...of the Roman Empire | How Christianity played a part in the decline of an Empire | | | | 8/1/2014 | Paper outline 1. Introduction 2. Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire 3. How Christianity played a part in the decline of the Roman Empire 4. The situation after the fall of the Roman Empire 5. The situation in the dark ages 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography “Why did Rome fall?” still remains one the greatest questions of Western history. Many books have been written about this topic and many theories have been advanced about the reason of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Several reasons are issued for the fall. These reasons are issued to be sequacious and interwoven. For example, one of the most influential modern historians, Edward Gibbon wrote “The Decline and fall of the Roman Empire” in 1776, where he stated that the initiation of Christianity was one of the reasons for the decline. The transition of religions in the Roman Empire, from a polytheistic religion to a monotheistic religion, leads to instability within the Empire. (Gibbon, 1782) How Christianity was a factor in the decline of the Western Roman Empire will be discussed more extensively in this paper. In the beginning, Christianity was not more than an insignificant sect of Judaism and began its spread from Roman Judaea during the life of Jesus, but in only four centuries Christianity had become the state religion of the Roman Empire. The rise of Christianity...
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...The Rise of the Papacy The rise to power of the Papacy in the Roman Empire during the 6-9th centuries is crucial to the history of the church. There were many theories as to why the Papacy earned such central power. Included in these were the rise of the early church, and also the negative and positive effects of individuals related tot he government of the Roman Empire. Altogether it took many steps in a long process for the Papacy to gain such control. What is clear though is that the Papacy held firm control until the reformation. This paper will expand on the reasons for the rise of the Papacy in power, what allowed for it to thrive, and also negative and positive impacts on the empire and even the world. Fall of the Roman Empire There were many factors, and theories that are included when one is speaking of the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the first theories centers around disease and plagues. Some historians maintain that the Empire was crippled, as many diseases and plagues circled the Empire. They crippled families, workers and even members who were involved with the government. Another small factor may have been the decay of the army. The army say an increase in more German peoples, which may have altered the morale of the army, and even the size of the army itself. One large theory also centers around the government of the Empire. Many historians also believe that the Roman Empire set itself up for failure.(1) In the way that the...
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...Christianity, a very wide practiced religion, originated about 2000 years ago in Judea, which is now commonly known as Israel. Jesus Christ and his trusting disciples first practiced and introduced the religion to the population. “Jesus first began preaching in Israel during the time of Augustus, trying hard to purify the Jewish religion to establish the kingdom of God on Earth” (Stark, 1996). During the emergence of Christianity, the emperor of Rome was ruler of Judea. The Jewish population was not happy being under Roman rule because they felt as though it represented a historical oppression. During the beginning stages of Christianity, “the religion focused on cleansing the Jewish religion of stiff rituals and arrogant leaders and had little to do with the Roman culture” (Stark, 1996). Due to this, Jesus aroused suspicion among the upper classes and leaders of the Jewish religion. Roman governors were persuaded that Jesus was a dangerous activist and as a result, Jesus was put to death. On the third day of Jesus’ death, his followers believed that resurrected which led them to further believe he was the Son of God. With the resurrection of Jesus, the religion was spreading amongst Jewish communities within the Roman Empire and further beyond. Paul, whose real name Saul, converted into a Christian in A.D 35. It was through Paul that Christian missionaries began to migrate from the strict Jewish law. He proposed that the new standards of faith be universal and open to all...
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...The Roman Empire The Roman Empire was one of the strongest empires in all of mankind. The Roman Empire has such a rich history and shows how power and strategic tactics can run an empire efficiently. The Roman Empire was characterized by an autocratic form of government which meant the top leaders made all the important decisions. They had a large territorial area around the Mediterranean which went into present day Europe, Africa, and Asia. Rome history starts at the time it was know as Rome Republic and was ran by royal Rome. There Imperium was in command and are represented by consuls and the senate and assembly. Rome in their Republic they started their conquest as they fought Carthage in three Punic Wars. Carthage main advantage was their navy and Hannibal was leading Carthage to victory over Rome and take over. But Rome had its own power in Scipio Africanus and he ended Hannibals victory run and they were able to hold Carthage back and became the the power of the west with a great strategic army. The fall of the Republic started with Julius Caesar he mid wife of the Roman Empire and was more of a dictator figure. Julius Caesar was part of the first triumvirate of the new Roman Empire. He was ulitmately betrayed at the end of his term. Octavian, the adopted son of Julius Caesar, would take over after Caesars untimely end. He lead Rome to its second triumvirate and was the first empire of Rome. After Emperor Augustus took over and was a very low profile ruler and...
