Chapter 750 B.C.–A.D. 500 6 and Early Christianity

The Storyteller War trumpets rang over the cheers of the people of Rome who gathered to view the triumphal grand parade. Then sweat- ing horses jerking at their harnesses rattled the victor’s chariot Chapter Themes over the paving stones, and the people’s cries became louder. On > Change The Roman political sys- this day in 146 B.C., the Romans were celebrating their conquest tem evolves as more people partici- pate in government. Section 1 of the last of the free Greek city-states. > Conflict Roman armies conquer Ironically, however, over the next several centuries Greek most of the Mediterranean world. Section 2 culture would come to form the base of Roman culture and > Cultural Diffusion The Roman society. Texts written by Greeks would shape Roman knowledge empire spreads Latin culture. Section 3 in many areas of study. Even after years of Roman rule, the > Innovation Christianity becomes eastern Mediterranean world would retain Greek as its primary the dominant religion in the West. Section 4 language. > Change Germanic invasions and cultural weaknesses destroy the Roman Empire. Section 5 Historical Significance How did the small city-state of Rome become the center of a vast, diverse empire that spanned the Mediterranean world? What were Rome’s lasting legacies to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world?

152 History Woman playing the cithera, painted on the east wall of a room in & Art the villa of Publius Fannius Synistor, Pompeii, Italy

Your History Journal

Chapter Overview The European cities of Bonn, Vienna, London, and Paris were each founded by Visit the World History: The Human Experience the Romans. Research the early history of Web site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com and one of these cities and describe the Roman click on Chapter 6—Chapter Overview to preview influence on its early architecture and the chapter. lifestyle.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 153 Section 1 The

he peoples of Italy first came into con- Read to Find Out tact with the Greeks around 900 B.C., Main Idea Rome was governed as a T when Greek traders sailed up both the republic, which changed over the years. east and west coasts of the Italian Peninsula. From about 750 B.C. to 500 B.C., the Greeks set up farming > Terms to Define communities in southern Italy and in Sicily, an , republic, plebeian, consul, island southwest of the Italian Peninsula. These dictator, tribune Greek colonists planted olive trees for the oil yield- > People to Meet ed and grapevines from which they could produce the Etruscans, the Latins, Romulus, the wine, thus introducing these two major products to Tarquins Italy. The Greeks also introduced the Greek alpha- bet to the Italians. > Places to Locate Italy, Sicily, Rome The Italian Peninsula The The Greeks were interested in colonizing Italy toryteller S for several reasons, one of which was Italy’s central The city of Rome was besieged by Lars location in the Mediterranean. A narrow, boot- shaped peninsula, Italy extends from Europe Porsena, king of Clusium, and the time had come toward the shores of Africa, dividing the for decisive action. One Mediterranean almost in half. Thus, Italy was ide- young Roman hoped to ally situated to be the center of trade among three break the siege by killing continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa. Italy’s rich soil Porsena. After laying his and mild, moist climate also attracted the Greek plan before the Senate, colonists. Beyond the mountains and foothills that he set out alone toward covered three-quarters of the peninsula lay plains enemy lines. However, he with soil enriched by the silt deposits of mountain was seized as a spy and streams. dragged by guards before However, the silt washing down Italy’s short the very man he had and shallow rivers blocked the mouths of many hoped to kill—Porsena. rivers, creating mosquito-infested swamps. The The Forum He spoke boldly: “I am people of Italy suffered recurrent epidemics of a Roman, my name is malaria and other diseases carried by mosquitoes. Gaius Mucius. I came here to kill you—my Because of Italy’s mountains, the early inhabi- enemy. I have as much courage to die as to kill. It tants of the peninsula generally traded among themselves. Italy’s only land connection—to the is our Roman way to do and to suffer bravely.” north—was cut off by the Alps. Furthermore, Italy’s —adapted from Early History of rocky and marshy coastline lacked good harbors. Rome, Titus , in The Global To increase trade, the Italians eventually turned to Experience, Readings in World the sea, but until that time came, they remained History to 1500, 1987 attached to the land.

154 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Early Peoples origins, although the Etruscans did not speak an Indo-European language as did many of the Archaeological evidence suggests that people peninsula’s other inhabitants. The Etruscan lived in Italy long before the Greeks arrived or alphabet came from the Greeks, but modern Roman civilization began. The remains of human scholars have been able to decipher only a few settlements reveal that Neolithic cultures may have Etruscan words. begun to form in Italy as early as about 5000 B.C. Although Etruscan writings still baffle our Early peoples in the Italian Peninsula built villages understanding, Etruscan art is expressive, need- and farms, moving on whenever they had exhaust- ing no translation. In wall paintings, Etruscan fig- ed the land around their settlements. ures dance and play music, enjoying a rich and pleasant life. In Etruscan sculpture, men and Indo-Europeans women feast and converse, triumphant soldiers Between 2000 B.C. and 1000 B.C., waves of Indo- revel in their victories, and hauntingly beautiful European immigrants arrived and overwhelmed deities smile and gesture. these Neolithic peoples. By the time Greek colonists Such sculptures ornamented the homes of the came to Italy, many peoples inhabited the peninsu- Etruscan upper classes. Historians believe that la—including Umbrians in the north, Latins in the Etruscan society probably consisted of wealthy central plain called Latium (LAY•shee•uhm), and overlords, aristocratic priests, and a slave labor Oscans in the south. Like the Greeks, most of these force made up of conquered peoples. Wealthy people spoke Indo-European languages. overlords enslaved these peoples to provide themselves with comforts, and aristocratic priests The Etruscans sacrificed prisoners of war or forced them to duel From about 900 B.C. to 500 B.C., one of these to the death to appease angry gods. peoples, the Etruscans, ruled northern Italy from After repeated revolts, the Etruscan lower the plains of Etruria. Little is known about their classes and the other Italian peoples under TION EC S N N

O O

C C

striking murals in cities from Sydney, Aus- Murals: Etruscan and Modern tralia, to Caracas, Venezuela. The boldly col- Although archaeologists have ored works appear on office, apartment, and unearthed the remains of some Etruscan supermarket walls. They usually are spon- cities, these tell little about Etruscan culture. sored by municipal officials or businesses, Murals unearthed in burial chambers, how- and the artists employed draw inspiration ever, have provided significant clues about from sources as varied as fashion magazines, the Etruscans. cartoons, and modern art. Among their sub- jects are movie, TV, and sports celebrities as Etruscan mural The murals show colorful and lively scenes of Etruscan well as ordinary people involved in daily daily life. Particu- activities, such as shopping on a busy street larly popular sub- or playing basketball at a neighborhood jects are scenes of playground. wrestling matches, religious cere- monies, and peo- What subjects are popularly ple enjoying music shown in Etruscan murals? Modern and feasts. urban murals? What do Etruscan Today, the murals reveal about Etruscan life? desire to beautify What do urban murals today reveal urban areas has about modern life? produced many

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 155 Etruscan rule finally freed themselves from Italy 500 B.C. domination by these wealthy overlords and priests. 12°E16°E Chief among those who overthrew the Etruscans ° S 46 N L P were the Latins, whose center was the city of Rome A in the central plain of Latium.

The Rise of Rome T A ib d e r r i R a Etruria A t According to legend, in 753 B.C., a stocky man i

v P ic e named Romulus was building the wall of a city r E S N e a on a hill overlooking the Tiber River. His twin brother, N I Remus, came over from the hillside opposite, where 42°N N Latium E he too had been laying the foundations for a city. The Rome S Roman historian Livy tells what happened next: T y r rh Remus, by way of jeering at his brother, en i jumped over the half-built walls of the an S new settlement, whereupon Romulus ea

killed him in a fit of rage, adding the N threat, ’So perish whoever else shall over- Strait of Messina leap my battlements.’ W E S 38°N —Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, 29 B.C. Sicily Greeks

Setting more stone on the stains of his 0 50 100 mi. Etruscans brother’s blood, Romulus is said to have continued AFRICA 050 100 km Latins his building. In time, his namesake city—Rome— Lambert Conic Conformal Projection grew to include his brother’s hill and the other nearby hills. Romulus was so effective a military Notice on the map that Latium Map divides the Etruscan territory. ruler, the myth tells us, that Rome became the great- Study est city in that part of the peninsula. Region What advantage might In fact, the origins of Rome were probably this location have provided the Latins when much less violent. At some time between 800 B.C. they set out to conquer the Etruscans? and 700 B.C., the Latins huddled in straw-roofed huts in the villages on the seven hills apparently agreed to join and form one community. It was this community that came to be called Rome. Social Groups Under Etruscan rule, a new wealthy aristocratic Etruscan Rule class had come into being in Rome—Latin nobles About 620 B.C. the Etruscans gained control of called patricians. Once the Etruscan rulers were Rome. A wealthy Etruscan family, the Tarquins, pro- driven out, the patricians declared Rome a republic, vided kings to rule over the Romans. The Tarquins a community in which the people elect their leaders. taught the Latins to build with brick and to roof their Most of Rome’s inhabitants, however, were houses with tile. They drained the marshy lowlands plebeians (plih•BEE•uhns), who included wealthy, around Rome and laid out city streets. At the center nonaristocratic townspeople and landowners as of the city they created a square called the Forum, well as merchants, shopkeepers, small farmers, and which became the seat of Roman government. The laborers. As citizens, both the plebeians and the Tarquins also built temples, taught the Romans many patricians had rights, such as the right to vote, and of the Etruscans’ religious rituals, and elevated Rome responsibilities, such as paying taxes and serving in to a position among the wealthiest cities in Italy. the military. Plebeians, however, could not hold Then in 534 B.C. Tarquin the Proud came to the public office as patricians could. throne. This king’s cruelties so angered the Romans that in 509 B.C. they drove the Tarquins out. Skilled The Roman Republic Etruscan artisans stayed on in Rome, however, The patricians organized Rome’s government helping the city continue to prosper. into executive and legislative branches. The

