The Birth of Christianity and The Birth of Christianity and the Fall of the Roman Empirethe Fall of the Roman Empire

I. Life of JesusI. Life of Jesus

A.A. Jesus was born in the Jesus was born in the Roman province of Roman province of Judea in a city called Judea in a city called Bethlehem around 4 Bethlehem around 4 BC.BC.

B.B. History of Jesus is from History of Jesus is from the Gospels in the New the Gospels in the New TestamentTestament

C.C. His followers were His followers were twelve men called twelve men called disciples, which means disciples, which means student or pupil. student or pupil.

D.D. Jesus would preach Jesus would preach justice, compassion, justice, compassion, and the coming of God’s and the coming of God’s kingdomkingdom

E.E. He would teach in He would teach in parables or moral parables or moral stories.stories.

F.F. Jesus angered the Jesus angered the Jewish and Roman Jewish and Roman leaders because he leaders because he forgave those who forgave those who broke religious law, broke religious law, associated himself with associated himself with sinners, and many sinners, and many claimed he was the claimed he was the “Messiah.”“Messiah.”

G.G. Jesus was arrested as Jesus was arrested as the Romans saw him as the Romans saw him as a threat to their authoritya threat to their authority

H.H. Jesus was sentenced to Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion.death by crucifixion.

I.I. According to the According to the Gospels, he resurrected Gospels, he resurrected 3 days after his death. 3 days after his death.

J.J. According to Christians, According to Christians, this proved Jesus’ this proved Jesus’ divinitydivinity

II. Birth of ChristianityII. Birth of ChristianityA.A. Early Christians were Early Christians were

converted Jews converted Jews B.B. Gentiles or Non-Jews Gentiles or Non-Jews

would be accepted into would be accepted into the religion by Apostle the religion by Apostle Paul.Paul.

C.C. Paul would spread Paul would spread Christianity throughout Christianity throughout the Roman Empire the Roman Empire because of the Roman because of the Roman Roads.Roads.

D.D. Rome was tolerant of Rome was tolerant of many religions but many religions but would not let them would not let them inspire rebellion or inspire rebellion or challenge authority.challenge authority.

III. Persecution of ChristiansIII. Persecution of Christians

A.A. When Gentiles When Gentiles joined the Christian joined the Christian movement, Rome movement, Rome became concernedbecame concerned

B.B. Christians refused to Christians refused to worship the emperorworship the emperor

C.C. Christianity Christianity appealed to slaves appealed to slaves and women which and women which caused alarmcaused alarm

D.D. Nero blamed the Nero blamed the Christians for the fire Christians for the fire in Rome in 64 AD.in Rome in 64 AD.

E.E. For the next 250 For the next 250 years, Christians years, Christians would be tortured would be tortured and killed for their and killed for their beliefs. (Crucifixions, beliefs. (Crucifixions, burnt alive, fed to burnt alive, fed to lions, etc) lions, etc)

IV. Christianity spreads throughout IV. Christianity spreads throughout the Roman Empirethe Roman Empire

A.A. Constantine claimed the throne Constantine claimed the throne after a civil war broke out for after a civil war broke out for control of Romecontrol of Rome

B.B. In a battle for control of Rome, In a battle for control of Rome, Constantine had a vision of a Constantine had a vision of a cross in the sky with the words cross in the sky with the words “In this sign you will conquer.”“In this sign you will conquer.”

C.C. He commanded that crosses will He commanded that crosses will be placed on all shields and be placed on all shields and battle flagsbattle flags

D.D. Constantine would then stop the Constantine would then stop the persecution of Christians and persecution of Christians and advance the power of Christians advance the power of Christians in the Roman Empirein the Roman Empire

E.E. In 380 AD, Emperor Theodosius In 380 AD, Emperor Theodosius would make Christianity the would make Christianity the official religion of the Roman official religion of the Roman EmpireEmpire

V. Economic DeclineV. Economic DeclineA.A. Poor farming tactics Poor farming tactics

caused food shortages caused food shortages and prices increaseand prices increase

B.B. Taxes were too high, Taxes were too high, that people stopped that people stopped paying thempaying them

C.C. Without tax money, the Without tax money, the army was not being paid army was not being paid so the empire relied on so the empire relied on Germanic mercenaries.Germanic mercenaries.

