Rome and Christianity Vocab

Christianity

A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth that developed in Judea in the first century A.D.

Martyr

A person who is killed because of their religious beliefs.

Paul of Tarsus

One of the most important figures in the spread of Christianity; he worked to spread Jesus' teachings and wrote letters that explained key ideas of Christianity.

Persecution

Mistreatment or punishment of a group of people because of their beliefs or differences.

Pope

Head of the Roman Catholic Church; Head Roman bishop. The Pope serves as the spiritual leader and has authority over church doctrines and practices.

crucifixion

Roman method of execution by nailing a person to a wooden cross. It was a brutal and public form of capital punishment, often used for slaves, rebels, and criminals.

Resurrection

In Christianity, this was Jesus' rise from the dead.

Messiah

In Judaism, a new leader that would appear among Jews and restore the greatness of ancient Israel.

John the Baptist

A famous prophet who preached the coming of the Messiah. He baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

Byzantine Empire

The eastern half of the Roman Empire, which developed after the fall of the western Roman Empire. Its capital was Constantinople, named after the Emperor Constantine.

Justinian

Byzantine emperor in the 6th century A.D. who reconquered much of the Mediterranean, built Hagia Sophia, and created a new legal system called Justinian's Code.