Roman Literature

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The Roman Empire

• Beginning with Augustus, the Pax Romana meant
  that people didnt have to worry about their
  safety
• Trade increased (throughout the known world!)
• Society building spread throughout the empire

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Roman Literature

• Most influenced by Greek models.
• Most distinguished poet of the Augustan age was
  Virgil.

"Omnia vincit amor " "Love conquers
all "Audentes fortuna iuvat" "Fortune favors
the bold
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Art Architecture

• The Romans adopted many features of the Greek
  style of art.

• The Romans excelled in architecture (columns and
  curvilinear forms arch, vault, dome).

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• 1st people in antiquity to develop and use
  concrete on a massive scale.

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Roman Architecture
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Roman Aqueduct
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Roman Bridges
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All Roads Led To Rome
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Roman Daily Life

• Rome was overcrowded, noisy, dangerous
• Insulae apartment blocks for the poor/ high
  rent forced entire families to live in one room
• Due to conditions (heat and odors), Romans spent
  most of their time in the street

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• Most citizens of Rome were unemployed as a result
  of the Latifundia (plantation) system of farming
• Entertainment gladiator contests-animals,
  slaves, criminals would fight to death/ horse
  and chariot races at Circus Maximus/ free food
  (bread) and wine were given to the spectators as
  a sort of unemployment solution
• Magnificent public buildings baths, temples,
  theaters, markets

Roman Colosseum
Gladiators
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Circus Maximus
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Economic life in the Empire
Self-sustaining individual networksthe Saharan
caravans, Arab and Chinese ships and most
famously the Silk Routes linked at key cities
such as Alexandria formed a truly
intercontinental trading system.
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Roman Religion

• Augustus revived early Roman religious festivals
  and ceremonies to bring back religion
• Beginning with Augustus, emperors were often
  declared gods and citizens asked to sacrifice to
  them this guaranteed peace and prosperity

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• Tolerance of all religions that werent harmful
  to the state

• This includes the diefication of deceased
  Emperors!

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Judaism

• Judaea was a Roman province
• Unrest was common among the Jewish inhabitants
• Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem in 70 ad
  and force many Jews from Jerusalem (Jewish
  Diaspora)?
• Jesus (Jew) began to teach during the midst of
  the conflict

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• Jesus as a profit of God (no room for Emperor
  Gods
• Message of love, hope and Heaven appealing to the
  masses
• Seen as a threat to Romes stability

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• Denounced by Roman and Jewish leadership
• Tried and sentenced to death by the Prefect of
  Judea Pontius Pilate

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• By the order of Pontius Pilate Jesus is crucified
• Loyal followers believe that he overcomes death

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• The gospel of Jesus spreads throughout the
  Empire

• Christian communities are founded in Asia Minor
  and along the Aegean Sea

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• At first, persecution is sporadic
• In 303, Christians lost all legal rights
• Later laws called for execution for failure to
  sacrifice to Roman Gods

The Christian Martyrs Last Prayer Jean-Leon
Gerome 1883
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• Grows slowly at first, but begins to appeal to
  the Romans for several reasons
• salvation for all
• simple baptism
• could relate to Jesus suffering
• sense of belonging
• More personal relationship with god

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• Constantine becomes the first emperor to convert
  to Christianity

• Constantine issues the Edict of Milan in 313
  (official tolerance of Christianity)

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• On February 27th, 380, Emperor Theodosius makes
  Christianity the official religion of the empire
• hes also the last Emperor to rule both the
  Eastern and Western halves of the Roman Empire

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Upon Theodosius death, the empire is permanently
divided into eastern and western empires
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Transformation of the Roman Empire

• The problem of barbarians
• Celts
• Germans
• Steppe peoples, especially Huns

• Huns upset balance of borders c. 370 C.E.
• Move of Goths into imperial territory to escape
  Huns

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Transformation of the Roman Empire

• Plague!

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410 sack of Rome by the Visogoths
476 abdication of last western emperor
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Fall of Rome

• Many Germanic kingdoms over the years replaced
  the western empire

• Eastern Roman empire became known as the
  Byzantine Empire and thrived around Constantinople

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Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Resurgence under Justinian I (r. 527565 C.E.)

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Justinian Code 529ce
The Emperor Justinian called on all of Romes
existing laws to be codified. (collected and
simplified into a clear and simple code of
laws.)
innocent until proven guilty
Many current legal systems around the world are
based on the Justinian Code
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Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire)

• Religious Disputes
• Monophysites
• Iconoclasm
• Lasts until 1453!
• Nearly 1,000 years longer than the eastern half

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What is the Legacy of the Roman Empire?

• Linguistic
• Legal
• Urban
• Transformation of Roman administration by
  Christian church
• ETC.what can you think of?

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Contributions

• Roman Law
• all equal
• guaranteed legal protection
• Architecture
• roads, aqueducts, bridges
• arch, dome, concrete
• Latin
• Romance languages Spanish, French, Italian
• ½ of English words

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The Fall of the Roman Empire

• any theories??

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The Fall of The Roman Empire

• Political Causes
• inefficient and corrupt Government
• empire too big
• succession problems led to civil wars

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SOCIAL CAUSES

• interested in luxury instead of patriotism
• sharp class distinctions
• Plague!
• Lead poisoning from water pipes caused mental
  decline

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ECONOMIC CAUSES

• small farmers abandoned land to big estates
  (latifundia), less productive
• economic decline due to large estates
  self-sufficiency
• heavy taxation destroyed peoples willingness to
  work
• slaves led to unemployment

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MILITARY CAUSES

• Warlike spirit weakened by Christian teachings of
  peace
• Barbarian mercenaries in army
• armies set government policy

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• and many more reasons.
• What reasons can you think of?
• Do you think it was a single reason or several?

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