MIDTERM: Fall of Rome, Byzantine, Christianity Flashcards
How did the government of Rome change overtime?
Early days: A republic with a senate & assembly
Pax Romana: Augustus Caesar became the first emperor and weakening assembly
Fall of Empire: Emperor with absolute power
How did political instability contribute to the fall of Rome? (2 points)
- A period of weak emperors that were chosen not based on competence but who had the largest armies or biggest bribes.
- Incompetent and corrupt emperors wasted money on lavish building projects while people starved.
How did economic and social issues contribute to the fall of Rome? 4 points
- A huge army meant really high taxes that forced people into poverty.
- When you have a high population of impoverished people, there is less spending and the economy declines.
- Christians were being fed to freakin lions
- As government became more corrupt, loyalty/pride in government decreased.
How did the weakening of the border contribute to the fall of rome?
Huns (mongols) pushed out Germanic tribes, who invaded and looted Rome. The border was really weak because the empire was so huge.
Emperor _____ split Rome in half and afterwards emperor ______ moved the capital of Rome from ____ to ____. Why was this important?
Diocletian, Constantine brought temporary stability during Rome’s demise, and moved the capital from Italy to Byzantium (Istanbul). It was a wealthier (better economy, more resources).
3 basic teachings of Christianity
- Jesus was the Messiah. When he died he was resurrected and then went to heaven.
- Trinity: God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit
- Salvation is possible through believing in Jesus as the son of God.
3 ways Judaism is the same as Christianity
- Monotheistic
- Old testament is very similar to Torah
- Both practice the 10 commandments
4 ways Christianity spread in rome
- appealing to the poor
- Infastructure/roads to spread the word
- Paul traveled through Rome spreading Jesus’ teachings
- Emperor Constantine ended their persecution
3 achievements of Justinian
- Justinian’s Code
- Constructing the Hagia Sophia
- Unified the empire under the Easter Orthodox Church
Who was Justinan’s personal historian and what did he reveal?
Precopius: when Justinian died, he revealed Justinian’s darkside:
1. excessive taxation
2. abuse of power
3. Persecution/Execution of political opponents
Why did the Church split in two? (Schism)
The Eastern region believed emperors had full power and could select the Church leader, while the West believed that Pope had supreme authority since he came directly from god.
How did Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic differ in leadership, language, and priesthood?
- Catholics had a Pope, Ortho had a patriarch
- Catholics spoke Latin, Ortho spoke Greek
- Catholic Priests can’t marry while Ortho Priests can
How did Christianity spread to Slavic tribes?
Byzantine saints Cyril and Methodius made the Cyrillic alphabet, to help the Slavic people (who had no written language) read and understand the Bible.
Who was Princess Olga?
Of Kievan Rus, started diplomatic relations with Byzantine Empire
Who was Vladimir the Great?
Grandson of Princess Olga, sent missionaries around the world to learn about major religions. The Missionary who went to Constantinople was the most compelling, so he converted to East Ortho and made it the state religion.