156 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Roman legislative branch at first consisted of the lic’s social structure was still dominated by a small Assembly of Centuries and the Senate, both under group of powerful and wealthy citizens. Through patrician control. Members of the Assembly of their struggles, though, the plebeians slowly moved Centuries (named for a military formation of 100 Rome closer to democracy. soldiers) elected officials of the executive branch. However, the Senate—a group of 300 patrician men The Twelve Tables who served for life—had much more power. They The most significant plebeian victory was the advised the consuls, debated foreign policy, pro- creation of a written law code. Roman law rested posed laws, and approved contracts for construct- largely on unwritten traditions that patrician ing roads, temples, and defenses. judges often interpreted to favor their class. To The executive branch was headed by two patri- make sure that the laws were applied fairly, the cian officials elected for one-year terms. These offi- plebeians insisted that they be written down. cials were called consuls because they had to con- In 451 B.C. the patricians finally engraved the sult each other before acting. Either consul could laws on 12 bronze tablets set in the Forum for all to veto the other’s decisions. The word veto is Latin for see. The Twelve Tables, as these tablets were called, “I forbid.” The consuls oversaw other executive became the basis for all future Roman law. The officials, such as , or judges, and censors, or Twelve Tables established the principle that all free keepers of tax and population records. Only a citizens had a right to the law’s protection. dictator, a leader whose word was law, could over- rule the consuls. But dictators were temporarily appointed only in time of crisis. Religion The most admired was the leg- Early Romans worshiped nature spirits. Under endary hero Cincinnatus (SIHN•suh•NA•tuhs). In Etruscan influence, they came to think of these spir- 458 B.C., a powerful rival threatened Rome, and the its as gods and goddesses. They also adopted the Senate sent messengers to tell Cincinnatus that he practice of foretelling the future. Priests known as had been named dictator to meet this emergency. soothsayers believed that they could gain knowl- The messengers found him plowing his fields. edge of future events by observing the flight of Always loyal to Rome, Cincinnatus immediately birds or the intestines of animals. joined the army and led his forces into battle. He For almost 500 years, Rome thrived as a repub- defeated the enemy, marched his army back to lic. During this time, the Romans were influenced Rome, and then resigned as dictator. He returned to by Greek culture. They borrowed Greek deities, his plowing 16 days after taking command. giving them Roman names. Aphrodite, the Greek Plebeians Against Patricians The plebeians resented their lack of power in the new republic—especially because they knew Student Web Activity 6 that the patricians could not maintain the republic Visit the World History: The Human Experience Web without them. In 494 B.C., many plebeians refused to fight in the Roman army unless the patricians site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 6—Student Web Activities for an activity yielded to their demands for change. relating to Roman social status. Plebeian Victories Frightened at the loss of their military forces, the patricians agreed to reforms. They recognized A Roman Dinner Party the plebeians’ chosen representatives, the tribunes, In ancient Rome, dinner granting them legal protections and the right to veto guests of wealthy Romans government decisions. The patricians also recog- reclined on couches while slaves served them deli- nized the Assembly of Tribes, the body of plebeians cacies. Main courses might include boiled stingray who elected the tribunes. Eventually, the Assembly garnished with hot raisins; boiled crane with of Tribes even won the right to make laws. In addition to political rights, the plebeians turnips; roast hare in white sauce; leg of boar; improved their social standing. Enslavement for wood pigeon baked in a pie; or roast flamingo debt was ended, and marriage between patricians cooked with dates, onions, honey, and wine. and plebeians was allowed. However, the repub-

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 157 Visualizing An Etruscan farmer and his animals, History c. 300 B.C. Etruscan literature, music, painting, metalwork, and jewelry were admired by the Romans. Why did the Romans drive the wealthy Etruscan family, the Tarquins, from the city?

goddess of love, became the Roman goddess Venus. Ares, the Greek god of war, became Mars. They also made their old gods look Greek, giving the Etruscan god Jupiter the characteristics of the Greek Zeus. Roman life remained distinctly Roman, how- ever. Families privately worshiped their ancestral spirits and their storeroom guardians, as well as Roman wives had few legal rights, but they Vesta, goddess of the hearth. had more freedom than Greek women. They acted as hostesses for parties, did their marketing, and ran their households with little or no interference. Family Occasionally, they did acquire their own property and businesses. Wealthy women, with slaves to do The family was the basic unit of Roman society. their work, could study Greek literature, arts, and Roman households were large and close-knit. They fashions. Lower-class women spent their time at included all unmarried children, married sons and household tasks and in family-run shops. their families, all dependent relatives, and house- In early Rome, parents taught children reading, hold slaves. writing, and moral standards. Boys were trained by In Roman families the father was absolute head their fathers to be farmers and soldiers. Mothers of the household. He conducted the religious cere- taught their daughters how to run households. monies, controlled property, and supervised the Rich or poor, most Romans held the same val- education of his sons. He also had the power to sell ues: thrift, discipline, self-sacrifice, and devotion to family members into slavery, or even kill them. the family and the republic. Long after the Roman However, fathers also felt a deep sense of responsi- Republic ended, nostalgic reformers saw these as bility for the welfare of all family members. traditional Roman values.

SECTION 1 ASSESSMENT

Main Idea Recall patricians and plebeians 1. Use a chart like the one below 2. Define patrician, republic, strengthen or weaken the to identify characteristics of the plebeian, consul, dictator, Roman Republic? Give some Roman Republic’s government. tribune. examples from the text to 3. Identify the Etruscans, the support your case. Roman Government Under Republic Latins, Romulus, the Tarquins. Understanding Themes Executive Legislative Critical Thinking 5. Change Why did political 4. Evaluating Information Did change occur in the Roman the political struggle between Republic?

158 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Section 2 Expansion and Crisis

