Transcript Slide 1
Life in the Roman Empire I. Daily life in the Roman Empire A. Public life more important than private B. Government built grand public services 1. Temples 2. Baths 3. Coliseums 4. Markets Entertainment C. D. Homes very modest for most Life lived outdoors (like Greeks) - public areas very crowded E. Numerous corner cook stands and bars 1. Lots of eating and drinking 2. Led to problems of violence, public drunkenness 3. Mob violence in time became only real political outlet for masses F. G. H. Meanwhile, wealthy lived life of dinners, parties, high fashion, slave servants Average person caught up in delusions Excess and entertainment II. Pax Romana (particularly during period of 5 Good Emperors) A. Extensive trade network, roads, created cosmopolitan empire B. C. Roman colonization created many towns These town became centers of cultural cross polarization D. Downside - more towns meant more epidemics E. East vs. West 1. West: Historical Rome, lot of problems 2. East: Wealthier (more powerful), fresh opportunity. Late Roman Empire and the fall of Rome I. Late Empire - a more rigid society, economy, religious systems (tension) A. Stability depended on relationship between emperor and military B. 31BC-180AD period of relative strength, stability C. Break down in later Empire 1. 193-235AD - increased militarization of government 2. 235-284AD - military and political anarchy - many coups, many short-lived emperors D. Emperor Diocletian (284-305AD) restores order 1. Institutes reforms 2. Attacks those he sees as Rome's enemies 3. Including Christians - last major period of persecution. E. Emperor Constantine, 306-337AD 1. Finds city of Rome ungovernable, moves capital to Constantinople in east 2. Splits empire in half a. East governed from Constantinople, West from Rome b. Western emperor junior in status to Eastern emperor c. Cultural divide between East and West d. Different fates of East and West e. Focus on the East 3. Legalizes Christianity - Edict of Milan 311AD a. No more persecution b. Good or Bad for Christianity???? c. End of Christianity (in its original form) d. War on Drugs???? F. Emperor Theodosius 378-395AD 1. Last great emperor 2. Christianity the official religion of the empire 3. Government control of Christianity II. The Collapse of the (Western) Roman Empire A. Germanic tribes (Goths) in North grow stronger 1. Border regions less Roman in culture 2. Goths pressured by migrations in Central Asia Atilla the Hun B. Empire, particularly in West, grows weaker 1. Army declines 2. Plagues reduce population 3. Economy declines E. Goths move across the border 400AD 1. Visigoths sack city of Rome 410AD 2. Vandals (a Gothic tribe) sack the city 455AD 3. Imperial government in East and West unable to respond effectively (or didn’t care) 4. Last person with title of Western Roman Emperor (Romulus Agustulus) killed 476AD 5. No one bothers to try to take his place 6. Western Roman Empire has collapsed 7. Eastern Roman Empire keeps going - becomes known as Byzantine Empire F. Legacy???? Stand for nothing – fall for anything.