Medieval History Rome

There is no one single reason, but was instead a series of problems that grew too large to solve.

One problem was that the empire grew too large to govern. The Romans tried to solve this by dividing the empire into the Eastern and Western Roman Empire. Diocletian 285 CE

Another problem was that the Roman men no longer wanted to serve in the army. The pay was not great. Sometimes the legion was not paid at all. Most men did not want to be away from their families and farms for long periods of time. The Romans tried to solve this by hiring barbarians to fight for them.

There were other problems. Civil wars broke out in Rome between different factions. The rich grew disinterested in helping Rome and only wanted more for themselves and their families. The population of Rome shrank. Trade decreased while taxes and prices increased. The poor were overtaxed. The use of slaves put people out of work. The roads fell into disrepair.

The Romans were aware of these problems and sometimes, under a good emperor, they would work on them for a while. In time, the good emperor would be gone and a bad one would take his place. Soon the problems in the Western Roman Empire grew so great that the Western (European) Roman empire, which included the city of Rome, fell to barbarian tribes in Europe.

The Eastern Roman empire continued another 1000 years. Byzantine Empire ended in 1453 when Turks captured Constantinople.

c.500 - along the banks of the River Tiber in central Italy, Romans began their own form of democracy - a REPUBLIC.

700's - 500's - Monarchy

Age of the Republic

Loosely defined, a REPUBLIC is a form of government in which the leaders and representatives are elected by the citizens.

500's BCE - 27 BCE (27BCE is a specific date - it marks the beginning of the Roman Empire under Octavian. )

Hierarchy/Structure of Roman government:

2 CONSULS, a SENATE, and an ASSEMBLY. (Resembles structure of US Government)

PLEBIANS (common people) could vote but not hold public office. PATRICIANS (aristocrats) made decisions for the public good in the Assembly and in the Senate.

The division of people (Patricians and Plebians) defines a class structure and all the privileges (or lack thereof) and advantages / disadvantages of one's status. ( What class structures do we have in the US? How is society divided?)

By 450 BC, Roman Law was codified in the Twelve Tables. These basic rights and duties formed the basis and foundation of Roman Law.

50BCE: Julius Caesar became a dictator as Rome conquered vast territories.

44 BCE: Julius Caesar is assassinated by many senators.

44 - 27 Civil war in which thousands on both sides die.

c.27 BC the Roman Republic came to an end as strong leaders (dictators) attempted to establish their rule. (Remember Julius Caesar was murdered in 44 BC by fellow politicians who believed that the republican system was moving toward dictatorship.)

The beginnings of the ROMAN EMPIRE under Octavian (Caesar Augustus) promised a united and ever-expanding state. During the first 200 years of the Empire (Pax Romana - Peace of Rome), Roman civilization experienced tremendous growth as conquered people were given Roman citizenship and contributed to the social, economic and political well-being of the empire. At its height, the Roman Empire extended from Britain through much of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

The empire held together and prospered for many reasons:

a) The structure and administration of government -

Highly centralized, the emperor made and executed the laws.

He controlled finances - a uniform system of coinage, weights and measures applied to the entire empire.

The emperor appointed officials.

b) the existence of clearly made laws that applied to all peoples of the empire.

c) Education was supported - teachers were primarily Greek.

d) The official language throughout the empire was Greek or Latin.

e) Excellent road systems made communication easier.

f) Constantine's acceptance of Christianity reduced internal tensions of the empire.

(Concepts /Components of Culture/ Institutions: political system , citizenship, identity, justice - equality under the law, symbols - language , norms , sanctions, education, religion - as a regulator of social life )

The rise of CHRISTIANITY (c.60 CE) threated the rule of the emperors as new converts to the religion pledged their allegiance not to the Emperor, but to God instead. A great fire in Rome (under Nero's rule) in 64 AD was blamed on the Christians and persecution of professed Christians increased. It was not until the 300's AD that a Roman emperor, Constantine, personally accepted the message of Christianity. Obviously, Christianity and Christians now enjoyed new statuses and privileges.

The bishop of Rome claimed to be the divinely ordained head of the Church (Pope) based on the belief that St. Peter (chief of Jesus' apostles) was the first bishop of Rome and therefore his successors should occupy the same seat of authority. In time, other bishops came to accept this claim. Peter was the first POPE. Pope Francis is #266,

The Emperor Diocletian decided in 285 that the Roman Empire was too big to manage. Thus, the Empire was split in two with Rome as the Western Capital and by 330 the Emperor Constantine had established Byzantium as the Eastern Capital. The name of the city was later changed to Constantinople and it remained the capital of the EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH until 1453 when the city was overrun by the Turks. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul. Rome remained the capital of the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

The Western Capital of Rome was overrun by Germanic invaders in the 400's and Western Europe entered the DARK AGES. Eastern Rome (The Byzantine Empire) continued until the Turkish invasion of 1453.