rom about 500 B.C. to 300 B.C., Rome Read to Find Out faced threats from its many neighbors in Italy. To protect their republic, the Main Idea Economic and social prob- F Romans either conquered these opponents or lems brought down the Roman Republic. forced them to ally with Rome. In this way the > Terms to Define Romans subdued one rival after another, until by indemnity, triumvirate 264 B.C. Rome ruled the entire peninsula. > People to Meet Roman forces, however, had faced a tough , Scipio, Gracchus, challenge from the Greek colonies in southern Italy. Gaius Gracchus, Marius, Sulla, Julius In 282 B.C. the Greek colonists received help from Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony Pyrrhus (PIHR•uhs), a ruler in western Greece. Twice Pyrrhus’s armies threw back the Romans, but > Places to Locate each time suffered terrible losses. In 275 B.C. Roman forces finally pushed Pyrrhus’s exhausted troops back to Greece. Since then, a victory won at too The great a cost has been called a “Pyrrhic victory.” Storyteller The government of Rome had become cumber- some and corrupt. Maecenas, the richest man in Roman Legions Rome, was about to propose a radical change. Rome’s success in war was due to its strong Called before Mark Anthony, army. In the early days of the republic, every male Marcus Lepidus, and Octavian, the citizen had to serve in the military when needed. most powerful men in Rome, he Early Roman armies also used the tactics of Greek spoke persuasively. “Ever since we phalanx warfare. Roman generals, however, were led outside the peninsula, fill- learned that phalanxes were too large and slow to ing the whole earth with our power, be effective. They reorganized their troops into nothing good has been our lot. Our legions of 6,000 men and divided these further into city, like a great ship manned with a small, mobile units of 60 to 120 soldiers. With this new organization, the Romans could shatter the crew of every race and lacking a phalanxes of their enemies. pilot, has been rolling and plunging Roman soldiers—called legionaries—were well as it has drifted in a heavy sea.” trained, and deserters were punished by death. Maecenas looked at his hearers. One With such iron discipline, the legionaries would of them must assume all authority. conquer an empire. In a time when victors routine- Rome had to cease being a republic. Marc Antony ly slaughtered or enslaved whole cities, Rome treat- —from Roman History, Dio Cassius, ed conquered foes remarkably well. Some con- in Readings in Ancient History from quered peoples were allowed to keep their own Gilgamesh to Diocletian, 1969 governments if they helped fight Rome’s wars.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 159 Strait of Messina, a narrow passage between Sicily and Italy. When the Romans sent a force to secure the strategic waterway, a full-scale war erupted. The Romans’ strong army conquered most of Carthage’s colonies in Sicily. However, the Carthaginians lashed out at the Romans with their huge and powerful fleet. For a time this naval supe- riority gave Carthage the advantage. Undaunted, the Romans built a larger fleet. In a battle off the African coast, they stunned the Carthaginians with a new tactic. They snared the enemy’s ships with grappling hooks, boarded them, and defeated the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. This enabled the Romans to fight on sea as well as they did on land. Thus, they were able to force the Carthaginians to retreat. The war raged on until 241 B.C., but the Carthaginians never regained control of Sicily or the sea. Threatened with invasion of their home- land, they agreed to hand the Romans a huge indemnity, or payment for damages. The In 221 B.C. a young soldier named Hannibal became general of the Carthaginian army in Spain. In 219 B.C. Hannibal grabbed one of Rome’s allied cities in Spain. His next move was even more auda- Visualizing Roman legionaries are shown in a cious—to take the war into Italy itself. Leading History mosaic, or picture made from bits of 40,000 soldiers and about 40 elephants, he marched stone. Why were legionaries so successful in their conquests? out of Spain, crossed southern Gaul, and started up the Alps. His soldiers, however, were terrified by the sight of those chilly heights, and their fears Rome gave other peoples partial rights, and to were well-founded. Before they reached Italy, cold, some peoples even granted citizenship. snow, hunger, sickness, and attacks by mountain The Romans set up permanent military settle- peoples killed half of Hannibal’s army and most of ments—called coloniae—throughout Italy to defend the elephants. strategic heights and river crossings. To link these Although outnumbered, Hannibal’s troops coloniae, the legions forged a chain of roads up and defeated the Roman armies sent against them. By down the Italian Peninsula. As war yielded gradu- 216 B.C., in a battle at Cannae in southeastern Italy, ally to peace, some of these roads became major Hannibal’s soldiers had nearly destroyed the trade routes. Roman army. But the Romans rallied, refusing to admit defeat, and raised dozens of new volunteer legions. Their general, Scipio (SIH•pee•OH), Rome Against Carthage attacked Carthage and forced Hannibal’s recall to Africa. In Chapter 3 you read how Carthage became In 202 B.C. Scipio’s forces defeated Hannibal’s the Mediterranean area’s wealthiest city. To expand army at Zama, near Carthage. At Scipio’s demand, their commerce, the Carthaginians had then gone the Carthaginians gave up their lands in Spain, on to conquer the Spanish coast and most of Sicily handed over most of their warships, and agreed to by about 300 B.C. The Romans decided to check the another indemnity. expansion of the Carthaginians—the Punici, as the Romans called them. The Third Punic War After 50 years of peace, Carthage regained its The First Punic War prosperity but posed no threat to Rome. The In 264 B.C. Carthage threatened to seize the Romans, however, decided to force war on

160 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Carthage. The most vindictive foe of Carthage was farms, homes, and villages. Turning agriculture the Roman senator Cato, who always ended his into a profitable business, these landowners created speeches with the statement: “Carthago delenda est“ large estates called latifundia (LA•tuh•FUHN•dee (Carthage must be destroyed). In 146 B.C.the •uh) that provided grain, sheep, olives, and fruits Romans burned Carthage, and sold its surviving for urban markets. Labor for the latifundia was population into slavery. Legend states that they cheap because Rome’s conquests brought thou- even sowed salt in Carthage’s soil so that no crops sands of captives and prisoners of war to work as would grow. This victory gave Rome complete con- slaves. By 100 B.C., slaves formed about 30 percent trol of the western Mediterranean. of Rome’s people. As slave labor replaced paid labor, thousands of small farmers and rural workers poured into the The Republic in Crisis cities seeking employment. Jobs, however, were not readily available, and the new arrivals gradually While Rome was fighting the in the formed into a class of urban, landless poor. Angry west, its forces were also engaged in the east. and without hope, the urban poor eked out a mea- Between 230 B.C. and 130 B.C., Rome brought the ger living and supported any politician who entire eastern Mediterranean area under its influ- promised “bread and circuses,” cheap food and free ence. As a result of this conquest, Romans began amusements. referring to the Mediterranean as mare nostrum— As the gap between rich and poor steadily “our sea.” widened, upper-class Romans lived with the con- stant danger of revolts. To quell mounting unrest, Rich, Poor, and Slavery Rome stationed legions in most provinces. Even Although the Romans had triumphed militari- Italy was not safe from uprisings. From 73 B.C. to 71 ly, they faced growing social discontent in their B.C., an army of 70,000 slaves led by the slave new empire. The conquered provinces, which paid Spartacus plundered the Italian countryside in an tribute to Rome, complained of corrupt Roman effort to win freedom. With great difficulty, the officials stealing provincial wealth for personal Romans finally crushed the uprising and killed gain. In Italy and throughout the empire, wealthy about 6,000 of Spartacus’s followers. Putting down Romans acquired or seized land from war-ravaged revolts cost Rome troops and money and placed a small farmers who found it difficult to rebuild their strain on its resources.

Visualizing Rome’s legions put down revolts in the provinces, but not History without cost. Here, women funeral dancers mourn losses. Why were the provinces not an endless source of wealth to Rome?

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 161 Reformers and Generals needed military victories to advance his political Feuding among Rome’s leading families also career. In 59 B.C. he took a military command in weakened the republic. As violence increased, some Gaul, which was inhabited by Indo-Europeans Romans proposed reforms to narrow the social gap known as Celts (KEHLTS). Caesar conquered the and to stabilize society. In 133 B.C. the tribune Celts and brought them under Roman rule. He also Tiberius Gracchus proposed limiting the size of the crossed the Rhine River to fight Germanic tribes latifundia and distributing land to the poor. But the and twice invaded Britain. Senate, made up of the wealthiest Romans, As a result of his victories, Caesar was hailed as opposed him, and Tiberius was killed in street a military hero by Rome’s lower classes. But sena- fighting. Ten years later, his brother Gaius Gracchus tors, alarmed at Caesar’s growing popularity, proposed the same reforms and was also murdered. regarded him as a political threat. By 50 B.C. the tri- umvirate itself had fallen apart: Crassus was dead, Crowding the Cities killed in battle while leading Roman forces in Asia, After the death of the Gracchi, army leaders and Pompey had become Caesar’s political rival. came to power in Rome. The first, the general In 49 B.C. the Senate, with Pompey’s backing, Marius, became a consul in 107 B.C. after saving ordered Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome from attack by Germanic tribes. Because the Rome. Caesar, however, had no intention of turning dwindling number of small farmers had made a cit- himself over to his enemies. He assembled 5,000 izen army obsolete, Marius turned to the unem- loyal troops and crossed the Rubicon, a stream that ployed urban poor to build a new army. Unlike the citizen soldiers, Marius’s recruits were paid, given uniforms and equipment, and promised land when Visualizing Political strife following the murders they were discharged. As a result of Marius’s action, History of the Gracchi aided the rise of the Rome for the first time had a professional army in young Julius Caesar, sculpted here in a heroic pose. which soldiers owed allegiance to their commander, How do you think Roman sculpture differed from the Greek not to the republic. models on which it was based? To advance their political ambitions, rival mili- tary and political leaders formed their own separate armies and used them against each other. From 88 B.C. to 82 B.C., Marius and a rival general named Sulla fought for control of Rome. Sulla finally drove Marius into exile and had himself appointed dicta- tor. This practice of using the army to gain political power was copied by a rising young politician named Julius Caesar.

Julius Caesar

Born in Rome in about 100 B.C. of an aristocrat- ic family, Julius Caesar became one of Rome’s greatest generals and political leaders. Skillfully maneuvering himself through Rome’s tumultuous game of politics, Caesar gradually rose to power. In 60 B.C. the ambitious aristocrat allied himself with the general Pompey and the politician Crassus. A year later, with their help he was elected consul. For the next decade, the three men ruled Rome as a tri- umvirate, or group of three persons with equal power. Through force and bribery, the triumvirate silenced government critics, bending senators and tribunes alike to its will. Caesar’s Military Campaigns While serving as consul, Caesar realized he