D.D. Slave labor=Worker Slave labor=Worker unemploymentunemployment

E.E. Roman currency Roman currency becomes less valuable becomes less valuable through inflationthrough inflation

VI. DiocletianVI. Diocletian

A.A. Tried economic Tried economic reforms liked fixed reforms liked fixed prices on foodprices on food

B.B. Ignored the Senate Ignored the Senate for absolute controlfor absolute control

C.C. Put soldiers on Put soldiers on empire’s bordersempire’s borders

D.D. Divided empire into Divided empire into two parts (Eastern two parts (Eastern and Western)and Western)

VII. ConstantineVII. Constantine

After civil war, After civil war, Constantine reunites Constantine reunites the empirethe empire

Moves capital of the Moves capital of the empire to Byzantium empire to Byzantium and renames it and renames it Constantinople Constantinople (Today it is Istanbul)(Today it is Istanbul)

After his death, the After his death, the empire would split empire would split once moreonce more

VIII. Germanic InvasionsVIII. Germanic InvasionsA.A. Asian nomadic warriors Asian nomadic warriors

known as the Huns would known as the Huns would drive Germanic tribes to drive Germanic tribes to search for new land and search for new land and protection in the Roman protection in the Roman Empire.Empire.

B.B. Without proper defenses Without proper defenses the Germanic tribes would the Germanic tribes would attack different parts of the attack different parts of the empire.empire.

C.C. Visigoths would ask for Visigoths would ask for protection from the protection from the Romans, but were treated Romans, but were treated very badly and forced to very badly and forced to pay high food prices.pay high food prices.

D.D. Germanic TribesGermanic Tribes1.1. Ostrogoths-defeated by the Ostrogoths-defeated by the

HunsHuns2.2. Visigoths-Rebelled and Visigoths-Rebelled and

attacked Romeattacked Rome3.3. Angles and Saxons-would Angles and Saxons-would

settle in the British Islandssettle in the British Islands4.4. Franks-settle in Gaul or Franks-settle in Gaul or

present day Francepresent day France5.5. Vandals-conquered Spain Vandals-conquered Spain

and northern Africa. Would and northern Africa. Would vandalize the city of Rome.vandalize the city of Rome.

E.E. In 410 AD, Visigoths In 410 AD, Visigoths led by Alaric captured led by Alaric captured Rome, marking the 1st Rome, marking the 1st time Rome was time Rome was conquered in 800 conquered in 800 years.years.

F.F. Again in 455 AD, Again in 455 AD, Vandals would enter Vandals would enter Rome and loot the city.Rome and loot the city.

G.G. A Germanic General A Germanic General Odacer took control Odacer took control from the last Roman from the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Emperor, Romulus Augustus, in 476 AD Augustus, in 476 AD marking the historic fall marking the historic fall of the Western Roman of the Western Roman EmpireEmpire

IX. Byzantine EmpireIX. Byzantine EmpireA.A. Rome’s Eastern Rome’s Eastern

Empire would endure Empire would endure for 1000 more yearsfor 1000 more years

B.B. Stronger economically Stronger economically thanks to the thanks to the convergence of trade convergence of trade between Asia, Africa, between Asia, Africa, and Europeand Europe

C.C. Cities were much Cities were much larger and better larger and better fortified in the Eastfortified in the East

D.D. The Black Sea would The Black Sea would also serve as a natural also serve as a natural barrier between barrier between Constantinople and Constantinople and potential invaders potential invaders

E. JustinianE. Justinian1.1. Justinian would serve as Justinian would serve as

Emperor from 527-565 ADEmperor from 527-565 AD2.2. Justinian was successful in Justinian was successful in

reuniting parts of the reuniting parts of the Roman Empire, but would Roman Empire, but would not have enough money to not have enough money to keep the territory.keep the territory.

3.3. Justinian Code - Revised Justinian Code - Revised and created a uniform code and created a uniform code of laws based on Roman of laws based on Roman Law. (Marriage, Slavery, Law. (Marriage, Slavery, property ownership, property ownership, women’s rights, etc)women’s rights, etc)

4.4. Wife Theodora influenced Wife Theodora influenced him to give divorced women him to give divorced women rights and Byzantine wives rights and Byzantine wives could own land.could own land.

X. Rise of the Catholic ChurchX. Rise of the Catholic ChurchA.A. The Church of Rome would The Church of Rome would

survive the Fall of the Western survive the Fall of the Western Roman Empire and would Roman Empire and would become the Roman Catholic become the Roman Catholic Church.Church.

B.B. With no emperor in the West, With no emperor in the West, the Pope would begin to the Pope would begin to accumulate power.accumulate power.

C.C. The Pope claimed he was the The Pope claimed he was the head of all Christian churches head of all Christian churches including the Byzantine Empire, including the Byzantine Empire, which caused a feud since the which caused a feud since the Emperor was the head of the Emperor was the head of the Church in the EastChurch in the East

D.D. The Two sides would not help The Two sides would not help each other militarily when each other militarily when outsiders would invadeoutsiders would invade

E.E. The Pope turned to a loyal The Pope turned to a loyal Germanic Tribe, the Franks Germanic Tribe, the Franks and their leader Charlemagneand their leader Charlemagne

F.F. The Pope would make The Pope would make Charlemagne the Emperor of Charlemagne the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, which angered the which angered the ByzantinesByzantines

G.G. The two sides The two sides excommunicated each other excommunicated each other which caused a split into two which caused a split into two churches:churches:1.1. Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church2.2. Eastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox Church