Rome: ImportanceRome: Importance

“successor” to Greece “carrier” of Greek civilization political model for later Europe measure of success for nations and

individuals

Importance, con’tImportance, con’t

model for later monarchies model for later, mixed constitutions

– Great Britain, U.S., etc. model for most European legal systems model for the concept of citizenship

Roman HistoryRoman History

The Regal Age: ca. 779-509 B.C. The Republic: 509-27 B.C. The Empire: 27 B.C.-1453 A.D.

– Early Empire: 27 B.C.-325 A.D.– Later Empire: 325 A.D.-1453 A.D.

Location Location

Italy Tiber River between Etruscan and Greek cities part of the Latin League

Early historyEarly history

Indo-European entered Italy ca. 2000 B.C. settled south of the Tiber primitive institutions

The KingsThe Kings

Seven kings Romulus historical kings?

– the Etruscan kings – the last three

The RepublicThe Republic

revolution patricians (2-4%) and plebeians (96-

98%) constitutional government

– influenced by Athens?– the constitution of Cleisthenes?

OfficesOffices

2 consuls 2 praetors aediles quaestors dictator

Important institutionsImportant institutions

the assemblies the elective offices patron-client relationships The Twelve Tables

Struggle of the OrdersStruggle of the Orders

struggle for political participation plebeian institutions: the tribunes the secessions the compromises

– no political violence until 133 B.C.

Roman ExpansionRoman Expansion

conquest of Veii: Rome’s “Trojan War” gradual expansion for a century the Latin League

– extension of citizenship– Romans, half-citizens, Latins, allies– continuous expansion

Celts, Samnites, etc.

Expansion, con’tExpansion, con’t

Etruscans Greeks Carthage ???

– three Punic Wars– 254, 220, 146 B.C.

control of Western Mediterranean

Expansion, con’tExpansion, con’t

the Hellenistic Monarchies the Greek Federal Leagues lots of wars, Romans are dragged in...a lot Romans get tired of it control of most of the Med. basin by 100

B.C. but still essentially a city-state

Roman ReligionRoman Religion

rustic Italian cults overlay of Greek religion Etruscan influences Romans as “pack rats”

Roman artRoman art

best we don’t even talk about that

Roman architectureRoman architecture

great skill engineers and architects roads, cities concrete

Roman LiteratureRoman Literature

copied from Greek models interests in rhetoric, law, and satire Stoic and Epicurean philosophy

The Late Republic: 133-27 B.C.The Late Republic: 133-27 B.C.

introduction of violence into domestic politics

competition for status and recognition civil war

Important FiguresImportant Figures

Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus Marius and Sulla Pompey the Great, Marcus Crassus,

Julius Caesar– First Triumvirate

Marc Antony, Marcus Lepidus, Octavian Caesar– Second Triumvirate

Gaius Marius

Gaius JuliusCaesar

Pompey the

Great

Cicero

Octavian Augustus

Octavian as pontifex maximus

Marc Antony

The EmpireThe Empire

unification of the Mediterranean basin and western Europe

extended citizenship empire-wide commerce Roman law tolerance for local autonomy

The Julio-ClaudiansThe Julio-Claudians

Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero

ChangesChanges

reduction of political competition end to expansion reduction in the army further extension of citizenship

The FlaviansThe Flavians

Year of the Four Emperors (69 A.D.) Vespasian Titus Domitian

The Antonines: the Good EmperorsThe Antonines: the Good Emperors Edward Gibbon the height of the Empire the culmination of the pax Romana succession by adoption of the most

competent

The Good EmperorsThe Good Emperors

Nerva Trajan

– strong military leader Hadrian

– excellent administrator– Hellenophile

Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius

– the embodiment of the philosopher king

The Rise of ChristianityThe Rise of Christianity

Jesus of Nazareth– teacher, prophet, revolutionary– the Jesus Movement

Paul of Tarsus– cultural mixture: Jewish and Greek– founder of Christianity

Rise of Christianity, con’tRise of Christianity, con’t

disappearance of Jewish followers: 70 A.D.

growth of the Pauline church the poor, women, children, slaves no success among men, the educated,

etc. benefits of Roman infrastructure and the

pax Romana

Roman suspicionRoman suspicion

the First Jewish War “eastern religion”

– corrupted the mos maiorum– that is, “traditional family values”

rumors of orgies and cannibalism Second Jewish War Trajan’s Rescript

The Crisis of the Third Century

End of the practice of adoption The Severian Emperors

– the army as a social class– abandonment of the Augustan constitution– collapse of the senate and other organs of

state– collapse of the civil adminstration

Crisis, con’t

collapse of society– breakdown of social classes

collapse of the economy– collapse of trade and coinage

barbarian invasions civil wars

– Thirty emperors– The Danubian emperors (soldiers)

Crisis, con’t

Aurelian - restituor orbis Decius - persecutions of those who

corrupt traditional family values Diocletian

Diocletian and Reform

The Tetrarchy The Annona The Edict of Maximum Prices The “new provinces” The “eastern frontiers” The “new capitals” The “persecutions”

– Edict of Toleration, 311

Constantine

The divided empire, united The Battle of the Milvian Bridge The “conversion of Constantine” The Edict of Milan - 314 The First Ecumenical Council The New Capital

– Constantinople

Books for you to read

H.H. Scullard and M. Cary. A History of Rome to 325

J.B. Bury. The Later Roman Empire A.H.M. Jones. The Later Empire J.J. Norwich. A Short History of Byzantium E. Gruen. The Last Generation of the Roman

Republic Michael Crawford. The Roman Republic Colin Wells. The Roman Empire Averil Cameron. The Later Roman Empire

More Books

M. Gelzer. Caesar C. Meier. Caesar A. Everitt. Augustus E. Gruen. Diaspora: Jews among the

Greeks and Romans W.G. Kummel. Introduction to the New

Testament Keith F. Nickle. The Synoptic Gospels

And more books…. Joel Carmichael. The Birth of Christianity A. Schweitzer. The Quest for the Historical

Jesus W. Barnes Tatum. The Quest for Jesus M. Grant. Jesus: An Historians Review of the

Gospels M. Grant. The Jews in the Roman World M. Grant. St. Paul E.P. Sanders. The Historical Figure of Jesus Paula Fredrickson. Jesus of Nazareth King of

the Jews

More….

Bart Ehrman. Jesus: Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millenium

Geza Vermes. Jesus the Jew L. Michael White. From Jesus to Christianity S.G.F. Brandon. The Trial of Jesus of

Nazareth Hyam Maccoby. Mythmaker: Paul and the

Invention of Christianity Morton Smith. Jesus the Magician

And yet more… www.etsu.edu/cas/history/religionsbib.ht

m R. Helms. Gospel Fictions R. Helms. Who Wrote the Gospels H.Y. Gamble. The Canon of the New

Testament D.A. Carson. The King James Debate:

A plea for realism