162 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity divided his military provinces from Roman Italy. named Julian in honor of him, was used in western According to legend, Caesar had seen a vision that Europe until early modern times. encouraged him to cross, and exclaimed to his troops, “Let us accept this as a sign from the gods, Caesar’s Death and follow where they beckon, in vengeance on our Many Romans believed that Caesar was a wise double-dealing enemies. The die is cast.” By defy- ruler who had brought order and peace to Rome. ing the Senate’s order, Caesar realized there was no Others, however, considered him to be a tyrant who turning back; and a civil war was unavoidable. meant to make himself a king. According to ancient Ever since, “crossing the Rubicon” has meant mak- Roman law, anyone who plotted to become king ing a decision that cannot be undone. could be killed without trial. Acting on this law, a Caesar’s army swiftly captured all of Italy and group of senators, led by Brutus and Cassius, drove Pompey and his allies out. The fighting even- stabbed Caesar to death on March 15, 44 B.C. tually spread east, with Caesar’s troops defeating Pompey’s at Pharsalus, Greece, in 48 B.C. Caesar in Power End of the Republic In 45 B.C. Caesar took over the government as After the death of Julius Caesar, his 18-year-old dictator for life, to rule very much like a monarch. grandnephew Octavian joined forces with Marc As absolute ruler, Caesar granted Roman citizen- Antony and Marcus Lepidus, two of Caesar’s top ship to many people in the provinces outside of government officers. Together this second triumvi- Italy. He added to the Senate representatives from rate defeated Caesar’s assassins in 42 B.C. Then, the provinces who were loyal to him. In making while keeping up the appearance of republican these reforms, Caesar not only made the central government, these three generals divided the government more responsive to Rome’s newly con- Roman world among themselves. Octavian ruled in quered territories, he also strengthened his own Italy and the west, Antony in Greece and the east, power at the expense of the old patricians. and Lepidus in North Africa. Caesar also carried out social reforms aimed to The second triumvirate did not last long, how- benefit the poor. To provide jobs, he set up public ever. Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from politi- works programs and ordered slave-owning land- cal life. When Antony married Cleopatra, the queen owners to hire more free laborers. Colonies were of Egypt, Octavian persuaded the Romans that founded throughout Rome’s territories to provide Antony intended to rule them with his foreign land for the city’s landless poor. Under Caesar, the queen by his side, and so Octavian declared war on government also continued its long-standing prac- Antony in Rome’s name. In 31 B.C. Octavian scat- tice of distributing free grain but reduced the num- tered the forces of his enemies in a critical naval ber of people eligible for it. battle at Actium in Greece. A year later, to evade Caesar’s most lasting reform was a new calen- capture by Octavian, Antony and Cleopatra com- dar based on the work of scholars in Alexandria. mitted suicide in Egypt. With Antony dead, Replacing the old Roman lunar calendar, this new Octavian became the undisputed ruler of Rome. solar calendar counted 365 days in a year and 1 Octavian’s period of rule would mark the begin- extra day every fourth year. Caesar’s calendar, later ning of the Roman Empire.

SECTION 2 ASSESSMENT Main Idea Recall ing of the Rubicon help destroy 1. Use a diagram like the one 2. Define indemnity, triumvirate. the Roman Republic and create below to show which economic 3. Identify Hannibal, Scipio, a dictatorship? and social problems brought Tiberius Gracchus, Gaius Understanding Themes the Roman Republic to an end. Gracchus, Marius, Sulla, Julius 5. Conflict Explain how Roman Economic Social Caesar, Octavian, Marc Antony. military conquests overseas Problems Problems Critical Thinking affected Rome’s political, End of Republic 4. Analyzing Information economic, and social How did Julius Caesar’s cross- development.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 163 Section 3 The Roman Empire

nder the Roman Republic, laws had Read to Find Out proven too weak to control social Main Idea The Pax Romana brought U changes, while generals had taken order and peace to the Roman Empire. power away from elected officials. Thus, Octavian > Terms to Define believed that Rome needed one strong leader. The aqueduct Senate agreed and appointed Octavian consul, tri- bune, and commander in chief for life in 27 B.C. > People to Meet Octavian gave himself the title , or Augustus, Tiberius, , , Mar- “Majestic One.” cus Aurelius, Galen, Ptolemy, Virgil, Livy > Places to Locate Appian Way The First Emperors Augustus claimed to support the republic, but The he actually laid the foundation for a new state Storyteller called the Roman Empire. In practice, he became Rome’s first emperor, or absolute ruler. The visitor, Aelius Aristides, an educated and well-travelled man, had never seen anything to Augustus Caesar rival Rome. And it was not just the city—it was In the 40 years of his reign—from 27 B.C. to A.D. everything that Rome represented: military might, 14—Augustus rebuilt the city of Rome and became sensible government, and an elegant lifestyle. a great patron of the arts. He also introduced many Who could help but admire an empire that com- reforms to the empire. Proconsuls could no longer manded vast territories and diverse peoples, a mil- exploit the provinces. Publican tax collectors were itary that conquered both armed forces and selfish replaced with permanent government employees. ambition, a government where officials ruled not Grain was imported from North Africa so that all in through arbitrary power but by law. Romans Rome would be fed. New roads were built and old “measured out the world, bridged rivers, cut ones repaired. Magnificent public buildings were roads through mountains, filled the wastes with constructed throughout the empire. Augustus posting stations, introduced orderly and refined boasted that he had “found Rome a city of brick modes of life.” They and left it a city of marble.” Augustus were, he declared, In 31 B.C. there began the Pax Romana, or Caesar natural rulers. Roman Peace, which lasted about 200 years. The only major disturbances during those years —adapted from occurred when new emperors came to power. For, Oration on the Pax although Augustus chose his own successor care- Romana, Aelius fully, he failed to devise any law for the selection of Aristides, reprinted later emperors. in Sources of the Western Tradition, The Julio-Claudian Emperors Marvin Perry, 1991 Historians call the four emperors who ruled from A.D. 14 to A.D. 68 the Julio-Claudians because Roman Expansion 15°W 0° 15°E30°E45°E 5 5°N Hadrian’s Wall North Sea Britain

R h i C n a ATLANTIC e sp R ia i OCEAN v n e S r e 45° a N Gaul Sea lack Da B A nub iver d e R ri at Tigri ic s R Rome Se iv a er Spain Italy ASIA MINOR Greece Syria Eup hrate s Riv e er 3 ° Carthage 5 N Actium n i t s e Mediterranean Sea l N a P E Red W End of Punic Wars, 146 B.C. N Sea S i l At Caesar’s death, 44 B.C. Egypt e R At Augustus’s death, A.D. 14 iv er Greatest extent of empire, A.D. 130 0 200 400 mi. Battle site AFRICA 0200 400 km Lambert Conic Conformal Projection

Most of the Roman Empire bordered the Mediterranean Sea, allowing Rome Map to have a stronghold on the Mediterranean region. Study Region Why would control of the Mediterranean region be an advantage for Rome’s economy?

each was a member of Augustus’s family, known as The Good Emperors the Julio-Claudians. Each showed promise when he For 28 years following Nero’s death, Rome was became emperor, but later revealed great faults. governed by a number of emperors who were Augustus’s adopted son Tiberius, who suc- backed by the army. Then, in A.D. 96 the Senate ceeded Augustus Caesar as emperor, spoiled his chose its own candidate for emperor: Nerva. able leadership by accusing many innocent people Historians consider Nerva the first of the so-called of treason against him. , Tiberius’s grand- Good Emperors; the others were Trajan, Hadrian, nephew and successor in A.D. 37, became mentally Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius (aw•REE disturbed and was killed by a palace guard in A.D. •lee•uhs). The Good Emperors were known for 41. Caligula’s uncle, Claudius, was a renowned their skills as effective administrators and their scholar, but as he grew older he had difficulty support of large building projects. focusing on affairs of state. The Emperor Trajan increased the empire to its Nero, Claudius’s stepson, who became emper- greatest size. Hadrian then strengthened Rome’s or in A.D. 54, was cruel and probably insane. Nero frontiers, building Hadrian’s Wall in Britain and was willing to bankrupt Rome to pay for his twin other defense positions. Antoninus Pius succeeded pleasures—horse racing and music. Suspecting him, maintaining the empire’s prosperity. The others of plotting against him, he killed his wife philosopher-ruler Marcus Aurelius brought the and his mother and executed many senators. In empire to the height of its economic prosperity. All of A.D. 68 the Senate sentenced Nero to death for trea- these Good Emperors lived by the principle of Stoic son. Before he committed suicide, reportedly he philosophy best expressed by Marcus Aurelius in cried, ”What a loss I shall be to the arts!” Meditations: “Every moment think steadily as a

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 165 Roman and a human being how to do what you serving as pontifex maximus, or chief priest of Rome. have in hand with perfect and simple dignity.” Thus he and each later emperor became the head of a national, unifying religion. Roman Rule The Law As the Romans won more provinces, they By the time Augustus had come to power in found that they needed a new kind of law that 27 B.C., between 70 and 100 million people were liv- would apply to noncitizens. They therefore created ing in the Roman Empire. To rule so many people the jus gentium, or law that dealt with noncitizens, effectively, Augustus had to make many changes in as opposed to the jus civile, or citizen law. By the government. early A.D. 200s, however, emperors had granted cit- izenship to the peoples of so many nearby Imperial Government provinces that all free males in the empire had been Augustus improved the working of the empire made full citizens of Rome, and the two laws by carefully choosing professional governors rather became one. than letting the Senate appoint inexperienced pro- In their laws Romans generally stressed the consuls every year. In some provinces, such as authority of the state over the individual. They also Judea, he left local kings in charge under his com- accorded people definite legal rights, one of which mand. Augustus ordered new roads built so that he was that an accused person should be considered could keep in touch with all parts of the empire, and innocent until proven guilty. The Roman system of he personally inspected the provinces frequently. law has formed the basis for the legal systems of Augustus also dignified his own position by many Western nations and of the Christian Church.

of the

Pompeii, A.D.79 On August 23-25, A.D. 79, the volcano Vesuvius erupted in southern Italy. The city of Pompeii was buried in a single day.

