World Studies Chapter 8 Lessons 1 & 2

sadducees

priestly jewish officials

laity

regular church members

Judea

roman province

Shortened theories as to why the Roman empire fell

- Christianity's emphasis on a spiritual kingdom weakened Roman military virtues - Traditional Roman values declined as non-Italians gained prominence in the empire - Lead poisoning through leaden water pipes and cups caused a mental decline in population - Plague wiped out one-tenth of the population - Rome failed to advance technologically due to slavery - Rome could not create a workable political system

What happened after the death of Marcus Aurelius?

After his death in AD 180 a period of conflict, confusion, and civil war followed.

Who issued the edict of Milan, and what is it?

Constantine, who became a christian after attributing his success in the battle of winning the throne after Diocletian to God, issued the Edict of Milan, which proclaimed the official tolerance of Christianity. Then, under Theodosius the Great, Romans adopted Christianity as the official religion

How did the migration of germanic tribes contribute to the fall of the Roman Empire?

Germans slowly moved into the Roman Empire in the fifth century. Romand and Germans began to come into contact at the political frontiers along the Rhine and Danube Rivers. Until the fourth century, the empire had been able to absorb these people without harm to its political structure. Then the Germanic tribes came under a new pressure when the Huns moved into the Black Sea region, and they replaced the germanic group, the visigoths. the visigoths moved south and west, crossed into roman territory, and became roman allies. but soon the visigoths revolted, and the roman attempt to stop them at adrianople in 378 led to a crushing defeat. Increasing numbers of germans then crossed the frontiers, and ravaged and sacked rome twice. by the middle of the fifth century the west had been completely taken over by germanic peoples who were in the process of creating their own independent kingdoms. When when Odoacer, a german new master of the soldiers, posed the roman emperor romulus agustulus, the roman empire in the west "ended".

How did Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire?

Jesus' preaching stirred controversy, some people saw him as a potential revolutionary who might lead a revolt against Rome, so his opponents turned him over to the roman authorities, he was crucified. After his death his followers proclaimed that he had risen form the dead and appeared to them, and that he is the messiah and he would save Israel form its foes and inaugurate an age of peace, prosperity, and monotheism. Paul took the message of Jesus to the gentiles, and founded christian communities throughout Asia Minor and along the shores of the Aegean Sea. The teachings of christianity were passed orally through preaching, and written materials (the epistles) that helped found communities around the eastern Mediterranean. By AD 100 Christian churches had been established in most of the major cities of the eastern emourh and in some place in the western part of the empire.

What political facts led to the decline of the Roman Empire?

Some political facts are that Marcus Aurelius died, which led to an almost 50 year period of conflict and confusion in which 22 emperors ruled (whomever had the military strength to seize the throne), at the same time the empire was troubled by a series of invasions from the Sassanid Persians and Germanic tribes. Then in the third century a series of invasions, civil wars, and plague nearly caused an economic collapse (the plague created a labor shortage; affected both military recruiting & economy; the invaders crushed crops which declined trade and small industries).

What were the consequences of the spread of Christianity through the Roman Empire?

The basic values of Christianity differed from the early Greco-Roman world, but at first the Romans paid little attention to the Christians. But then when when christianity threatened public order or morals, it was no longer tolerated and they saw their acts of refusal to worship the state gods as treason, which is punishable by death. They were persecuted during the reign of Nero. Persecution didn't stop the spread of christianity and it strengthened it in the second and third centuries because it forced it to become more organized. Although Christianity did not call for a revolution, it called for spiritual equality for all people.

How did the Jews differ about how to respond to Roman Rule?

The priestly Sadducees probably favored cooperation with Roman rule; the scholarly pharisees held that close observance of religious law would protect them from Roman influences; the Essenes lived apart from society, sharing goods in common, and like many other Jews they waited for God to save Israel from oppression; the zealots called for the violent overthrow of roman rule

How did economic and social reforms by Diocletian and Constantine affect the Roman Empire?

They changed the empire into a new state; the Late Roman Empire. This included a new governmental structure, a rigid economic and social system, and Christianity as the new state religion. Diocletian, believing that the empire had grown too large for a single ruler, he divided it into four units, prefectures, then the entire empire was split into two parts (east and west) that were each ruled by two rulers. Constantine built the new capital in the east, Constantinople. Both of their policies enlarged the civil service and the army (about 500,000 men, including german units). To fight inflation, diocletian issued a price edict that set wage price controls for the empire, which failed to work. so to ensure the tax base and to keep the empire going despite the labor shortage, they issued edicts of forcing workers to stay in their occupations. In conclusion, the economic and social policies of Diocletian and Constantine were based on control and coercion, and although temporarily successful, in the long run they stifled the very vitality the late empire needed to revive it's sagging fortunes.

Were the Jews happy in the period immediately preceding the roman conquest of 63 BC?

Yes, they enjoyed their independence, but then by AD 6, Judea had been made a Roman Province placed under the direction of an official called a procurator

What happened during the reign of Marcus aurelius ?

a number of catastrophes struck rome, to many romans these natural disasters seemed to portend an ominous future for rome.

How did a new movement within Judaism lead to the development of a new faith?

after reports spread that Jesus had overcome death, the movement gained additional support throughout Judea and Galilee and led to the development of a new faith known as christianity.

structure

an arrangement in a definite pattern of organization

what caused rome to hire germans to fight in their army in the mid-third century?

armies were needed more than ever, but financial strains made it difficult to enlist more soldiers. These german soldiers did not understand Roman traditions and had little loyalty to either the empire or the emperors.

clergy

church leaders

essenes

close observers of jewish law

transformation

conversion; change in character or condition

kew concepts expressed by jesus that shaped the value system of the western world

humility; charity; love towards others

procurator

in the Roman Empire, an official in charge of a province

zealots

jewish rebels against roman rule

gentiles

non-jews

pharisees

scholarly jewish officials

What are the beliefs that define christianity?

the commandments... love god with all your heart and should mind etc; love your neighbor as yourself; do to others what you would have them do to you; etc...

Who is Marcus Aurelius?

the last of the five "good emperors"

Did the Jews differ among t themselves about Roman rule?

yes, the priestly sauces probably favored cooperation with Rome.