the roman empire in crisis

Question 1

The 3rd century was a time of growing crisis. What events were occurring in the Roman Empire that contributed to this crisis?

Answer 1

1. 31 emperors during this period
2. in the latter half, the empire was in near constant civil war
3. threats from external sources and civil war had a tremendous effect on the economy
4. chaos made life difficult for the average farmer
5. the western and northern provinces were affected the most, while the east was better equipped to deal with the problems, they were still affected

Question 2

In the latter half of the 3rd century, the Empire was a near constant civil war. Describe the variables of this crisis.

Answer 2

1. As the expansions of the empire greatly increased , the number of frontiers that needed to be guarded greatly increased. The peoples outside the empire could easily increase pressure on the frontier armies.
2. Growing unrest in the north
   - increasing numbers of warlike tribes from Eastern Europe were migrating westward and pushing Germanic tribes further west as well as South towards Rome
3. A new threat of the Sassanid Persian Dynasty
   - had overthrown the Parthians and took over

Question 3

The 3rd century saw a spread of Roman culture. What are the two main ways in which this could be seen?

Answer 3

1. It was no longer a requirement to be Italian/Roman descent to become emperor
2. Rome no longer held a monopoly over high culture

Question 4

The rule of Maximinus Thrax, Philip the Arab, and Elagabalus show a shift in the power from Rome to the provinces. Why did this shift in power occur?

Answer 4

1. Growing importance of the frontiers
2. The continuing romanization of the provinces

Question 5

Because of a specific system of education, Rome no longer held a monopoly over high culture. What was this system of education? What was included in this education? What did the popularity of this education signify?

Answer 5

1. Paideia - Brought from Greece to Rome during the Republican period, but now flourished in many major centres of the empire
2. Aristocratic boys acquired skill and rhetoric as well as red a cannon of classical Greek and Latin works
3. The development and popularity of this system mirrored the lessening importance of Rome in the imperial government

Question 6

In terms of Christianity and Christian culture during the early 3rd century, what occurred in the West? What occurred in the east?

Answer 6

WEST - The Christian liturgy was created in Latin and there was a consensus on matters of theology and practice.
EAST - The church was split into different sects

Question 7

Who was an important convert to Christianity during the beginning of the 3rd century?

Answer 7

AUGUSTINE (354-430CE) - Born pagan and received Roman education in Carthage.
1. He converted to Manichaeanism as a young adult and then later converted to Christianity
2. His writings show a deep knowledge of classical works as well as Christian ideas

Question 8

What were many Christian works written about? What is one significant and yet unusual work?

Answer 8

1. THE LIVES OF MARTYRS
2. One notable work: The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas

Question 9

What is the narrative of The Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas? What is the significance?

Answer 9

THE PASSION OF PERPETUA AND FELICITAS - appears to be a personal account of a young woman who is given the choice of pronouncing her Christianity for being sentenced to death in the arena.
1. In rejecting the authority of her father and the governor, Perpetua overturns normal social hierarchies and becomes a symbol of empowerment.

Question 10

What is the narrative of The Acts of Paul and Thecla? What is the significance?

Answer 10

THE ACTS OF PAUL AND THECLA - Regarding the early days of Christianity, this novel reflects the variety of opinions held.
1. Chastity is understood as complete abstinence from sex, even in marriage
2. Thecla baptizes herself and Paul gives her the right to preach the word of God - legitimacy of the novel was argued as women were not seen as having the ability to preach and baptize
3. Female empowerment - Thecla becomes the protagonist

Question 11

How can the context of Christian novels be understood?

Answer 11

The Christian community was still beginning to come together.
i.e. There were many questions of liturgy, practice, and elements of faith were still being contested.

Question 12

Who is considered to be the last of the emperors to the Roman Empire?

Answer 12

CONSTANTINE “the great” (312-337 CE)

Question 13

What is the significance of Diocletian (284-303 CE)? What were his important contributions to the empire?

Answer 13

He was the first emperor to reestablish order in the empire after the 3rd century - he realized that the empire was too large and its problems too numerous for one person to handle.
1. He split the empire
2. Establishment of the Tetrarchy - 4 emperors

Question 14

After Diolectian, what happened to his new order established in the empire?

Answer 14

AFTER HIM, THERE WAS NO MORE TETRARCHY - no emperor after him wanted to share power with three others
- result was CIVIL WAR (Constantine won)

Question 15

The conversion of Constantine was practical, why did he do this? How did he complete the smooth conversion?

