Christianity in the Pax Romona

- backstory leading into the Middle Ages

- a new religion in the empire

Root

- begin with Jesus
- comes from Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
- Gospel: good news
- no way Jesus looked like this

Jesus
- Jewish itinerant preacher in Judea
- set himself apart from other "Messiahs" (the only one)
- did not set new religion
- did not revolt the government
- taught God's personal relationship to each human being
- message of love
- did not go far
- be famous after death when Paul walked around
- come to the end of world and bring faithful into the kingdom of God
- both human and divine
- crucified because threat to Rome
- Apostles spread his teaching around world

Start Spreading the News
- Paul of Tarsus became the follower of Jesus after a miraculous vision
- predestination: God chose who was to be saved and who was to be damned
- well-traveled, helped found churches, keep in touch with new Christians by letters
- outlaw cult → actual religion

Grow
- both Jew and Christians were monotheistic
- refused to worship Roman gods
- easy to travel and spread idea (not only Paul)
- poor Romans were a receptive audience

Problem with Monotheistic
- sometimes persecuted by Roman authorities (contradicted law)
- could be exiled, imprisoned, executed, crucified, burned or killed by wild animal
- the things goes wrong for Roman Empire
- scapegoats were needed

Appeal
- embraced all people (men and women, enslaved, poor)
- gave hope to powerless
- appeal who was disgusted by imperial Rome's decadence
- offer personal relationship with God
- promise eternal life after death

Conversion of Constantine (AD 312)
- turning point
- Roman emperor Constantine has a vision before a key battle
- image is a cross and some words in the sky (in this sign conquer)
- order troop to put cross on shields
Then they win!

Edict of Milan (AD 313)
- approved by emperor
- continues to gain strength
- by 380 became official religion
- Chi-Rho

Decline of Roman Empire
- last emperor in 476 (14-year-old boy: Romulus Augustulus)
- military: weak to defend
- economy: tax too high, gap, trade, rich and poor
- social: population decrease, disloyalty, no one cares public affairs
- political: division

Absent

I was not here on Friday because of the chorus field trip.

Test Back

Today Mr. Schick gave us test paper back, but not included mine, because all other students took the test on Monday while I was not here, so I just made up today.
I heard the test was difficult, but actually when I took it, I felt it was really, really difficult, though all questions were multiple choices. I knew most of the questions, and felt not sure with some, and had never seen few of them. Just like "who's the woman Tarquin's son attacked" or "where's the territory of Carthage now", I really had no idea and got them wrong. But luckily I took guess many times and just got these two wrong. Carol told me that we can find all of the answers in PowerPoint, but I thought I had already read every word on each slide and still failed to find them, so where exactly were them? Maybe just be mentioned in class.

Absent

Test Review

Today we reviewed for the test next Monday about ancient Rome.

Conner and Collins provided many questions for us, some are good, but some also are unnecessary I think, especially those about the date and years. It is really meaningless to remember them. 

And here is a good news that Mr. Schick will put some of these questions in the test.

Then after reviewing, we watched a movie about one of the Punic War. To be honest I cannot identify which war it is, but I think it is good.

By the way, I have to say Mr. Fredryk's room is freezing.

In 44 BC Julius Caesar was assassinated by senators.

First Triumvirate: Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus

Second Triumvirate: Octavius, Mark Anthony and Lepidus

First Punic War: naval battle

Carthage never won Punic War

Caesar recognized the advantage of plebeians

Rome Notes5

Caesar Seizing Power
- served as consul for 1 year
- appointed himself the governor of Gaul
- Pompey felt jealous then they became rivals
- Caesar's army clashed his army in Greece, Asia, Spain and Egypt
- in 44 BC became dictator
- first for 6 months then for life (people like him)

Reforms
- granted citizenship to people in provinces (made them on his side)
- expanded senate (added his friends)
- created jobs for poor, especially public work project
- increased the pay for soldiers
- started colonies that people without land can own property

Assassination
Why: his increasing power treated senators' political viability
How: lured him into senate and stabbed 23 times (finally stopped resisting)
Who: even included Brutus (Caesar's ally)
- senators did not be punished
- Octavius was Caesar's sole heir
- end of the Republic

Aftermath to the Murder
- Octavius took over (18)
- Mark Antony and Lepidus
- Second Triumvirate

A Doomed Alliance
- Octavius forced Lepidus to retire
- he became rival with Anthony
- Anthony partners up with Cleopatra of Egypt (female pharaoh)
- Octavius defeated them at the Battle of Actium

Octavius on His Way
- unchallenged ruler of Rome
- "Augustus" (honored one)
- "imperator" (supreme military commander)
- ↑ origin of word emperor
- Rome became empire not republic

Augustus (27BC-AD14: 41 years)
Tiberius (AD14-37)
- after son's death exiled himself from Rome and left his perfects in charge
Caligula (AD37-41)
- known as his cruelty, extravagance and perversity
- assassinated by a group of guards, senators, and imperial court, trying to re-establish the republic
Claudius (AD41-54)
- suffered fro many infirmties
- took over because he was the last male in his family
- ruled well
- died by poisoning (last wife's plan)
- made her son Nero take over
Nero (AD 54-68: 14 years)
- emphasized the arts
- huge fire in AD64 (though he did not fiddle)
- want to rebuild Rome to make it majestic
- hugely overspent, even raided temples for money
- historians do not look kindly on him

Rome Notes4

A Change in Rule
Tiberius Gracchus recognized the advantages of courting plebeians (though unsuccessful)
Military generals lead a army that conquer a land and share it with them

Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE)
General, public speaker
Conquered a huge territory of Gaul (not France)
- made common folks happy
- made friends with people in high places
Pompey (general who conquered Syria and Palestine)
Crassus (the richest people in Rome)
First Triumvirate (rule of three men)
Became the dictator
→ middle class happy but senates not