Legacy of the Romans: Among the many accomplishments, they left us a basis for legal codes. Beginning with the Twelve Tables (c.451 BC), Roman Law evolved and became more complex over time. The Roman Empire (c.27 BC - 476 AD) united much of Europe under a common system of law. All conquered peoples became citizens of the empire. Roman law was designed to regulate the lives of ordinary citizens. All citizens paid taxes to a central treasury. These laws extended to rules and guidelines for inheritance, contracts, possessions and other matters of daily life. Organizational systems, infrastructures, administration, efficiency, these were all hallmarks of Roman success.

In 529 AD the emperor Justinian (remember, this the Eastern Roman Empire...[since you know that Rome had collapsed by 476]) authorized the CODEX CONSTITUTIONUM which then became the chief source and authority on Roman Law. The code of Justinian stills forms the foundation of many legal systems throughout Europe today.

The Romans were great road builders. The thousands of miles of roads they built still exist today (covered with asphalt and tar for modern automobiles). Romans also developed the arch in architecture. Arches were used in the building of bridges, temples, basilicas and aqueducts.

The disintegration of the Western empire came about through a collapse of the agreements that held it together in the first place.

1) Political divisions encouraged decentralization.

2)The lack of unity weakened the armed forces who could no longer defend the attacks of the Vandals, Goths, Huns and other 'barbarian' tribes.

3) Unjust taxation and official corruption

4) Roman laws were no longer obeyed or enforced uniformly.

5) The rise of Christianity contributed to the diversion citizen allegiance from the state to the church.

Philosophy, Mathematics, Government, Architecture, Theater

Alexander the Great & Hellenism

The wars between the City states of Athens & Sparta leading to the decline of Greece.

The rise of Rome in the First Century BC.

Republican Government

Julius Caesar

The end of the Republic

Augustus and the Pax Romana

Infrastructure - Roads, military and economic superpower.

("Globalization" - Standardization and Interdependence)

The persecution of Christians until Constantine in the 300's

Basics of Christianity - Old Testament c. 1200 BCE

New Testament c. 100 CE - Written in Greek.

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.

Diocletian (285CE) splits the Empire -

Byzantium/Constantinople = Eastern Capital , Rome = Western Capital.

Justinian - Hagia Sophia

Constantine - Edict of Milan - legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire

The decline of the Western Empire. 400's CE

The beginning of the so-called "Dark Ages"

Practice questions for next quiz:

The Middle Ages is generally referred to as the period between

a.The fall of Rome and the Renaissance

b. The Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution

c. The fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire.

d. The birth of Jesus and the fall of Rome

e. The birth of Buddha and the birth of Jesus

Which if the following time periods would be MOST ACCURATE for Europe’s Middle Ages? a. 700 - 300 BCE b. 27BCE - 189 CE c. 189 - 476 CE d. 500 - 1400 CE e. none of these

The "Middle Ages" is a historical period of reference for which of the following civilizations?

a. Indian b. Arab c. Persian d. European e. Native American

Which of the following was NOT part of Greece's Golden Age? a. Socrates. b. Plato. c. Aristotle. d. Pericles e. Beethoven

Which of the following is NOT Greek? a. Caesar b. Aristotle c. Socrates d. Pythagoras

e. Plato

Which of the following is NOT Greek?

a. Hercules b. Hadrian c. Pythagoras d. Homer e. both b & d

Doctors today still take this oath to the profession. a. Socratic b. Platonic c. Stoic

d. Hippocratic e. Stallonic

This process of systematically examining a phenomenon is attributed to Aristotle.

a. The Carnegie Way b. The Analytical Position c. Data Gathering d. The Scientific Method

e. looking carefully

Greek philosopher: a. Plato b. Olympia c. Aristotle d. Apollo e. a & c

Leonidas I was the leader of a. Syracuse b. Corinth c. Athens d. Sparta e. Delphi

Which of the following was the famous leader and builder of Athens during its Golden Age?

a. Betty b. Homer c. Athena d. Apollo e. none of these

The Peloponnesian Wars were primarily between a. Greece & Rome b. Rome-China

c. Athens-Rome d. Athens-Sparta e. Greece & Persia

The most important games in Greece were held every four years in __________ beginning in 776 B.C. a. Athens. b. Atlanta. c. Rome. d. Olympia.