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...THE RISE OF THE PAPACY Presented to Professor G. Johnson For CHHI 301-D06 LUO By Dana Peebles August 2, 2015 Introduction During the 6th century, the rise of the Roman Catholic Church increased in power. With the leadership of the papacy, this endured up until the 9th century. While there were both positive and negative ramifications of this reality, the biggest is the influence of papal authority and the effect that it had over Christianity. The collapse of the Roman Empire brought order to not only orthodoxy, but also the government. Throughout this essay, it is my desire to touch on these areas. In addition, I will also discuss some of the contributing factors to the dominion of Western Europe and what happened up until the Reformation. The effect of the barbarian invasion and the continuation of Western Civilization during the Middle Ages, is truly a time within history that impacts the church and its association with supremacy. The How And Why Of The Papacy And The Power It Had In understanding the significance of the papacy and the power it had, it only makes sense to begin with a good solid definition of it. “The term pappa, from which the word “pope” is derived, originated in ancient colloquial Greek as an endearing term for “father,’ and was then applied, beginning in the third century, to Eastern patriarchs, bishops, abbots, and eventually parish priests.” [1]. Throughout Rome and the Western part of the Empire, this term “became...
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...lead to Rome.” This proverb, intended to speak upon a universal destination today, holds just as much validity in its literal sense and historical origin. The Roman Empire was the center of all civilization during the height of its reign. Conquering the regions around them as early as 300 BC, the Roman Empire spread from modern day Germany in the east to modern day Spain west of them. Spain, known then as the Iberian Peninsula or Hispania, was vulnerable to the relentless armies of the empire because its geography hindered it from protecting itself on its three exposed coasts. Despite this fact, it would take the empire almost two centuries to conquer the entirety of the Iberian Peninsula. Once it was conquered, however, the culture of Hispania would be greatly affected by the influence of the Romans for the next 600 years. Much of the customs, religious practices, and laws still practiced in Spain are a result of this influence. Famous for their ability to establish an efficient infrastructure, the Romans created roads and bridges during and after the conquering of Hispania. This infrastructure was essential in uniting the peninsula that had since been divided by geographical obstacles. It was also crucial in that it allowed trade to flourish both within Hispania and between other geographic areas within the entire empire. This not only allowed the peninsula to become an economic force, but also furthered the mixing of all the cultures that existed under the vast Roman Empire...
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...The Rise of Roman Papacy Hayden Wyrick Liberty University 201520 Spring 2015 CHHI 301-D13 LUO One of the most peculiar events in all of history is the rise of the papacy. During the time of the Middle Age Rome arose the need for a central figure. The Roman bishop filled that role to provide much needed stability and leadership. The focus of this particular paper will address the reasons for Rome, significant factors to dominance, and the implications of the papacy. Reasons for Rome Throughout the first centuries of Christian history, five cities emerged as epicenters for the church: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The Edict of Milan in 313 AD recognized Christianity as a legitimate religious entity. It was in this early stage of formation as an organization that the church took a similar structure to the government. The key leaders of the regional churches rose to power. The five bishops of the previous listed churches were looked to as geographical region leaders. Those five attempted to establish a stable structure upon which to build. However, the bishops would often disagree. From the time of the Edict of Milan until Constantine moved the capital of the empire away from Rome, the Roman bishop was a natural thought for the leader of the young church. Being at the center of the political, social, and economical scene allowed the Roman bishop the level of influence needed. After the political powers moved from Rome to Constantinople, the only...
