1. Chapter 9: The Fate of Ancient Rome

2. Section 1: Roman Daily Life

3. Roman Daily Life
Rome had many of the most beautiful monuments and buildings in the world
It contained more goods and marketplaces than any other city
The empire was very large, and people brought goods from all over to sell in Rome
Rome was very busy!

4. Roman Citizens
Over 1 million people lived in Rome during Augustus’ rule
As a result, Rome was noisy and overcrowded

5. Being Counted as a Citizen
Being a Roman citizen was a matter of great pride – people wanted to live in Rome
In the republic and early years of the empire, only residents of Rome were citizens
Every 5 years, Roman men registered for the census
Census: the official count of people living in Rome
Men had to declare all family members, slaves, and wealth on their census form
Registering was the only way to be counted a citizen
If a man did not register, he could lose his property or be sold into slavery
Women, children, slaves, and freed slaves were not citizens

6. Citizens and City
As the empire expanded, people beyond Rome gained citizenship
Residents of Rome took pride in their monuments, buildings, and city, and looked down on those outside the city
Rome had a vibrant social scene, with many banquets and gatherings

7. Roman Social Classes Roman society had a small number of rich people
In contrast, there were many poor people and slaves
There was a huge gap between the poor and the wealthy
Most Romans had few luxuries
Many poor Romans were unemployed
They depended on handouts from the government to support them

8. A Life of Luxury
The rich people had elegant homes in the city, and large country homes called “villas”
Wealthy people had great feasts and showed off their wealth
They had entertainers come to perform at the feasts

9. Another Way of Life for the Poor
On the other hand, most people in Rome lived in poorly built and rundown houses
They had no running water, toilets, or proper kitchens
They lived in tall apartment buildings with many steps to walk up and down
Human waste and garbage was carried downstairs or dumped from windows
They were made of wood, so fires were frequent
A large fire in 64 A.D. destroyed much of Rome
Roman
“insula,” or apartment building

10. Bread and Circuses The poor needed grain and wheat to survive
Bread was made from grain and wheat
When grain and wheat harvests were bad or shipments were late, the poor people rioted
In order to prevent riots, the emperors provided free grain at the Colosseum
Roman emperors also held shows at the Colosseum or other arenas
The arenas were called “circuses,” and the show itself could also be called a “circus”

11. Circuses could be very violent – the Romans loved brutal forms of entertainment
Humans vs. humans
Humans vs. animals
Animals vs. animals
Criminals were executed publicly for everyone to see
Clowns would entertain people (if the audience had enough bloodshed for the day)

12. Gladiator: someone who fought to the death for entertainment purposes
Most gladiators were slaves captured in battle
Some were free men and women who enjoyed the fame and fortune received from their success
The gladiator match lasted until one gladiator was dead, dying, or wounded
Wounded gladiators would either be killed or, if the crowd thought they had fought bravely, allowed to live
Crowds waved handkerchiefs to spare the loser, and thumbs down meant death

14. Roman Family Life – Support from the Government
Despite their enjoyment of brutal sports, Romans had strong family values
Roman government provided support to families, especially to the upper classes
Fathers of large families received land from the government
This was meant to encourage wealthy families to have children and continue the family name
There were no government benefits for unmarried men and couples with no children

15. The Roman Household
Head of a Roman household called paterfamilias – Latin for “father of the family”
The family included everyone below the paterfamilias
The Paterfamilias could be the father, grandfather, or great-grandfather of the household
Three generations often lived under one roof
The Paterfamilias had absolute power in the household – he owned everything in it – women, children, slaves, furniture – and this was Roman law!
Early on, the paterfamilias could sell a son or daughter into slavery, although later, this was outlawed
Wealthy families controlled as many as hundreds of slaves
Slaves did all the work for the family, even raising children
Poor families did not own slaves