Which feature was especially significant during the Greek Classical Age? religious revival b. racial diversity c. social equality

d. a questioning spirit e. all of these

The blend of Greek and Middle Eastern cultures is referred to as: a. Imperialism b. Hellenism

c. Alexism d. Narcissism e. Greco-Syrianism

In both modern and ancient times, which of the following is/was NOT a City-State? a. Vatican City

b. Singapore c. Sparta d. Corinth e. St. Petersburg

Mathematics majors: a. Plato and Aristotle b. Aristophanes and Homer c. Euclid and Pythagoras

d. Thucydides and Herodotus e. Hippocrates and Pericles

Early Romans are credited with this form of (representative) government: a. Democracy b. Republic

c. Totalitarian d. Monarchy e. Oligarchy

Caesar’s adopted son, Octavian took this title in 27 BCE: a. King b. Emperor c. Senator

d. Patrician e. Holy Roman Emperor

The position of Emperor indicates this type of political structure: a. Constitutional Monarchy

b. Republic c. Dictatorship d. Socialist Democracy e. all of these

The Roman Empire at its height extended over all these areas EXCEPT: a. Constantinople b. Cairo c. Jerusalem d. Moscow

e. London

The Pax Romana can be compared to the: a. Greek Classical period b. Great Depression c. Dark Ages

d. a & c e. all of these

Revolutionary Jew who was executed during the Pax Romana: a. Josephus b. Constantine

c. Julius Caesar d. Socrates e. None of these

Under Constantine, Christians were no longer to be persecuted, there was to be freedom of religion. This edict by Constantine, is similar to: a. Miranda Rights b. US Constitution c. First Amendment rights d. the Pax Romana e. none of these

Which of the following concepts best identifies the specialization of labor and importation of resources during the Pax Romana? a. symbols/artifacts b. beliefs c. structure d. interdependence/globalization e. identity

Which of the following institutions had the greatest impact on people's lives in the Middle Ages?

a. military b. the economy c. church d. technology e. none of these

Government run by religious leaders a. aristocracy b. oligarchy c. theocracy d. monarchy

The Romans were also known for their great a. culinary arts b. road and arch building

c. intellectual prowess d. faith in one god e. their discus-throwing

Byzantium is today known as a. Rome b. Munich c. Alexandria d. Constantinople e. Istanbul

Eastern Roman Emperor who rebuilt the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. a. Odoacer b. Attila c. Tamelane d. Kublai Khan e. Justinian

A negative term sometimes used to describe the Early Middle Ages, the period from the fall of Rome to about A.D. 1000 in Western Europe. a. Classical Greece b. Renaissance c. Inquisition d. Dark Ages

e. none of these

The rise of Christianity in the fourth and fifth centuries can be attributed in large part to a. strong Popes

b. Roman emperors accepting Christianity as a state religion c. missionaries d. massive population explosion among Christians e. none of these

The Bishop of Rome is also known as: a. The Patriarch b. The Vicar c. Bruce Almighty d. The Pope

e. all of these

The land promised to Abraham if he believed in the One God. a. Syria b. Sudan c. Egypt d. Israel e. Sinai Peninsula

Christians were persecuted by the Romans until this Emperor converted to the faith: a. Nero b. Claudius

c. Caesar d. Marcus Aurelius e. Constantine

The approximate boundaries of the Roman Empire at its height : a. Constantinople to Syria

b. Jordan to Hadrian’s Wall in Scotland c. Egypt to London, England d. Vatican City to Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Romans built these structures to transport fresh water over great distances: a. reservoirs b. water tanks c. barges d. aqueducts e.

The greatest military barrier of the Western world is __________ a. The Great Barrier Reef b. The Great Wall of China c. Hadrian's Wall d. Hoover Dam

When the Roman Empire in the west collapsed, the only place one could get an education was in these institutions a. Churches b. Prisons c. Castles d. Monasteries e. Stables

The current Pope Francis is the a. 10th Pope b. The 250 th c. 166th d. 266th e. 100th Pope

Section B: MAP: Any 20 countries, 20 Capitals, 5 Bodies of Water, 5 Land Forms. (25 pts)

Section C: Short Answer - Sample questions

1. List and briefly explain any 3 legacies Ancient Greece left to the modern world. (6 pts.)

2. Identify and state the occupation of any 5 famous characters from the Greek Golden Age (5)

3. Explain how our US democracy is different from Ancient Greece. (2)

4. Identify Hawaii's two Senators and two House representatives in Washington DC. (4)

5. Briefly explain how our structure of government resembles the Roman Republic (2)

6. Briefly explain how our US economy resembles that of the Roman Empire? (2)

7. Briefly explain two reasons for the success of the Empire (2)

8. Identify and explain 2 lessons the USA can learn from the decline of Rome - (4)