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...The Rise of Roman Papacy Hayden Wyrick Liberty University 201520 Spring 2015 CHHI 301-D13 LUO One of the most peculiar events in all of history is the rise of the papacy. During the time of the Middle Age Rome arose the need for a central figure. The Roman bishop filled that role to provide much needed stability and leadership. The focus of this particular paper will address the reasons for Rome, significant factors to dominance, and the implications of the papacy. Reasons for Rome Throughout the first centuries of Christian history, five cities emerged as epicenters for the church: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The Edict of Milan in 313 AD recognized Christianity as a legitimate religious entity. It was in this early stage of formation as an organization that the church took a similar structure to the government. The key leaders of the regional churches rose to power. The five bishops of the previous listed churches were looked to as geographical region leaders. Those five attempted to establish a stable structure upon which to build. However, the bishops would often disagree. From the time of the Edict of Milan until Constantine moved the capital of the empire away from Rome, the Roman bishop was a natural thought for the leader of the young church. Being at the center of the political, social, and economical scene allowed the Roman bishop the level of influence needed. After the political powers moved from Rome to Constantinople, the only...
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...of the Roman Empire There are adherents to single factors, but more people think Rome fell because of a combination of such factors as Christianity, and economy, and military problems. Even the rise of Islam is proposed as the reason for Rome's fall, by some who think the Fall of Rome happened at Constantinople in the 15th Century. Most people think it occurred during the fifth century, after the western division of the empire. There were several reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Many often blame the initiation of Christianity for the decline. Christianity made many Roman citizens into pacifists, making it more difficult to defend against the barbarian attackers. Some say the money used to build churches could have been used to maintain the Roman Empire. Maintaining an army to defend the border of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant drain on the government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing and maintaining quality roads and aqueducts. Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which, in turn, led to increased inflation. The Roman economy suffered from inflation (an increase in prices) beginning after the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped...
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...The Rise of Roman Papacy By Brian D. Jenkins Liberty University CHHI301-C01 LUO 201220 Spring 2012 One of the most peculiar phenomenon in all of history is the rise of the papacy. During the events of the Middle Ages in Rome arose the need for a central figure. The Roman bishop happened to fill that role to provide much needed stability and leadership. The focus of this particular paper will address the reasons for Rome, significant factors to dominance, and the implications of the papacy. Reasons for Rome Throughout the first centuries of Christian history, five cities emerged as epicenters for the church; Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The Edict of Milan in 313 AD recognized Christianity as a legitimate religious entity. “The proclamation …assured Christians of legal rights (including the right to organize churches),” It was in this early stage of formation as an organization that the church took a similar structure to the government. The key leaders of the regional churches rose to power. The five bishops of the previous listed churches were looked to as geographical region leaders. Those five attempted to establish a stable structure upon which to build. However, the bishops would often disagree. From the time of the Edict of Milan until Constantine moved the capital of the empire away from Rome, the Roman bishop was a natural thought for the leader of the young church. Being at the center of the political, social, and economical...
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...History of Christianity Constantine: A Rulers effect on Christianity Since the beginning of time, the ancient Romans worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses. Many of those deities came from foreign lands that the Romans had conquered. As different faiths sprang up across the ever-expanding empire, they were more or less tolerated. Such open attitude, however, was not the case for Judaism and Christianity. Both religions pointedly refused to honor Roman gods and to idolize Roman emperors. As a result, the Jews and Christians endured centuries of hardship. That was until Constantine took control of Rome introducing tolerance throughout the empire. Throughout this paper the research will show how Constantine’s conversion to Christianity shaped and has continue to shape how Christianity spread throughout the World. Christian Life Before Constantine Before we can dive into how Constantine shaped the Christian world we need to talk about the life of a Christian before Constantine was emperor. A Christian’s life was not fully marked with persecution, as it is commonly believed. While Diocletian was sole emperor Christians lived in relative peace with the Roman government. Eusebius who described the time with extraordinary terms “the glory and the liberty with which the doctrine of piety was honoured” documented this fact. It was not until Diocletian shared the throne with Galerius that the empire began persecuting Christians again. The two of them convened in Nicmedia in...
