of Rome from 4 provincial generals
Quick scramble for power
Civic apathy
How are Emperors like the weather?
“We just to wait for bad ones to pass and hope for good ones to appear.” --Tacitus
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Flavian Dynasty
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Arch of Titus (81 AD)
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Circus Maximus
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Give the People What they Want:
Bread and Circus
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Seneca and the Gladiatorial Games
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The Antonines (96- 193 AD)
Military leaders
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The Antonines (96- 193 AD)
Military leaders
Tradition of succession
Ended with Marcus Aurelius
Commodus
- overthrown
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I) From above
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The Third-Century Crisis
Problems:
From Above
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Pertinax
Successor to Commodus
Appointed by Praetorian Guard
Career soldier
Killed by Praetorian Guard after 3 months
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Emperor Septimus Severus
(r. 193-211)
Pertinax succeeds Commodus
- killed by Praetorian Guard
Declining plunder
Confiscations from Senators
Military rule
“Enrich the army, boys, and scorn the rest.”
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Caracalla
(r. 211-217)
and debasement
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“Barracks emperors”
Praetorian Guard
Financial problems
“Raised and destroyed”:
17 of the 20 emperors between 235 and 284 AD are killed by their own troops or other Romans
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The Third-Century Crisis
Problems:
From Above
From Outside
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Problems from outside the Empire
Slowing conquest
Famine
Plagues
New barbarian threats
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Sassanid Empire
The Sassanids:
Revived Persian Empire
After 227 AD
Capture of Valerian
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West Germanic Revolution
Initial clans
New alliances
Germans:
Franks
Alemanni
Marco-manni
Goths:
Germans
Slavs
Scythians
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The Third-Century Crisis
Problems:
From Above
From Outside
From Below
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III) From Below
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Debasement and inflation
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Bulla the Lucky
Army of 600 men
Northern Italy
“Carry this message back to your own masters: Let them feed their slaves so that they might not be
compelled to turn to a life of banditry.”
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Lecture 7B- Roman Spirituality
I)
Religion and consolation
II)
Early Christianity, 30AD- 200AD
III)
The Great Persecution
IDs:
Persecution
neoplatonism
Asceticism
Mystery cults
Synoptic Gospels
John’s Gospel
Christology
Revelations
Crucifixion
Saul of Tarsus
Ecclesiae
Social mission
Martyrs
Diocletian
Tetrarchy
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Great Persecution
Imperial Response: Persecution
Initial explanation of problems:
Roman gods were upset
- resistance from monotheists
Answer: enforce religious conformity
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Neoplatonism
Founded by Plotinus
(c. 204-270 AD)
Three teachings:
1) Emanations
-soul
-matter
2) Mysticism
- reunion
3) Asceticism
- Denial of materialism
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Roman “Mystery Cults”
From fringes to the center:
Isis
Mithras
Dionysius
Personal alternative to civic religion
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Jewish-Roman relations
Various reactions to Roman rule:
Compromise:
Sadducees
Hard-liners:
Hasidim
Pharisees
Zealots
(Galilee)
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Early Christianity:
“The Historical Jesus”
No direct texts- Greek-language records, 50-150 AD
Sources: Large numbers- about 50 gospels, 21 epistles
Gospels:
Synoptic books:
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke
Book of John
Acts and Epistles
Revelations
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Post-Crucifixion Christianity (after 30 AD)
Resurrection
Peter
Jewish context
New elements
Baptism
Eucharist
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Saul (Paul) of Tarsus
(c.10-c.63 AD)
Observant Jew
Also a Roman citizen
Universal mission
Debate within early Church
(Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 15)
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Spread of Christianity before 200 AD
Ecclesiae
Trading cities
<10,000 by 100 AD
200,000 by 200 AD
But only .3% of total imperial population
(60 million)
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Social Mission of Christianity
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II) Persecution
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Roman Persecutions of Christians
Reaction to early problems
- ex. Nero
Monotheism as unpatriotic
“Atheism,” etc.
Sporadic
Intensifies during the 3rd-Century Crisis
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Saint Perpetua’s martyrdom
(203 AD)
Now dawned the day of their victory, and they went forth from the prison into the amphitheatre as it
were into heaven, cheerful and bright of countenance; if they trembled at all, it was for joy, not for fear.
Perpetua followed behind, glorious of presence, as a true spouse of Christ and darling of God; at whose
piercing look all cast down their eyes. . . . For she said: For this cause came we willingly unto this, that
our liberty might not be obscured. For this cause have we devoted our lives, that we might do no such
thing as this; this we agreed with you. . . . Perpetua began to sing, as already treading on the Egyptian's
head. Revocatus and Saturninus and Saturus threatened the people as they gazed. Then when they
came into [Governor] Hilarian's sight, they began to say to Hilarian, stretching forth their hands and
nodding their heads: You judge us, they said, and God you. . . . Then truly they gave thanks because they
had received somewhat of the sufferings of the Lord.
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Christianity and Suffering
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Two Major policies of Diocletian (r. 284-305)
Overextended empire
1) Tetrarchy:
East and West sections
Augustus- senior
Caesar- junior
Dominus
2) “Great Persecution”
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III) Imperial Conversion
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Constantine (r. 306-337)
Successor to Diocletian
Internal fighting
Battle of Milvian Bridge
Vision
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Constantine (r. 306-337)
Victory at Milvian Bridge
Edict of Milan (313 AD)
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Constantine’s conversion (?)
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Church and Empire
Imperial orders vs. paganism
Rapid growth in 4th Century- from 4 million to 30 million
Continuing conflicts:
390 ADEmperor Theodosius and St. Ambrose of Milan
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I)
Lecture 7C: Early Christianity
Structure
IDs:
Bishops
dioceses
Arianism
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Church Structure and Doctrine
Conspiracy?
Gnostic Gospels
Church Councils
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Expansion of Christianity after 300 AD
Rapid growth
4m- 300 AD
30m- 400 AD
Chiliasts
Dioceses
Leadership- bishops
Doctrine- orthodoxy
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Roman Dioceses 330 AD
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Major Patriarchates
Jerusalem
Antioch
Alexandria
Constantinople
Rome (Petrine Succession)