A detail from the Villa of the Mysteries shows that life for many in Pompeii offered many comforts and pleasures.

166 An Imperial Army Everywhere roads are built, every district Augustus and later emperors maintained the is known, every country is open to com- professional army. As conditions became more merce … the [fields] are planted; the peaceful, however, Augustus reduced the number marshes drained. There are now as many of legions and supplemented this fighting force cities as there were once solitary cot- with troops recruited from the provincial peoples. tages.… Wherever there is a trace of life, Even with forces combined, the emperor could there are houses and human habitations, count on having only about 300,000 troops, which well-ordered governments, and civilized was not enough to defend a border with a length of life. about 4,000 miles (6,440 km). Therefore, by A.D. 160, —Tertullian, Concerning the Soul, c. A.D. 180 invasions by peoples outside the empire had become a continuing problem. The Empire’s Economy Tertullian’s description of economic growth Roman Civilization under the empire was not exaggerated. In the first century A.D., artisans in Italy made pottery, woven From about 31 B.C. to A.D. 180, the Roman cloth, blown glass, and jewelry for sale throughout world enjoyed a period of prosperity known as the the empire. The provinces in turn sent to Italy lux- Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. The stability of the ury items, such as silk cloth and spices, gathered in Pax Romana boosted trade, raised standards of liv- trade with China, India, and Southeast Asian coun- ing, and generated many achievements in the arts. tries. Dockworkers at Rome’s harbor, Ostia, The Latin author Tertullian described this time: unloaded raw materials such as tin from Britain,

Citizens of Pompeii were almost instantly overwhelmed by volcanic ash and fire. A plaster cast of victims serves as a stern reminder of Vesuvius’s power.

REFLECTING ON THE TIMES

1. Why were so many artifacts from Pompeii so well preserved? 2. What do Roman wall paintings in Pompeii reveal about the lifestyles of upper-class Romans?

167 iron from Gaul, and lead from Spain. Soon skillful Public Amusements Greek traders within the empire were doing busi- Despite these trying conditions, the poor did ness in distant areas, such as eastern Africa, not rebel against the government, because it offered Southeast Asia, and China. them both free bread and free entertainment. By A.D. 160, Romans were celebrating 130 holidays a Life During the Pax Romana year. On some days, teams of charioteers competed These economic changes brought changes in in races in the Circus Maximus, an arena seating lifestyles. The family gradually became less signifi- more than 150,000. On other holidays, crowds cant than it had been during the republic. Romans could watch gladiators fight each other to the death had fewer children and were likely to divorce and or battle wild animals in stadiums like the remarry several times. Fathers lost some of the Colosseum. absolute power they had during the republic, and wives gained some legal rights. Society became less Architecture, Engineering, and Science stable. Patricians might go bankrupt, wealthy mili- The Romans erected many impressive build- tary officers might sit in the Senate, and a poor man ings during the Pax Romana besides the Circus might even make a fortune in manufacturing. Maximus and the Colosseum. Between A.D. 118 and Within each class, a consistent pattern of life A.D. 128, Hadrian rebuilt the Pantheon, a temple for formed. The wealthy often held public office, all the deities, with a soaring dome and a huge sky- owned large farms outside the cities, ran factories, light. To build the Pantheon, the Romans mixed or directed trading firms. They lived comfortably in concrete—a new building material—with various luxurious homes with marble walls, mosaic floors, kinds of stone. running water, and baths. The Romans also excelled in road building. The The prosperity of the Pax Romana sometimes first major Roman road was the Appian Way. reached people of average means—shopkeepers Constructed in the 300s B.C., it connected Rome and and artisans. Although fewer people became very southeastern Italy. During the Pax Romana, a net- rich, more became moderately well off. The majori- work of roads was built to link Rome with the ty in Rome, however, were still poor. There were no provinces. Reaching a total length of 50,000 miles private baths for them; instead they bathed at (80,000 km), the road network contributed to the crowded public areas built under Augustus and empire’s unity. later emperors. Most Romans lived in flimsy wood- As they constructed public buildings and a en apartment buildings of six or seven stories that vast network of roads, the Romans engineered readily collapsed or caught fire. aqueducts, or artificial channels for carrying water.

Visualizing Entertainment at the giant arena Circus Maximus, depicted in History this bas-relief, was free to Roman citizens. What new building material did the Romans use to construct the Pantheon?

168 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity PICTURING HISTORY © Sonia Halliday Photographs Roman Forum he ruins of the Roman Forum are a major ancient Rome, the Colosseum took a decade to con- tourist attraction of modern Rome. In ancient struct and could seat 50,000. Here the Romans times, the Forum was the center of both pol- watched gladiators battle lions and later vanquish Titics and commerce. The Forum contained a Christians. number of separate buildings: In the foreground the The rise of the Roman state began with the city of Temple of Castor and Pollux, built in the 400s B.C., Rome itself hundreds of years before the birth of honored Roman gods. Behind is the Arch of Titus, the Christ. Slowly the Romans consolidated control over ruler whose military victory is enshrined in the arch Italy and built a great army. By 200 B.C. Rome had built about A.D 80. Beyond the Arch stand the walls of become a vast empire. Power brought wealth and great the Colosseum. The largest amphitheater built in monuments such as these in the Forum.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 169 These lofty arches built out of stone enabled water to franca, or common language, of Europe as late as flow into Rome from as far away as 57 miles (about the A.D. 1500s. Latin also forms the basis of the so- 92 km). One Roman-built aqueduct in Segovia, called Romance languages, such as Italian, French, Spain, was so well constructed that it is still used Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian, and supplies today—nearly 1,900 years after it was completed. the roots for more than half of English words. The Romans excelled at adapting the discover- Although Romans learned from Greek litera- ies of others and using them in new and more prac- ture, during the reign of Augustus Latin literature tical ways. They made use of the Etruscan arch and achieved an elegance and power of its own. Cicero, dome to build aqueducts and the Pantheon, and a Roman senator, published beautifully written borrowed the Greek design for columns to support speeches. Ovid wrote the Metamorphoses, verses porches built around city squares. based on Greek mythology. Horace, a poet, wrote Roman scientists also relied upon information about the shortness of life and the rewards of com- learned from other cultures. The ancient medical panionship in his Odes. Horace’s friend Virgil ideas compiled by the Greek physician Galen wrote the Aeneid, an epic poem comparable to those formed the basis of Roman medical science. The of Homer. In one passage of this poem, Virgil observations of the Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy expresses both the humility and pride of Romans: formed the foundation of Roman astronomy. Galen’s works influenced medical science for cen- Others, no doubt, will better mould the turies, and Ptolemy’s work allowed later astronomers bronze to accurately predict the planets’ motion. To the semblance of soft breathing, draw, from marble, Roman Education The living countenance; and others plead The Romans studied their borrowed knowledge With greater eloquence, or learn to measure, avidly. Wealthy boys and girls received private Better than we, the pathways of the heaven, lessons at home. Young men from wealthy families The risings of the stars: remember, Roman, went on to academies—where former Greek slaves To rule the people under law, to establish often taught—to learn geometry, astronomy, philos- The way of peace, to battle down the ophy, and oratory. The daughters of the wealthy did haughty, To spare the meek. Our fine arts, these, not attend academies. Many upper-class women forever. continued to study at home, however, and often became as well educated as Roman men. People in —Virgil, the Aeneid, c. 20 B.C. the lower classes usually had at least a basic knowl- edge of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Livy, a later writer, wrote a monumental histo- ry of Rome that glorified the early Romans. The his- Language and Literature torian Tacitus, in contrast, condemned the tyranny Latin, Rome’s official language, had a vocabu- of the Julio-Claudian emperors with subtle but lary far smaller than that of Greek or modern scathing irony. In Germania, Tacitus contrasted the English; thus, many words expressed several robust life of the Germans with what he felt was the meanings. Nevertheless, Latin remained the lingua weak and pleasure-loving life of the Romans.

SECTION 3 ASSESSMENT Main Idea Recall government to prevent discon- 1. Use a diagram like the one 2. Define aqueduct. tent among the poor. Do you below to describe what 3. Identify Augustus, Pax Romana, think this expression applies to lifestyles were like during the Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, Marcus the modern United States? Pax Romana. Aurelius, Galen, Ptolemy, Virgil, Why or why not? Livy. Understanding Themes Critical Thinking 5. Change What major new Lifestyles During 4. Synthesizing Information examples of architecture, engi- the Pax Romana The expression “bread and neering, and science appeared circuses” has been used to during the period of the Pax describe measures taken by a Romana?

