western civilization unit 3

Augustus (Octavian)

First Roman Emperor; began Pax Romana; called Princeps ("First Citizen"); died AD 14.

Pax Romana

"Peace of Rome"; period from 27 BC to AD 180 of relative peace and prosperity.

Tiberius

Roman emperor during the earthly ministry of Jesus.

Caligula

Roman emperor known for appointing his horse to the Senate; nicknamed "Little Boots."

Claudius

Roman emperor who conquered Britain.

Nero

Roman emperor who blamed Christians for the fire of Rome in AD 64; Peter and Paul were martyred during his reign.

Vespasian

Flavian emperor who led Roman forces in the Jewish War.

Titus

Son of Vespasian; destroyed the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70.

Domitian

Roman emperor who persecuted Christians and exiled John.

Trajan

Five Good Emperor under whom Rome reached its greatest territorial extent.

Hadrian

Built Hadrian's Wall in Britain and completed the Pantheon.

Marcus Aurelius

Stoic philosopher-emperor; last ruler of Pax Romana.

Pax Romana Dates

27 BC - AD 180.

Stephen

First Christian martyr.

Paul

Missionary who helped spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.

Peter

Apostle crucified upside down.

James

Only apostle whose martyrdom is recorded in the New Testament.

John

Only apostle to die a natural death; wrote Revelation.

Roman Roads

Helped Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Greek Language

Universal language that helped spread Christianity.

Martyr

Means "witness"; one who dies for faith.

10 Great Persecutions

Major persecutions of Christians from AD 64-313.

Nero Persecution

First major persecution of Christians; AD 64.

Domitian Persecution

John exiled; Revelation written.

Trajan Persecution

Ignatius and Polycarp associated with this period.

Marcus Aurelius Persecution

Justin Martyr and Blandina persecuted.

Diocletian

Worst persecution of Christians; attempted to eradicate Christianity.

Galerius

Issued the Edict of Toleration in AD 311.

Edict of Toleration (311)

Allowed Christianity in eastern portions of the empire.

Constantine

Roman emperor who legalized Christianity.

Edict of Milan (313)

Legalized Christianity throughout the Empire.

Council of Nicaea (325)

Rejected Arianism and affirmed the divinity of Christ.

Arius

Denied that Jesus was God.

Nicene Creed

Statement affirming Christ as fully divine.

Athanasius

Defender of Christ's divinity.

Apostles' Creed

Earliest Christian creed.

Irenaeus

Early church father who wrote Against Heresies.

Against Heresies

Work written by Irenaeus defending orthodox Christianity.

Tertullian

Church father associated with the term Trinity.

Origen

Church father who combined philosophy and Christianity.

Jerome

Translated the Bible into Latin (Latin Vulgate).

Latin Vulgate

Latin Bible translation by Jerome.

Augustine of Hippo

Most influential early Church Father.

Apologist

Defender of Christianity.

Apologia

A defense of the Christian faith.

Theodosius I

Made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Muhammad

Founder of Islam.

Mecca

Birthplace of Muhammad.

Gabriel

Angel who delivered revelations to Muhammad.

Islam

Submission to the will of Allah.

Muslim

Follower of Islam.

Quran (Koran)

Holy book of Islam.

Hegira (622)

Muhammad's migration from Mecca to Medina.

Hadith

Collection of sayings of Muhammad.

Sunna

Customs and traditions of Muhammad.

Orthopraxy

Emphasis on practice over doctrine.

Five Pillars of Islam

Confession, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, Pilgrimage.

Prayer (Islam)

Pray five times daily facing Mecca.

Alms (Islam)

Giving to the poor.

Ramadan

Important month of fasting.

Pilgrimage (Hajj)

Journey to Mecca.

Sharia Law

Islamic law; "the way."

Abu Bakr

First Caliph; helped spread Islam.

Jihad

Means struggle.

Sunni Muslims

Believe no specific successor was named after Muhammad.

Shi'ite Muslims

Believe leadership should remain in Muhammad's family.

Ahl al-Bayt

"People of the House"; descendants of Muhammad.

Abbasids

Islamic dynasty centered in Baghdad.

Baghdad

Major cultural center of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Constantinople

Eastern capital of the Roman Empire founded by Constantine.

Byzantine Empire

Eastern Roman Empire centered at Constantinople.

Justinian I

Last great Roman emperor; created Justinian Code.

Justinian Code

Codified Roman law; simplified, structured, and universal.

Belisarius

General of Justinian.

Theodora

Influential Byzantine empress.

Nika Riots

Major riots in Constantinople; 30,000 killed.

Heraclius

Byzantine emperor who established military provinces called Themes.

Themes

Military provinces in the Byzantine Empire.

Hagia Sophia

"Holy Wisdom"; famous church in Constantinople.

Leo III

Byzantine emperor associated with Greek Fire and Iconoclasm.

Greek Fire

Powerful Byzantine weapon used against enemies.

Iconoclast

Destroyer of religious images.

Iconoclast Controversy

Debate over religious images in the Byzantine Empire.

Second Council of Nicaea (787)

Settled the Iconoclast controversy.

Great Schism (1054)

Split between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.

Basil II

"Bulgar Slayer"; expanded Byzantine power.

Battle of Manzikert (1071)

Seljuk Turks defeated Byzantines and gained Asia Minor.

Seljuk Turks

Turkic Muslims who defeated Byzantines at Manzikert.

Alexius Comnenus

Byzantine emperor who appealed to the West for help.

Fourth Crusade (1202-1204)

Crusaders attacked Constantinople instead of Jerusalem.

Mehmet II

Ottoman ruler who conquered Constantinople.

Basilic Cannon

Large cannon used by Mehmet II.

Constantine XI

Last Byzantine emperor.

Fall of Constantinople (1453)

End of the Byzantine Empire.

Vlad III of Wallachia

"Vlad the Impaler"; opposed Ottoman expansion.

Order of the Dragon

Christian chivalric order opposing the spread of Islam.

Cyril

"Apostle to the Slavs."

Cyrillic Alphabet

Writing system developed for Slavic peoples.

Greatest Byzantine Contribution

Preservation of the Greek New Testament.

Papacy

Office and authority of the Pope.