Transcript Julio-Claudians - AP European History at University High School

Was Jesus a visionary and a teacher, a magician and a
prophet, or a rebel and a revolutionary? Explain your
answer.
2. Do you consider the Gospels a primary or secondary
source? Why?
3. What are the difficulties with asserting the
historicity of Jesus?
4. What do the connections between Jesus and the
monomyth tell us about humanity and
religion/mythology?
1.
Western Civilization
University High School
 in modern-day Israel
 ruled by King Herod from 37 – 4 BCE
 unpopular for embracing Greek culture
 Herod was a nasty guy…
 Jews revolt after Herod’s death
 civil war!
 famine, plague, war  end of
the world?
 Some predicted the coming of
a Messiah (savior of Israel)
 Judea put under control of
officials who answered directly
to the emperor
 some officials harsh,
unaccepting of Jewish culture
(esp. tax collectors!)
 2 Jewish responses…
 Zealots: extremists who
wanted Rome out of Judea
 refused to pay Roman taxes
 many violent conflicts with
Roman army
 belief that the Messiah is coming soon
 literal belief; most desperate times?
 Dead Sea Scrolls  972 texts from Hebrew Bible,
Jewish cultures preparing for arrival
 born roughly 7-2 BCE
 raised in Galilee
 difficult to separate truth from
fiction
 primary source (?) of Jesus info:
the four Gospels (“good news”)
of the New Testament
 written by Matthew, Mark, Luke,
& John
 records of Jesus’ teachings,
doctrines
 earliest ones written 75 years
after Jesus’ death
 2006: Gospel of Judas Iscariot
discovered
 heaven  eternal happiness
after death
 mostly traditional Judaism;
claimed to be Messiah
 not establishing an earthly
kingdom, but a spiritual one
 Jesus was controversial!
 Some loved him. Some hated him.
Some wished he would be more
forceful vs. Rome…
 Pontius Pilate: Roman prefect
 concerned about violence, chaos
 condemned Jesus to death
 hung from a cross to die
 3 days later: Resurrection? (Body
stolen?)
 central tenet of Christianity
(immortality)
 Paul of Tarsus: most
important figure in turning
Christianity from sect/cult to
independent religion
 urged universal Christianity
 urged Jews to include
Gentiles (non-Jews) in the
faith
 Christianity reaches Rome
 center of Western civilized
world (literally &
metaphorically)
 appealed to
commoners/poor
 forgiveness, afterlife,
salvation…
 being a good Christian =
spreading God’s word
Western Civilization
University High School
2011-12
 Augustus dies in 14 CE
 Julio-Claudians and Flavians
 the next wave of Roman
emperors (27 BCE – 96 CE)
 some were capable (Tiberius,
Claudius)
 some less so… (Caligula, Nero)
 Praetorian Guard:
 segment of Roman military
established by Augustus
 imperial bodyguard
 41 CE: kills Caligula, declared
Claudius emperor
 Senate agrees (under threat of
force)
 54 CE: Claudius killed by 4th
wife
 allow her son (from previous
marriage), Nero, to take power
 64 CE: Great Fire of Rome
 many believed he started
it to clear room for
palace complex
 “Nero fiddled while
Rome burned”
 68 CE: facing rebellion &
assassination, Nero
commits suicide
 clan that took control after Julio-
Claudians
 Vespasian
 emperor from 69 – 79 CE
 re-conquered Judea to stop civil
unrest
 Titus & Domitian
 Vespasian’s sons; subsequent
emperors
 Domitian hated by many (Senate),
assassinated
 96 – 180 CE
 wise, fair, just emperors
 wars were at the frontiers only, generally won
 Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, & Marcus Aurelius
 emperor from 117 – 138 CE
 took over for Trajan
 noted for building
Hadrian’s Wall
 built across Great Britain
(begun in 122 CE)
 marked northern border
of Roman empire
 Purposes of the Wall?
 defense
 expression of Roman
power
 control over immigration,
customs, trade?