170 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Section 4 The Rise of Christianity

he early Romans worshiped nature Read to Find Out spirits. Under Etruscan influence they Main Idea Jesus of Nazareth’s teachings T came to think of these spirits as deities. and early Christianity influenced the later Later, the Romans adopted much of Greek religion, Roman Empire. identifying Greek deities with their own. Beginning > Terms to Define with Augustus, the government also expected peo- sect, messiah, disciple, martyr, bishop, ple to honor the emperor as Rome’s chief priest. patriarch, pope Nevertheless, the empire’s people were still allowed to worship freely, and a variety of religions > People to Meet flourished. Jesus, Paul, Peter, Constantine, Theodosius, Meanwhile, a new monotheistic religion called Augustine Christianity began to be practiced by some of the Jews in the eastern Mediterranean. At first, both the Romans and the earliest Christians thought of the The toryteller new religion as a sect, or group, within Judaism. As S Christians won over non-Jewish followers, howev- How could Justin, a man well versed in philos- er, the faith diverged from its Jewish roots and ophy and intellectual pursuits, explain to the became a separate religion. emperor why he had embraced Christianity? He had opened a school to teach others about this reli- gion, although most educated people dismissed it as Judaism and the Empire a dangerous superstition. He had to convince the In A.D. 6 the Emperor Augustus turned the emperor that, just as the ancient philosophers had kingdom of Judah into the Roman province of sought truth, Christians sought it too. Since both Judea. The Romans in Judea still allowed the Jews scholars and Christians shared this quest, following to practice their religion, but they treated them cru- Christian teachings could only help in the search elly. Many Jews therefore strengthened their hope for understanding. He set his pen to paper and that a messiah, or a deliverer chosen by God, would began to write a defense of the Christian faith. help them regain their freedom. The coming of a mes- siah had long been foretold by Jewish prophets. —from Apology, Justin, reprinted in Believing that God would intervene on their Readings in Ancient History from Gilgamesh behalf, some Jews took matters into their own to Diocletian, Nels M. Bailkey, 1969 hands. In A.D. 66 they rebelled against the Romans and overpowered the small Roman army in Mosaic of Jesus Jerusalem. But only four years later, in A.D. 70, the as shepherd Romans retook Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and killing thousands of Jews. Then, after another unsuccessful rebellion in A.D. 132, the Romans banned the Jews from living

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 171 Visualizing An engraving History of the apos- tles Peter and Paul decorates the sepulchre of the child Asellus. Why did the apostles form churches?

in Jerusalem. The Jews were forced to live in other come, disputed this claim. The growing controver- parts of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. In sy over Jesus troubled Roman officials in Palestine. their scattered communities, the Jews continued to They believed that anyone who aroused such study the Torah, the entire body of Jewish religious strong public feelings could endanger Roman rule law and learning. They set up special academies in the region. In about A.D. 33, the Roman governor called yeshivas to promote its study. Furthermore, Pontius Pilate arrested Jesus as a political rebel and between A.D. 200 and A.D. 500, rabbis—scholars ordered that he be crucified—hung from a cross trained in the yeshivas—assembled their various until dead. This was a typical Roman way of pun- interpretations of the Torah into a book known as ishing criminals. the Talmud. To this day the Talmud remains an important book of Jewish law. The Spread of Christianity Jesus of Nazareth After Jesus’ death, his disciples proclaimed that he had risen from the dead and had appeared to A few decades before the Jewish revolts, a Jew them. They pointed to this as evidence that Jesus named Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth. was the messiah. His followers began preaching With deep spiritual fervor, Jesus traveled through that Jesus was the Son of God and the way of sal- Galilee and Judea from about A.D. 30 to A.D. 33, vation. Small groups in the Hellenistic cities of the preaching a new message to his fellow Jews and eastern Mediterranean world accepted this mes- winning disciples, or followers. sage. Jews and non-Jews who accepted Jesus and Proclaiming that God’s rule was close at hand, his teachings became known as Christians— Jesus urged people to turn away from their sins and Christos was Greek for “messiah.” They formed practice deeds of kindness. He said that God was churches—communities for worship, fellowship, loving and forgiving toward all who repented, no and instruction. matter what evil they had done or how lowly they A convert named Paul aided Christianity’s were. In his teaching, Jesus often used parables, or spread, especially among non-Jews. He traveled symbolic stories. With the parable below, Jesus widely and wrote on behalf of the new religion. urged his followers to give up everything so that Paul’s letters to various churches were later com- they would be ready for God’s coming: bined with the Gospels, or stories about Jesus, and the writings of other early Christian leaders. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure Together, these works form the New Testament of lying buried in a field. The man who the Bible. found it, buried it again; and for sheer Meanwhile, other apostles, or Christian mis- joy went and sold everything he had, and sionaries, spread Christianity throughout the bought that field. Roman world. It is believed that Peter, the leader of —Matthew 13:44–46 the group, came to Rome and helped found a church in that city. Other churches were set up in Jesus’ disciples believed that he was the messi- Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, and later in Gaul and ah; other Jews, believing that the messiah had yet to Spain.

172 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Persecution and Competition Because of effective missionary work and growing government support, Christianity further Christians taught that their religion was the increased in size and influence throughout the only true faith. They refused to honor the emperor entire Roman world. It became as important in the as a god and rejected military service. As a result, western part of the empire as it was in the eastern many Romans accused them of treason. part. In A.D. 392 the Emperor Theodosius (THEE•uh The Romans feared that Christian rejection of •DOH•shuhs) made Christianity the official religion their deities would bring divine punishment. of the Roman Empire. At the same time, he banned Therefore, although they did not hunt out the the old Hellenistic and Roman religions. Christians, if local officials thought Christians were causing trouble, they might have the Christians killed. The Romans frequently threw these The Early Church Christian martyrs—people who chose to die rather than give up their beliefs—into the stadiums to be From early times Christians recognized that killed by wild beasts in front of cheering crowds. their organization, the Church, would prosper only Such persecution, which lasted until the early if it was united. They also felt that Christian teach- A.D. 300s, kept many people from becoming ings had to be stated clearly to avoid differences of Christians. To win converts, Christians had to over- opinion that might divide the Church. Consequently, come this obstacle. Christianity also had to compete Christians turned to important religious thinkers for followers with polytheistic religions and mys- who attempted to explain many Christian beliefs. tery religions—so named for their mythical heroes Between A.D. 100 and A.D. 500, various scholars and secret rituals—and with Judaism. known as Church Fathers wrote books explaining During the A.D. 200s and 300s, Christianity Christian teachings. They greatly influenced later flourished in the Mediterranean world along with Christian thinkers. these other religions. Like Judaism, Christianity was mainly a religion of the cities, while traditional Teachings of Augustine Roman religions retained their hold in the country- Christians in the western part of the empire espe- side. Even though the number of Christians was rel- cially valued the work of Augustine, a scholar born atively small during this period, their strength in the in North Africa in A.D. 354. Augustine is considered cities of the Roman Empire gave Christianity an to have written one of the world’s first great autobi- influence that was far beyond its size. ographies. In this work called Confessions, Augustine describes how he was converted to Christianity:

I heard from a neighboring house a voice, as of a boy or girl, I know not, chanting, and oft repeating, ’Take up and read; Take up Romans Adopt Christianity and read.’… So … I According to legend, in A.D. 312, as the Roman arose, interpreting it general Constantine led his army into battle, a to be no other than a flaming cross appeared in the sky and beneath it in command from God, fiery letters appeared the Latin words In hoc signo to open the book [the vinces: “With this as your standard you will have Bible], and read the victory.” Apparently because of this vision, first chapter I should Constantine ordered his soldiers to paint the find. Christian symbol of the cross on their shields. —Augustine, Confessions, When his army won the battle, Constantine credit- c. A.D. 398 ed the victory to the Christian God. Named emperor of Rome in A.D. 312, Constantine thus became a protector of Christianity. A year later, he issued the Edict of Milan, which decreed that all religious groups in Visualizing Constantine became the empire, including Christians, were free to wor- History a defender of ship as they pleased. Constantine attended meet- Christianity. How did the status of ings of Christian leaders and ordered churches to Christians living in the Roman Empire be built in Rome and Jerusalem. change under the rule of Constantine? Characteristics of Christianity

¥ Christians acknowledge the by believing in Jesus and God of the Jews as their God. following his teachings. The Christian Bible includes both the Jewish Scriptures ¥ Christianity has had a major (the Old Testament) and the impact on the West, especially New Testament. in the arts, philosophy, politics, and society. ¥ Most Christians believe that in one God are three Persons—the ¥ Today, Christianity, with more Father, the Son, and the Holy than 1.5 billion followers, is the Spirit (the Trinity). world's largest religion. It is the major faith in Europe, the ¥ Christianity affirms that Jesus is Americas, and Australia. God the Son who became a Roman mural of Christian disciples human being, died, and rose ¥ Most Christians today belong from death to save humanity to one of three major groups— from sin. According to Christian Roman Catholic, Protestant, belief, people receive eternal life or Eastern Orthodox.