Answer 15

• His conversion allowed him to appeal to the Christians within the empire and in his army
  1. He did not immediately distance himself from all pagan ritual, only at the end of his life was he baptized
  2. He continued to hold the position of pontifex maximus
  3. Carefully blended Roman and Christian symbolism on his iconography

Question 16

Constantine realized that the western half of the Empire was in sharp decline. What two factors made him come to this realization?

Answer 16

1. Pressures from the non-roman peoples in the north were mounting
2. The increasing irrelevance of Rome
   - The city stood as a traditional seat of power but the actual influence of Rome over the rest of the Empire was waning

Question 17

What was the motivation behind moving the capital to Constantinople? What occurred in the new city?

Answer 17

It acknowledged a shift in power that had already occurred
- The city of Constantinople was built up to replicate the glory of old Rome
- They proclaimed that romanitas no longer needed to look at the city of Rome as its centre because Rome was wherever the emperor was

Question 18

How can the continuity of Roman culture be most easily recognized?

Answer 18

Through the languages of Italy, friends, and Spain
- i.e. romance languages are all derived from Latin

Question 19

What were the two basic ways in which the cultures of Greece and Rome have survived till modernity?

Answer 19

1. Natural, semi unconscious process of gradual assimilation
2. When the Ottomans conquered constantly, many Christian residents fled to the West - In this way, Europe regained more of the cultural heritage of Rome

Question 20

What caused a rising interest in classical antiquity in the West (i.e. the Renaissance)?

Answer 20

1. the destruction of Constantinople
2. the influx of Byzantine Empire

Question 21

In the 14th century, there began to be a rising interest in classical antiquity. In what 4 main areas was this interest seen?

Answer 21

1. Monuments of the ancient past began to attract conscious attention
   - although many of these monuments had been defaced and damage, enough had survived to attract admiration
2. Interest in Roman literature was stimulated (mainly by the invention of the printing press)
3. The study of law in Western Europe was directly stimulated by the introduction of the emperor Justinian’s Corpus Juris

Question 22

What is the paideia?

Answer 22

The Roman system of Education
- Focused on public speaking and poetry.
- its adherence to a canon of Greek and Roman authors (Homer, Virgil etc) helped spread Roman culture throughout the Roman Empire

Question 23

What is Manichaeism?

Answer 23

A Christian sect that combined Christian ideas with ideas drawn from eastern religion.
- Manichaeans believed that the world was divided into two warring halves.
- Manichaeanism points to the popularity of eastern mystery cults

Question 24

Who is Diocletian?

Answer 24

EMPEROR THAT BROUGHT BACK STABILITY
- Recognized the empire was too big to be governed by a single individual (attempted to create a tetrarchy)

Question 25

What is Constantinople?

Answer 25

A city in the eastern half of the Roman Empire, on the coast of the Black Sea.
- When Constantine transferred the capital the empire away from Rome, he determined this city as his new capital

Question 26

What happened at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge?

Answer 26

Ended the war between the rivals Constantine and Maxentius and saw Constantine’s elevation as soul emperor in Rome
- It marked Constantine’s conversion from the old Roman religion to Christianity

Question 27

How does the arena depicted in the acts of Paul and Thecla compare to what is known about traditional Roman Games?

Answer 27

BOOK: The arena is presented as a place where Romans torture Christians.
- Thecla is tried before the governor and convicted to death in the arena. She is sent to face wild animals such as lions and seals.
HISTORY: These tortures would have been part of noonday entertainment which regularly featured convicts being creatively put to death.
- in normative Roman thinking these entertainments were meant to show Rome’s power and as is disincentive from doing illegal acts

Question 28

How does the physical and spiritual journey of Aeneas in Virgil’s Aeneid compare to the physical and spiritual journey that Thecla experiences from the acts of Paul and Thecla?

Answer 28

They are close in terms of their equation of physical journeys with spiritual journeys.
AENEAS - Has to journey physically from Troy to Rome in order to transition from a trojan to a new Roman identity.
THECLA - Goes on a physical journey that ends up taking her from a pagan to a Christian identity.

Question 29

What is the influence of Roman culture on later European culture in the areas of art and literature?

Answer 29

Roman art was rediscovered in the Renaissance, it served as a model and inspiration for sculptors, artists, and writers
1. The Roman interest in proportions and hyperrealism was taken up by Renaissance artists as well
2. In literature, Renaissance poets used works of Latin literature as models for their own creations in terms of plot, theme, and even language.