Decline of Roman empire

Difference Christianity vs Cult gods

Jesus had actually lived in history while cultic gods didn't. People could identify with Jesus since he had been human. Christians wouldn't tolerate any other god than God, and the Pagans would.

Twelve Disciples

Jesus's followers who thought he was the long-awaited Messiah. The belief that Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after he was buried was what established the Christian movement. The followers established a new Church. Missionaries of the Christian movement were called Apostles.

Diocletian

(285-305) Emperor, ruled like a Near East depot, wore magnificent robes, jewels, demanded subjects stand straight in his presence. No more self-government, drafted war prisoners, and German mercenaries to increase army size. Forced unskilled workers/artisans to hold jobs for life to increase food supply. Peasants had to stay and couldn't escape. Hereditary tax collectors, bureaucracy killed civi spirit, many wanted out.

Constantine

(306-337) Emperor of Rome. Built capitol of Constantinople. He furthered the trend of dividing Empire into East/West. Him and Diocletian prevented empire from collapsing.

Jesus

(4BC-29AD) Used Jewish national expectations and longings. Virtually everything known about Jesus derives from the Bible's New Testament, written decades after Jesus's death by devotees seeking to convey religious truth to propagate a faith. Very little known of his childhood, preached coming, and reign of God at age thirty, and need for repentance, moral transformation to enter God's kingdom. Coming of kingdom was imminent, thoughts, actions, preparedness would determine if they entered kingdom. Denounced injustice and oppression, urged mercy, and compassion, expressed special concern for poor and downtrodden.

Jesus

A palestinian Jew who was executed by Roman authorities during reign of Tiberius. His ethical teachings are rooted in the moral outlook of the Old Testament prophets. Prayed as Jew, taught as a Jew, and valued Jewish law

Mesiah

A redeemer chosen by God to liberate Israel from foreign rule. It was believed that Israel would be free, the exiles would return, and Jews would be blessed with peace unity and prosperity. It would govern justly and righteously.

Pharisees

Adopted a liberal attitude towards Mosaic Law. Allowed discussion on interpretations of the law, and granted authority to oral tradition- oral Torah, which communicated from 1 generation to the next. They believed in life after death. Later forms of Judaism developed from them and most Jews supported them.

Philo

An Alexandrian Jew, tried to demonstrate that Hebrew Scriptures could be explained and justified in terms of Greek philosophy.

Saint Paul

Came from the Greek city of Tarsus in SE Asia Minor. He was originally called Saul. Belonged to the Dispersion- millions of Jews living outside of Palestine. Knew Greek well, Tarsus, literature, philosophy and science. Studied at Jerusalem with a pharisee teacher Rabban Gamaliel. Persecuted Jesus's followers after his crucifixion but later became a follower and a zealous missionary of Jewish Christianity.

Roman Economy problems

Cities were pillaged/destroyed, farmland ruined and trade disrupted. Cheap money caused bad inflation. Many citizens withdrew loyalty from Rome. Repeated invasions, civil war, soaring prices, debased coinage, disrupted transportation, excessive demands of state. A plague occurred too, and people turned to countryside life, mystery cults, and classical civ declined. Hellenism was collapsing.

Curials

City officials, they found it necessary to furnish from their own pockets the difference between state's tax demands and amount they could collect from an over taxed population.

Taxes

Continued to be raised too high for peasants and townspeople, while the wealthy didn't have to pay, and the government used force to collect taxes/exact services. Trade became less international and more local.

Economic Realities/Needs created Roman Banquet

Feast for the senses, some allowed large amounts of different people, dining room, three course meal. Large display to demonstrate the wealth of the host, and outdo that of someone else.

3 Affects of Population loss

First, at same time pop. was declining, the costs of running Empire increased, burden for taxpayers. Second, fewer workers were available for agriculture, and Third, population decline reduced the manpower available for the army.

Zealots

Fourth Religious party, demanded that the Jews neither pay taxes to Rome, nor acknowledge the authority of Roman emperor. Were patriots, engaged in acts of resistance to Rome.

tetarchy

Government by four

Jesus on Judaism

He was distressed by Judaism of the day, thought the ethical considerations were being undermined by exaggerated rabbi concern with ritual restrictions and fine points of law. Believed that center of Judaism had shifted from prophetic values to obedience rules and prohibitions regulating the smallest details of daily society. Best way to find meaning of Jewish law was through moral purity, which finds expression in a love for one's fellows. Thought that from within heart of man came thoughts of evil, murder, fornication, deceit, envy, pride, and foolishness. Thought spirit of Mosaic law more important than letter of law, right living and pure loving heart were Judaism's true essence.

Empire high taxes

High taxes and labor services on citizens were imposed by the empire, to strengthen armed forces, causing overburdened middle class to hate the imperial government.

Visigoths strike back

IN 378 they battled the Romans at Adrianpole. Their cavalry cut down the Romans, killed/captured 2/3 of Roman army. The cavalry had superseded infantry in war, and Roman Emperor Valens perished in Rome's worst defeat since Cannae against Hannibal.

Huns

Nomadic people from C. Asia, used formidable cavalry- were expert riders/ archers, swept across Russia, subdued Ostrogoths a Germanic tribe in Ukraine, and Visigoths were forced to live in E. Roman empire in Romania.

Gentiles

Non-Jews, some of them were impressed with monotheism and ethics/family life, and embraced Hebrew monotheism but refused to adhere to provisions of the Law requiring circumcision and dietary regulations. Jesus's Apostles found receptive listeners from these people. Paul was their most important missionary.