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...CHHI-301-D10 LUO FALL2013 PAPER 2 The Rise of the Papacy INTRO In the void left by the collapse of the Roman Empire, the bishop of Rome grew even more in both power and prestige beginning in the sixth century and continuing to the reformation in the ninth century. It is the aim of this paper to explain how and why the papacy in Rome became the center of power of the medieval world, the factors contributing to this dominance over Western Europe, and the positive and negative ramifications of the position becoming so powerful. Through this paper you will discover how papacy was able to fill the vacuum of power left by the fall of an empire. THE HOW AND WHY When the Roman Empire fell services that it previously provided were left untended. Additionally the political structures and authority of the government were left in ruins. This created a massive void in the culture of the empire. While the government collapsed, the Church survived and even thrived, remaining strong throughout the known world, but especially in Rome. Services previously provided by the government were now being delivered at the hands of the Church under the direction of the Bishop of Rome, which would become the position of Pope. Society turned to the Church for education, monasteries took in war-orphans, and peace and mercy were encouraged in matters involving the former empire and its conquerors. While the Roman Empire was falling, the Church was rising and society churned on both...
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...Many things contributed to make Rome such a mighty empire. Their influential rulers, military heroes, and engineering helped Rome to become a mighty power. Some of the influential rulers and military rulers were Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar. Pompey the Great was a military leader and a political leader of Rome. He was part of the Roman republic and the Senate. Pompey the Great contributed to many wars and even helped end the slave revolt of Spartacus in 71 BC. Julius Caesar, one of the greatest emperors of Rome, invaded England twice, completely conquered Rome, and was the most powerful man in Rome because of these accomplishments. During his lifetime, he was considered to be the most powerful man in the world because of conquering Rome...
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...The Rise and Spread of Islam •The Post Classical Period: Faith and Commerce - Spread of major world religions o Budhism o Christianity o Islam 1. Spread through preaching, trade routes - Development of Systematic o Boat trade 2. Indian Trade spread disease, religion, ideas - Three Big Ideas o Trans-regional communication and exchange networks o Forms of state organize. Diversify o All societies increased productive capacity • Pre-Islamic Arabia - Bedoin culture based on Kin/clan/tribal networks o Survival dependent on loyalty to clan o Magnified by harsh environment - Shayks- clan/tribal leaders o Conflict was frequent o Society was fragmented - Fierce inter clan rivalries and struggles for resources o Emphasis on revenge, “male honor” - Towns and long distance trade----Mecca and Medina o Medina (Yathrib) (established on oasis) o Mecca more important – Umayyad (ruling clan) – Quraysh; (Ka’ba) - Status of women varied by clan o More respect vs. less respect - Little art/architechture (no big civs) o Focus on poetry 1. Gives glimpse into daily life - Bedovin religions- blend of animism and polytheism o Animism- nature worship - The life of Myhammad and Genesis of Islam o Born around 570 CE – Merchant, married Khadijah ...
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...According to tradition, Rome was founded by two brothers, Romulus and Remus (Coffin 169). These two brothers had no idea of how this land they founded would grow to be the grand empire it would eventually become. Throughout the course of centuries, Rome would go through many trials and tribulations that would eventually lead it to greatness. However, as all good things, this too came to an end. Rome’s empire did not start out as this large domain of land. They went through a series of changes and wars to expand their borders. They started off with the Etruscan kings ruling the land. However, the rape of Lucretia, a Roman woman by a son of the Etruscan dynasty, turned the Romans against this dynasty and changed the form of government going forward (Coffin 171). They now focused their government in an aristocratic way. This divided the people into two classes, the plebeians and the patricians. After fighting for rights, the plebeians began to gain some recognition as being equal. With this aspect of Roman life settling down, they were able to continue their expansion. They thrived on the strength of the military. There were many wars including the Punic Wars and the Macedonian and Syrian Wars that were victorious for the Romans and assisted in their continued expansion (Linderski 3). Because of the success of the wars, Rome encountered wealth which would change the political and economical standing of the republic. However, this wealth did not benefit the poor class...
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