More Notes

Decline of the Roman Empire

• RISE OF CHRISTIANITY
• Jesus spends 3 years preaching, is killed by Roman leaders
• Jesus' followers believe he is the Messiah and Savior who has risen from the dead
• Saul (the persecutor) becomes Paul (the evangelist), spreading Jesus' message (one true God, not Roman gods)
• Christianity evolves from cult status to established, official structure
• Priests, bishops, pope (Bishop of Rome)
• RISE OF CHRISTIANITY (2)
• Christians and Jews were monotheistic (Believing in one God)
• This conflicted with Roman Beliefs
• Persecution against both was common
• Christianity appealed to the poor, and since there were many poor, their numbers grew
• as it grew, even some Roman leaders embraced Christianity
• (can you see the tide beginning to turn..?)
• RISE OF CHRISTIANITY (3)
• AD 313: Constantine had a battlefield conversion
• He issues Edict of Milan
• Not only no persecution, but actual approval of Christianity, eventually making it the official religion of Rome
• The Roman empire and Christianity are now linked in power and influence
• DECLINE OF ROMAN EMPIRE
• AD 180: Rome has problems
• economic  (trade becomes risky; taxes were too high; food supply was dropping)
• military (frontiers were hard to patrol; Roman generals fought for control; soldiers' loyalty declined and mercenaries appeared)
• Diocletian divided the empire in two
• Greek- speaking East (had more resources)
• Latin- speaking West (Rome, tradition)
• DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (2)
• AD 324- Constantine becomes emperor over both halves of the empire
• moves the capital from Rome to Byzantium (Renamed Constantinople), where Asia met Europe (Now Turkey)
• after his death, empire is divided again
• this time, "barbarian invaders" (Huns, Vandals, Visigoths, Angles, Saxons, Franks) overrun the Empire's frontiers
• That's it for the Roman Empire (AD 476)