16. The Roles of Women in Roman Society
Women’s roles:
When a woman got married, she left the house of her father to live in her husband’s house
She would take her place under the paterfamilias of the house, whether it was her husband or an older member of the family
In some cases, women got married just to produce children for her husband’s family
The amount of freedom a woman had depended on her husband’s wealth and social status
Wealthy women had a lot of independence and influenced their families
Some women became doctors and became involved in business
Lower-class women became cooks, hairdressers, entertainers, and dressmakers

17. Slavery in Rome Slavery was common in Rome
Almost every wealthy family had slaves
One-third of Italy’s population were slaves
Household slaves were generally taken care of very well
Most were not paid or given monetary tips, but families would generally treat them well
They sometimes became part of the family
Farm slaves and slaves who worked in mines led hard lives
Sometimes they worked and slept chained together like prisoners, and worked in terrible conditions
Many of these slaves also were forced to fight as gladiators
Some slaves were able to buy freedom through the tips or wages they received
Slaves who were skilled gladiators could become rich and famous

18. Exit Question
Before we leave class today, answer the following questions (at least 2 sentences each):
Why was being a citizen so important to the Romans?
Being a citizen can be compared to the importance of being part of a group. What groups are you a “citizen” of? Why are they important to you?

19. Section 1: Roman Daily Life: Short Version

20. Roman Daily Life Rome was a proud and busy city
Filled w/beautiful buildings (such as Pantheon and Colosseum)
Busy marketplaces filled with people
Merchants brought goods from all over to sell in Rome

21. Roman Citizens
Over 1 million people lived in Rome during Augustus’ rule
As a result, Rome was noisy and overcrowded

22. Being Counted as a Citizen
Being a Roman citizen was a matter of great pride – people wanted to live in Rome
In order to be counted as a citizen, men had to register for the census every 5 years
Census: the official count of people living in Rome
Men had to declare all family members, slaves, and wealth on their census form
Women, children, slaves, and freed slaves were not citizens

23. Roman Social Classes Roman society had a small number of rich people
In contrast, there were many poor people and slaves
There was a huge gap between the poor and the wealthy
Many poor Romans were unemployed, depending on support from the government
In order to prevent riots, the emperors provided free grain at the Colosseum

24. A Life of Luxury
The rich people had elegant homes in the city, and large country homes called “villas”
They showed off their wealth

25. Another Way of Life for the Poor
On the other hand, most people in Rome lived in poorly built and rundown houses
They had no running water, toilets, or proper kitchens
They lived in tall apartment buildings with many steps to walk up and down
Human waste and garbage was carried downstairs or dumped from windows
They were made of wood, so fires were frequent
A large fire in 64 A.D. destroyed much of Rome because of all the wood apartments
Roman
“insula,” or apartment building

26. Circuses The shows at the Colosseum were known as “circuses”
Circuses could be very violent – the Romans loved brutal forms of entertainment
Humans vs. humans, humans vs. animals, animals vs. animals
Criminals were executed publicly for everyone to see
Gladiator: someone who fought to the death for entertainment
Most gladiators were slaves captured in battle, some were free men and women who enjoyed the competition and fame

27. The Roman Household
Despite their enjoyment of brutal sports, Romans had strong family values
Head of a Roman household called paterfamilias – Latin for “father of the family”
The Paterfamilias had absolute power in the household – he owned everything in it – women, children, slaves, furniture – and this was Roman law!
Everyone respected the older members of the family
Wealthy families controlled many slaves
Slaves did all the work for the wealthy family, even raising children
Poor families did not own slaves

28. The Roles of Women in Roman Society
Women’s roles:
Marriage was very important to women
Leaving her father to live in her new husband’s home was a big deal, since family was so important to the Romans
The amount of freedom a woman had depended on her husband’s wealth and social status
Wealthy women had a lot of independence and influenced their families
Some women became doctors and became involved in business
Lower-class women became cooks, hairdressers, entertainers, and dressmakers

29. Slavery in Rome Slavery was common in Rome
Almost every wealthy family had slaves
One-third of Italy’s population were slaves
Household slaves were generally taken care of very well
Most were not paid or given money as tips, but families would generally treat them well
They sometimes became part of the family (like Greek household slaves)
Farm slaves and slaves who worked in mines had hard lives
Sometimes they worked and slept chained together like prisoners, and worked in terrible conditions
Many of these slaves also were forced to fight as gladiators
Some slaves were able to buy freedom through the tips or wages they received
Slaves who were skilled gladiators could become rich and famous

30. Exit Question
Before we leave class today, answer the following questions (at least 2 sentences each):
Why was being a citizen so important to the Romans?
Being a citizen can be compared to the importance of being part of a group. What groups are you a “citizen” of? Why are they important to you?