Break from Judaism

Paul so no distinctive difference between Jew and Gentile in his view, the ministry of Jesus was intended for all. Followers of Jesus became the new Israel. To Paul, the new Christianity comment was the true fulfillment of Judaism: hit was the means to moral transformation and eternal life. Christianity shared in the Universalism of the Hellenistic age. Christianity became main Religion of Roman Empire in 4th century, and was a movement towards cultural emphasis- reason to emotion and revelation.

What Paul taught

Paul taught that all were sinners, and Jesus came to earth to save everyone from their sins. By suffering and dying on the cross, he atoned for the sins of all and made it possible for people to have eternal life in heaven and that by believing in Jesus people could gain this salvation. The crucified Messiah had suffered and died for the sins of human beings. Viewed him as a savior-god

Economic Problems

Population decline, lack of tech. advice, heavy taxation, economic decentralization. Bubonic plaque, and other plaques also contributed. People didn't want larger families because of economic crisis.

Role of Germanic Tribes

Pressures from Germans on Roman frontiers aggravated Rome's internal problems. German attacks occurred mostly in West. Because of Roman threat from Persia, Germanic invaders had easier time. Only small armies could fight them.

End of Roman Empire in West

Roman emperor Romulus is overthrown, and replaced by a German Odoacer in 476 A.D. This ended the Roman empire in the west. By the fifth century, the W. Empire had fragmented into separate Germanic kingdoms.

3rd century crisis

Rome plunged into military anarchy and were raided by the Germanic tribes, burdened by economic dislocations. Degeneration of army, military mutiny, civil war, citizenship was granted to too many people. Had to deal with a revived Persia. City of mankind was crumbling with attacks from several Germanic tribes, and Persia.

Technology advances

Rotary mills for grain, screw presses, and improvements in glass-blowing and field drainage methods. Slave labor caused less since they had little incentive, and failure of technology limited employment opportunities for the masses. Manufacturing included textiles, rudimentary, poetry, and glassware.

Four Social Parties of Jews

Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, and Zealots

Dead Sea Scrolls

The "Wady Qumran Manuscripts", these were found near Qumran from around 200BC, and were unique to the sect of Essenes, founded by a an they refer to as "the righteous teacher of righteousness". Shed light on period of rise in Christianity and New Testament. Some believe Jesus was a member of the Essene community.

Reasons for Rome Decline

The West half fell while East half remained as Byzantine Empire until 15th century. The fall of Rome lasted over many years/events not just a single event. Multiple forces, internal problems, and external threats brought the decline in Rome.

Essenes

The third Religious party, established a semi monastic community near the Dead Sea. Thought they were descendants of Sadok but rejected the temple priests as corrupt. Dead Sea Scrolls were found near Essene at Qumran. Saw selves as first generation of God's people, Messiah would come soon, and believed in resurrection of the body.

Political/Military trouble

There was political decline, the state administration was hated and feared, and government couldn't retain allegiance of its armies, and control military commanders. The civil wars imposed several financial burdens, frontier defenses weakened. Now in late Empire, soldier quality deteriorated, legions failed to protect borders, mostly peasants were in army and had little loyalty to Greco-Roman civ, and tactics were bad too.

Diocletian and Constantine

They tried to contain the major forces of disintegration. Agriculture was declining, and they had to feed city poor, and the expanded army of over 500,000. Also had to prevent renewed military anarchy outbreaks, drive the Germans back across Danube frontier, and secure eastern region from Persia. Their solution was to weaken municipal institutions, tighten reigns of central gov., and extort more taxes from citizens. Used bureaucratic, regimented, militarized state.

Jewish scribes thought of Jesus

Thought of Jesus as a threat to ancient traditions, troublemaker, and subversive. Accused him of associating with social outcasts, sinners, and imperial tax collectors, undermining respect for Sabath, and God's command to rest on that day. Saw him as false prophet leading people astray. Feared Jesus as political agitator, charismatic leader who could ignite Jewish messianic expectations into revolt against Rome. Jewish leaders turned him over to Roman authorities, pontius pilate sentenced him to death by crucifixion, guilty of high treason.

Mosaic Law

Torah, and the perpetuation of temple ceremonies.

Attila the Hun

United Mongol tribes, led his Huns into Gaul, suffered his only defeat at hands of coalition of Germans and remnants of Roman army. He died 2 years later having almost turned Europe into a province of Mongolian empire.

Failure of action Rome

Upper class became dissolute/apathetic. The aristocrats hid behind walls of country estates, didn't try to help. Townspeople avoided public service, barely tried to fight off invasions, some thought the Germans were liberators. The ruined middle/lower classes in Rome withdrew loyalty. It was caused by insatiable demands/regulations of the state.

Sadducees

Used Mosaic (Torah) Law, they claimed to be decendants of Sadok, the high priest of Solomon, and believed that they were maintaining the ancient Hebrew teachings concerning the Torah, which they interpreted literally. Thought God gave rewards/punishments on earth and that there was no resurrection of dead/afterlife.

Collapse of Borders

Vandals, Alans, Subei, and other tribes joined Goths in devastating W. provinces of Empire. In 410 the Visigoths led by Alaric plundered, slaughtered Rome, cities in Britain, Spain, Gaul, and Germany lay abandoned. Roads weren't maintained, trade in W. disappeared, or passed to Greeks, Syrians, Jews of East, famine, extortion of taxes, and proliferation of marauding outlaws, murderous warfare added to misery of Roman populace/decomposition/fragmentation of Empire.

Christianity

Was a response to declining Hellenism, and offered a spiritually disillusioned Greco-Roman world a reason for living: the hope of personal immortality. Marked a break with the classical antiquity/ new stage in evolution of the west.

Rome Government

Was governed by a despotism of Near East- highly centralized monarchy regimenting the lives of its subjects. Individual lives for the state. Absolutism, concept of principate. Loyal emperor governed the W. provinces to guard against military insurrection.