So powerful was Augustine’s influence that he The bishops of the Christian Church met in became a leading church official in North Africa. In councils to discuss questions and disputes about this post he wrote books, letters, and sermons that Christian beliefs. The decisions they reached at shaped Christian thought. For instance, he wrote these councils, such as that at Nicaea in A.D. 325, City of God—the first history of humanity from the came to be accepted as doctrine, or official teach- Christian viewpoint. ings. The points of view the council did not accept were considered heresy, or false doctrine. Church Structure During the A.D. 400s, the bishop of Rome began By Augustine’s time, Christian leaders had to claim authority over the other patriarchs. organized the Church as a hierarchy—into levels of Addressed by the Greek or Latin word papa, his authority, each level more powerful than the level name today is rendered pope in English. Latin-speak- below it. Local gatherings of Christians, called ing Christians in the West regarded the pope as head parishes, were led by priests. Priests conducted of all of the churches. Greek-speaking Christians in worship services and supervised parish activities. the East, however, would not accept the authority of Several parishes together formed a diocese, each the pope. The bishops of Alexandria and Antioch overseen by a bishop. Bishops interpreted Christian claimed to exercise a paternal rule equal to that of the beliefs and administered regional church affairs. pope. Eventually these churches and those of the The most powerful bishops governed Christians in Latin West separated. In time, the Latin churches as the empire’s larger cities. The bishops of the five a group became known as the Roman Catholic leading cities—Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Church and the Greek churches as the Eastern Antioch, and Jerusalem—were called patriarchs. Orthodox Church.

SECTION 4 ASSESSMENT Main Idea Recall Judea especially have respond- 1. Use a diagram like the one 2. Define sect, messiah, disciple, ed harshly toward anyone below to identify the main martyr, bishop, patriarch, pope. arousing strong feelings among points of Jesus’ teachings. 3. Identify the Talmud, Jesus, the Jewish people? Paul, Peter, Constantine, Understanding Themes Teachings of Jesus Theodosius, Augustine. 5. Innovation List some of the Critical Thinking ways in which Christianity 4. Evaluating Information diverged from Judaism to Why might the Romans in become a distinct religion.

174 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity Section 5 Roman Decline

uring the A.D. 200s, while Christianity Read to Find Out was spreading through the Roman Empire, Germanic tribes began to over- Main Idea Political and economic causes led D run the western half of the empire. Many inhabi- to the decline of the western Roman Empire. tants in this area reported widespread devastation > Terms to Define and chaos. The Germanic tribes had always been a inflation threat to the empire. Why were they so much more > People to Meet successful now than they were during the times of Diocletian, Constantine, Theodosius I, Marcus Aurelius? Alaric, Attila, Odoacer > Places to Locate Constantinople The Empire’s Problems The Romans had a brief rest from political vio- The lence during the reign of the five Good Emperors. toryteller When Marcus Aurelius died in A.D. 180, however, a S new period of violence and corruption brought the The old world had ended. There was no longer Pax Romana to an end. any doubt of that. Gregory, whose family had for countless generations served Rome as Senators Political Instability and consuls, looked out the window at the city The time of confusion began with the installa- which had once ruled the world. Now it was in the tion of Emperor Commodus, Marcus Aurelius’s hands of warlike tribes who had no appreciation son. Like Nero, he spent so much state money on for Roman virtue, achievements, or culture. his own pleasures that he bankrupted the treasury. “Cities are destroyed,” he mused, In A.D. 192 Commodus’s own troops plotted to kill “fortifications razed, fields devas- him. tated. Some men are led away cap- From A.D. 192 to A.D. 284, army legions installed tive, others are mutilated, others 28 emperors, only to kill most of them off in rapid slain before our eyes.” The pride of succession. During this time of political disorder, Rome’s armies were busier fighting each other than Rome was reduced to memo- they were defending the empire’s borders. Germanic ries of a vanished glory. tribes such as the Goths, the Alemanni, the Franks, —from Homiliarum in and the Saxons repeatedly and successfully attacked Ezechielem, Pope the empire. Gregory I, reprinted in Sources of the Western Economic Decline Tradition, Marvin Perry, Political instability led to economic decline. Joseph Peden, Warfare disrupted production and trade. For arti- and Theodore sans and merchants, profits declined sharply, forc- Von Laue, 1991 ing many out of business. Warfare also destroyed farmland, causing food shortages that sent food Marcus Aurelius prices soaring.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 175 To cope with falling incomes and rising prices, empire’s decline. Their reforms preserved the gov- the government minted more coins. It hoped the ernment in the eastern part of the empire for more increase would make it easier to pay its soldiers. than 1,000 years. In the west, they succeeded only However, because the government had already in briefly delaying the Germanic tribes’ invasion of drained its stores of gold and silver, the new coins Rome. contained less of the precious metals—cutting their value. To continue getting the same return for their Diocletian goods, merchants raised prices. Thus, the govern- General Diocletian came to power in A.D. 284 ment’s policy sparked severe inflation—a rise in by slaying the murderer of the preceding emperor. prices corresponding to a decrease in the value of To hold back invasions, he raised the number of money. legions in the army and spent his time traveling The spiraling decline in wealth affected almost throughout the empire to oversee defenses. all parts of the empire. To sustain a fighting force, Recognizing, however, that the empire was too the Roman government had to continually raise large for one person to govern, Diocletian divided soldiers’ wages. Taxing landowners heavily seemed the empire into two administrative units. the only way to meet this expense, but as increased Diocletian set himself up as coemperor of the east- taxes made farming less profitable, more and more ern provinces and set up General Maximian as farmers abandoned their lands. As a result, the out- coemperor of the western provinces. put of crops shrank even more, worsening the food Diocletian also tried to stop the empire’s shortage. economic decline. To slow inflation, he issued an order called the Edict of Prices. In this edict, Diocletian froze wages and set maximum Unsuccessful Reforms prices for goods. Yet, even though the penalty for breaking the law was death, his effort failed com- During the late A.D. 200s and early A.D. 300s, pletely. Citizens merely sold their goods through two emperors—Diocletian (DY•uh•KLEE•shuhn) illegal trade. To stop farmers from leaving their and later, Constantine—struggled to halt the lands and heavily taxed people from changing their

Visualizing As this relief sculpture shows, tax collectors in Roman History times were very visible. Why did the Roman government have to increase taxes?

176 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity professions to avoid taxa- Germanic Invasions A.D. 200–500 tion, Diocletian required ° ° ° ° farmers who rented land 15 W 0 15 E 30 E 55 never to leave their prop- °N North erty and all workers to N Sea W remain at the same job E throughout their lives. S 50°N Britain Constantine ATLANTIC When Diocletian re- OCEAN tired in A.D. 305, civil wars 45° broke out again. They con- N Gaul Black Sea tinued until Constantine came to power in A.D. 312. Adrianople Constantinople Constantine worked 40°N Rome to stabilize the empire ASIA MINOR Spain once more by reinforcing Italy Diocletian’s reforms. He Greece made it legal for landown- 35°N ers to chain their workers to keep them on the farm. Mediterranean Sea Alexandria He declared most jobs 0 200 400 mi. hereditary; sons had to fol- 30°N 0200 400 km Lambert Conic Conformal Projection Egypt low their fathers’ occupa- tions. In A.D. 330 he Battle site Franks Angles/Saxons moved the capital of the Empire of the West Ostrogoths Visigoths eastern empire to the 25°N Empire of the East Vandals Huns Greek town of Byzantium —an ideal site for trade and well protected by nat- Between A.D. 410 and A.D. 476 Visigoths, Huns, and Vandals Map invaded Italy. ural barriers—and re– Study named it Constantinople. Movement What was the area of origin and the destination of the Angles and Saxons during this period? Theodosius After Constantine’s death in A.D. 337, civil war flared anew until Theodosius I succeeded better grazing land. Others crossed the empire’s Constantine. During Theodosius’s rule, the empire borders wanting a share of Rome’s wealth. Most, still suffered internal problems, and again the west- however, came because they were fleeing the Huns, ern half suffered more. To lessen the problems, fierce nomadic invaders from central Asia. Theodosius willed upon his death that the eastern and western parts should be separate empires. In Warrior Groups A.D. 395 this division came to pass. To distinguish Germanic warriors lived mostly by raising cat- the two, historians refer to the eastern empire as the tle and farming small plots. Despite their interest in Byzantine Empire—after Byzantium, the town that the empire’s goods, they themselves had little sur- became the capital—and the western empire as the plus to trade and were poor compared to the Roman Empire. Romans. Each warrior group consisted of warriors, their families, and a chief. This chief governed the group and also led the warriors into battle. As the Barbarian Invasions bands of warriors were numerous, so too were the chiefs. Often the only unifying factor among these Germanic tribes entered the Roman Empire for Germanic groups was their language, which to the many reasons. Beginning in the late A.D. 300s, large Romans sounded like unintelligible babbling. The numbers of Germanic peoples migrated into the Romans labeled the Germanic peoples barbarians, a empire because they sought a warmer climate and reference to the sounds they made.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 177 then they moved north into Gaul. In A.D. 451 the Romans and the Visigoths combined to fight and stop the Huns in central Gaul. Foiled in the provinces, Attila turned upon Italy. There his horde plundered the larger cities. Eventually plague and famine took their toll on the Huns. After Attila died in A.D. 453, they retreated to eastern Europe. The end of the Huns’ empire brought the Romans new troubles. Wandering Germans, Slavs, Avars, and Persians battered continually at the Roman Empire’s eastern frontier. Diplomacy, bribery, and warfare kept them at bay for only a short time.