32. Section 2: Christianity and the Roman Empire – SHORT VERSION

33. We are studying Christianity in class for educational purposes only
We are studying Christianity in class for educational purposes only. Many people in America are Christian, so please make sure that any questions you ask are appropriate and not potentially offensive. We are studying Christianity, just as we would study about traditional Greek or Roman religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, or Islam.

34. Jesus Christ founded Christianity during the Roman Empire

35. The Rise of Christianity
Jesus grew up in the town of Nazareth (in modern day Israel)
Jesus’ disciples, or followers, told stories of his life found in the Bible
4 disciples – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, each wrote a story, known as a Gospel - in the Bible about Jesus

36. Christian Beliefs The teachings of Jesus became known as Christianity
Jesus’ teachings:
There is only one true God
God is loving and forgiving
People must love God and neighbor
People who followed these teachings would live forever
Jesus’ followers believed he was the messiah, or savior
Jesus’ teachings scared some people
Romans did not want to believe that God was more powerful than the emperor
Jesus was put to death

37. Christianity Spreads – The Letters of Paul
Paul became one of the most devoted followers of Jesus
He wrote many epistles, or letters, to help turn Christianity into an organized religion
Many of these epistles were included in the Bible

38. Rome Reacts – Rome Burns
Roman government feared Christianity and viewed Christians as enemies of the empire
Christians refused to worship the Roman gods and the Romans believed that they did not show proper respect to the emperor
Emperor Nero began to persecute the Christians
Persecute: to treat in a cruel and unjust way
They were arrested, killed, forced to fight in the Colosseum
Paul was imprisoned and killed

39. The Appeal of Christianity
Despite persecution, Christianity spread throughout the empire
People appreciated its message of love, forgiveness, and a better life
Christians provided help for people in the community
The Gospels were written so ordinary people could understand them
By 300 A.D., one in ten Romans had become Christian

40. Section 2: Christianity and the Roman Empire

41. We are studying Christianity in class for educational purposes only
We are studying Christianity in class for educational purposes only. Many people in America are Christian, so please make sure that any questions you ask are appropriate and not potentially offensive. We are studying Christianity, just as we would study about traditional Greek or Roman religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, or Islam.

42. Jesus Christ founded Christianity
Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire
At first, it was usually only the poor and slaves who followed Christianity, but later, it became more popular

43. Unrest in Judaea
Romans conquered the Jewish homeland of Judaea in 63 B.C.
Romans respected the Jews’ right to worship their God, but Jews did not like Roman rule
The Jews believed that a messiah, or savior, would come to bring justice and freedom from the Romans
Romans punished Jews for opposing their rule

44. The Rise of Christianity
Jesus was born in the Judaean town of Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth
Stories about Jesus are found in the New Testament of the Bible
Jesus’ disciples, or followers, told stories of his life
4 disciples – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, each wrote a story, known as a Gospel - in the Bible about Jesus

45. Christian Beliefs Jesus began teaching when he was about 30 years old
The teachings of Jesus became known as Christianity
People who began to follow Jesus became known as Christians
Jesus’ teachings:
There is only one true God
God is loving and forgiving
People must love God and neighbor
People who followed these teachings would live forever
Jesus’ followers believed he was the messiah

46. Fears about Christianity
Jesus’ teachings scared some people
Romans did not want to believe that God was more powerful than the emperor
Romans feared a revolution by the Christians (a move to overthrow the government), so they sentenced Jesus to death

47. Christianity Spreads – The Letters of Paul
Greek word for “messiah” was “christos”
Jesus became known as “Christ” (Chosen one)
Paul became one of the most devoted followers of Jesus
He wrote many epistles, or letters, to help turn Christianity into an organized religion
Many of these epistles were included in the Bible

48. Christianity Moves to the Cities
Christianity began to spread throughout the Roman world
Many poor people and people in cities followed Christianity
By 100 A.D., many Christians gathered for worship across the Roman Empire
Anyone who did not share Christians’ beliefs became known as a “pagan”

49. Ways of Worship
Over time, Christianity began to change little by little, and the beliefs began to mix with other beliefs
Some Christians practiced two “rites,” or holy acts
Baptism – a believer was dipped in water to wash away sin
Baptism converted the person to Christianity
Christians also practiced the Eucharist
Sharing of bread and wine in a sacred meal in memory of Jesus’ last supper

50. Rome Reacts – Rome Burns
Roman government feared Christianity and viewed Christians as enemies of the empire
Christians refused to worship the Roman gods and the Romans believed that they did not show proper respect to the emperor
Emperor Nero began to persecute the Christians
Fire in 64 A.D. burned much of Rome, and Christians were blamed
They were arrested, killed, forced to fight in the Colosseum
Paul was imprisoned and killed

51. Treatment of Christians
Romans persecuted Christians for 250 years
Persecute – to treat in a cruel and unjust way
It became a crime simply to be a Christian
The punishment was death

52. The Appeal of Christianity
Despite persecution, Christianity spread throughout the empire
People appreciated its message of love, forgiveness, and a better life
Christians provided help for people in the community
Jesus was viewed as an ordinary, humble man, and not an arrogant, power-hungry hero from myths
The Gospels were written so ordinary people could understand them

53. Emperor Diocletian outlawed Christian services, imprisoned Christian priests, and put Christians to death
Many Romans began to see that Christians were good people, and took their side – Diocletian’s actions backfired
Others viewed Christians as martyrs
Martyr – someone who dies for a cause
By 300 A.D., one in ten Romans had become Christian

54. Section 3: The Fall of Rome

55. From Good Rule to Bad
After death of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Empire started to decline
His son, Commodus, was a poor emperor
Ruled from A.D., took power at 18 years of age
Made poor choices and allowed senate’s power to be taken away
He bribed the army to support him
He took part in the gladiator games because of his love of killing
Assassinated in 192 A.D.

56. Weak, corrupt Rulers Many corrupt rulers followed Commodus
Often stole money from the government’s treasury
Government and economy became weak
New rulers would take power violently
Between A.D., Rome had 29 emperors
Most assassinated

57. A Mercenary Army
Mercenaries – foreign soldiers who are paid for military service
Romans would hire mercenaries to be in the army
Mercenaries motivated by money, not loyalty to Rome
They often even switched sides if it would benefit them

58. The Size of the Empire The Roman Empire had grown too large
Empire spread itself too thin, and enemies attacked from all angles
Too much time was spent defending empire rather than strengthening their authority

59. Serious Economic Problems
Rome stopped conquering new lands, so new sources of wealth were no longer available
The empire struggled to pay its army
Taxes were raised
People suffered from severe unemployment
Not much food available
The price of food went up
To pay for food, government produced more coins
Resulted in inflation – an economic situation in which more money circulates, but the money has less value

60. Efforts to Stop the Decline
Diocletian (remember him? The persecutor of Christians) tried to strengthen Rome
He enlarged the army
He built new forts at the borders
He improved the tax system
He even divided the empire into eastern and western sections, making it easier to rule
Diocletian ruled until 305 A.D.