End of the Western Empire With the Huns gone and Italy devastated, noth- ing remained to prevent Germanic tribes from tak- ing over. The Vandals raided and thoroughly sacked Rome in A.D. 455. Franks and Goths divided Gaul among themselves. Finally, in A.D. 476, a The Visigoths German soldier named Odoacer (OH•duh•WAY During the late A.D. 300s and A.D. 400s, a vari- •suhr) seized control of Rome and overthrew the ety of Germanic groups extended their hold over young emperor, Romulus Augustulus. Odoacer much Roman territory. They were the Ostrogoths, then named himself king of Italy. Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Angles, and Saxons. Because Odoacer called himself king and never The Visigoths, at first, were the most important of named a substitute emperor, people today refer to these groups. In A.D. 378 they rebelled against A.D. 476 as the year in which the Roman Empire Roman rule and defeated a large Roman army at “fell.” However, this event no more signifies the Adrianople in the Balkan Peninsula, killing the collapse of the empire than any other event. Its end eastern Roman emperor. To buy peace, his succes- was caused by a complex interaction of events sor gave the Visigoths land in the Balkans. In A.D. between A.D. 200 and A.D. 500. 410 the Visigothic chief, Alaric, led his people into More accurately, the western Roman Empire Italy, capturing and sacking Rome. After Alaric’s ended in the late A.D. 400s. Yet it did not mean the death the Visigoths retreated into Gaul. end of Roman culture, for the new Germanic rulers accepted the Latin language, Roman laws, and the The Huns Christian Church. In the Byzantine Empire, howev- The next threat to the empire was invasion by er, aspects of Roman culture were gradually sup- the Huns. This nomadic group streamed westward planted by Hellenistic culture. By the A.D. 700s, from the grasslands of central Asia. Led by their Greek had even replaced Latin as the language of chief, Attila, the Huns raided the eastern empire; the Byzantine Empire.

SECTION 5 ASSESSMENT

Main Idea Recall had greater impact on the 1. Use a diagram like the one 2. Define inflation. decline and fall of the western below to identify the political 3. Identify Diocletian, Roman Empire? Why? Give and economic causes of the Constantine, Theodosius I, reasons from the text for your decline of the Roman Empire. Alaric, Attila, Odoacer. choice. Causes Effect Critical Thinking Understanding Themes

Political ➝ 4. Synthesizing Information 5. Change How did warfare Decline of Do you think that internal create the Roman Empire and Roman Empire Economic ➝ difficulties or outside invaders later destroy its western half?

178 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity CriticalCritical ThinkingThinking

Decision Making

uppose you have been given the choice of 5. Beginning in the late A.D. 300s, large num- taking an art class or a music class during bers of Germanic peoples migrated into the Syour free period at school. How will you Roman Empire. decide which class to take?

Learning the Skill When you make a decision, you are making a choice between alternatives. There are five key steps you should follow that will help you in the decision-making process. 1. Identify the problem. What are you being asked to choose between? 2. Identify and consider various alternatives that are possible. 3. Determine the consequences for each alterna- tive. Identify both the positive and the nega- tive consequences. 4. Evaluate the consequences. Consider both the positive and negative consequences for each alternative. 5. Ask yourself: Which alternative seems to have more positive consequences? Which seems to have more negative consequences? Then make your decision. Applying the Skill Use a newspaper or magazine to find a cur- rent issue that directly affects your life. Identify Practicing the Skill the issue, and then review the facts. Identify Decisions throughout history have affected various alternatives, and then determine the the outcome of events, and defined history. positive and negative consequences for each Identify the alternatives and describe their con- alternative. Make a sound decision about which sequences for each of the following events that alternative would be best for you. occurred during the time of ancient Rome. Each of these events took place as a result of a deci- sion made by a person or a group of people. For More Practice 1. The Twelve Tables became the basis for all Turn to the Skill Practice in the Chapter future Roman law in 451 B.C. Assessment on page 181 for more practice in 2. During the Third Punic War, in 146 B.C., the decision making. Romans burned Carthage. 3. In 27 B.C., Augustus Caesar became Rome’s first emperor. The Glencoe Skillbuilder 4. The Emperor Theodosius made Christianity Interactive Workbook, Level 2 provides instruction and practice the official religion of the Roman Empire in in key social studies skills. A.D. 392.

Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity 179 CHAPTER 6 ASSESSMENT

Using Your History Journal Self-Check Quiz Imagine that you are either a young Visit the World History: The Human Experience Roman legionary stationed in a remote Web site at worldhistory.ea.glencoe.com and click outpost of the empire in A.D. 130 or you on Chapter 6—Self-Check Quiz to prepare for the are a friend of the legionary, awaiting Chapter Test. his return to Rome. Write a letter describing what you have been doing in the past week. Using Key Terms Write the key term that completes each sentence. Then write a sentence for each term not chosen. a. indemnity h. patricians Reviewing Facts b. bishop i. triumvirate 1. History Use a time line like the one below to c. plebeians j. messiah identify key events in the barbarian invasions d. sect k. pope of the Roman Empire. e. inflation l. consul f. aqueducts m. dictator g. republic 1. After years of rule by kings, the Romans A.D. 300 A.D. 500 declared their city-state a _____, a form of gov- ernment in which people elect their leaders. 2. In 60 B.C. Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar formed a ______, a group of three persons 2. Science Identify Roman achievements in science with equal power, to control the government. and engineering, and discuss their impact. 3. After their defeat, the people of Carthage 3. Government Describe how Rome’s political agreed to pay the Romans a huge ______, or system changed under Augustus Caesar. payment for damages. 4. Citizenship Trace the development of Roman 4. Early Christianity was thought of as a ______, law and its influence on Western civilization. or group, within Judaism. 5. Government Discuss how Roman governors 5. The majority of people in the Roman Republic made provincial cities more like Rome. were ______—nonaristocratic landowners, mer- 6. Geography Explain the geographic factors that chants, shopkeepers, small farmers, and laborers. helped Rome to dominate the Mediterranean.

Technology Activity Critical Thinking Creating a Multimedia 1. Apply In what ways did the Roman Republic, Presentation Search a in its structure and growth, affect later govern- computerized card catalog or ments in western Europe and America? the Internet for information about the early 2. Analyze What evidence suggests that Roman Etruscans. Using multimedia tools, create a society was more stable during the republic short presentation about the Etruscan culture. than during the time of the empire? Incorporate images from the Internet. Before you 3. Evaluate In what ways did the Romans’ treat- begin, plan the type of presentation you want to ment of the peoples they conquered differ from develop and the steps you will take to make the the ways in which other victors usually treated presentation successful. Indicate tools you will the peoples they conquered? How might Roman need and cite all electronic resources. attitudes have strengthened the empire?

180 Chapter 6 Ancient Rome and Early Christianity CHAPTER 6 ASSESSMENT

4. Analyze The vase shown here incorpo- Understanding Themes rates the Etruscan 1. Change How did the Roman government alphabet. Why have change from the time of the Etruscans to scholars been unable Augustus Caesar? to tell the full story 2. Conflict Evaluate a conflict between nations of Etruscan history? that has occurred in the recent past, and analyze the ways in which it is similar to conflicts between the Romans and other peoples of the Mediterranean region. 3. Cultural Diffusion How might Roman roads have helped to foster cultural diffusion? 4. Innovation In what way did Constantine’s vic- tory in battle in A.D. 312 change the religious life of the Roman Empire? How did his reli- gious policies later shape the future course of religion in Western civilization? 5. Change How did Roman architecture reflect the Geography in History political and social changes that transformed Rome from a republic into an empire? 1. Location Refer to the map below. Which area (east or west) was more heavily influenced by Christianity by A.D. 200? 2. Movement What major body of water did many early missionaries cross in their efforts to The United States government operates spread Christianity? on the system of checks and balances, in 3. Place According to the map below, which city which each branch of government limits the in western Europe had the largest concentration power of the other branches. Did this system of Christians by A.D. 200? operate in the Roman Republic? Why or why not? Use examples from Roman history to support your answer. The Spread of Christianity

Christian area, A.D. 200 Expansion of Christianity, Skill Practice A.D. 200–400 Reread page 160 about the Punic Wars. For ck Sea Bla each of the three wars, identify the decision that affected the outcome of each. Explain the conse- Rome Constantinople quences of each decision, and how they affected the Antioch outcome. Examining the decisions and final out- Jerusalem comes of each war will help you see alternatives that Med iterranean Sea Red might have been available to the decision makers at Sea Alexandria the time. Discuss some of the alternatives and their consequences for each war. How would history have changed if different decisions had been made?

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