61. Constantine and Christianity
The Roman Empire was now split, to make it easier to rule
Constantine became emperor of the Western Roman Empire
Licinius became emperor in the Eastern Roman Empire

62. Why the need for a split?

63. Freedom of Religion
During the transition from Diocletian to Constantine, Rome changed into a Christian Empire
In 313, Constantine and Licinius proclaimed freedom of worship throughout Roman Empire
Christians would be able to worship openly
Constantine’s most important contribution: making Christianity the official religion of Rome
St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome

64. Another Christian Victory
Licinius agreed to freedom of religion, but he actually still allowed persecution of Christians
Constantine was angry about the persecution of Christians
He fought Licinius and won, taking control of the Eastern Roman Empire as well
Constantine saw his victory as a blessing from the Christian God

65. Building a Faith Constantine worked to strengthen Christian church
He built St. Peter’s Cathedral and paid for the construction of churches
He mixed Christianity with other “pagan” religions
Pros: This attracted more people to the church, including former “pagans”
Cons: The message of Christianity became influenced by outsiders and was changed

66. A New Capital
Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium (in modern day Turkey)
He made Byzantium beautiful
He renamed the city Constantinople after himself

67. Invasions and Collapse
After Constantine died, the Roman Empire was invaded by Germanic tribes (which included people from Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
Visigoths (from Germany) captured and looted Rome in 410
Vandals (from East Germany) took down Rome in 455
Rome fell completely in 476, and Constantinople became the center of a new empire, the Byzantine Empire

68. Other Reasons For Collapse
Big gap between the rich and the poor led to unhappiness and a lack of support for the empire
The size of the empire made it hard to defend
Inflation – money was worthless
Unemployment – lack of jobs

69. Section 3: The Fall of Rome – Short Version

70. From Good Rule to Bad
Major issue in the Roman Empire: Roman people never knew whether they were getting a good or bad ruler
Marcus Aurelius was the last of the “good emperors” in Rome
After his death, the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) was over

71. Reasons for Decline of Rome
1. Weak, corrupt rulers
2. An army of mercenaries
3. The large size of the empire
4. Serious economic problems

72. Weak, corrupt Rulers Marcus Aurelius’ son, Commodus, was a bad ruler
Many other bad rulers followed him
Often stole money from the government’s treasury
Government and economy became weak
New rulers would take power violently
Between A.D., Rome had 29 emperors
Most were assassinated

73. A Mercenary Army
Mercenaries – foreign soldiers who are paid for military service
Romans would hire mercenaries to be in the army
Mercenaries motivated by money, not loyalty to Rome
They often even switched sides if it would benefit them

74. The Size of the Empire The Roman Empire had grown too large
Empire spread itself too thin, and enemies attacked from all angles
Too much time was spent defending empire rather than strengthening their authority

75. Serious Economic Problems
Rome stopped conquering new lands, so new sources of wealth were no longer available
The empire struggled to pay its army
Taxes were raised
People suffered from severe unemployment
Not much food available
The price of food went up
To pay for food, government produced more coins
Resulted in inflation – an economic situation in which more money circulates, but the money has less value

76. Constantine and Christianity
Emperor Constantine decided to split the empire, to make it easier to manage
Constantine became emperor of the Western Roman Empire
Licinius became emperor in the Eastern Roman Empire

77. Why the need for a split?

78. Freedom of Religion Constantine was Rome’s first Christian emperor
Christians would be able to worship openly for the first time
Constantine’s most important contribution: making Christianity the official religion of Rome
St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome

79. Building a Faith Constantine worked to strengthen Christian church
He built St. Peter’s Cathedral and paid for the construction of churches
He mixed Christianity with other “pagan” religions
Pros: This attracted more people to the church, including former “pagans”
Cons: The message of Christianity became influenced by outsiders and was changed

80. A New Capital
Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantium (in modern day Turkey)
He made Byzantium beautiful
He renamed the city Constantinople after himself

81. Invasions and Collapse
After Constantine died, the Roman Empire was invaded by Germanic tribes (which included people from Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
Visigoths (from Germany) captured and looted Rome in 410
Vandals (from East Germany) took down Rome in 455
Rome fell completely in 476, and Constantinople became the center of a new empire, the Byzantine Empire