The Roman Empire

I.From Principate to Dominate

A.Definitions
1.Princips: first man
a.Title used by Augustus (who changed his name from Octavian)
b.Commonly called Caesar Augustus/Augustus Caesar
c.Augustus and subsequent princips picked successor
(1)Since not emperor, succession not hereditary
(2)Process worked smoothly as long as successor picked
d.Princips ruled Rome for 300 years (27 B.C.E. to 284 C.E.)
2.Dominus: master
a.Diocletian declares himself Dominate 284 C.E.
b.Give up pretense that Rome was a Republic
c.Succession still problematic
(1)Sons expected to inherit throne; not automatic
(2)Succession often cause for war
(3)Commoners could still be emperor; esp. military men
(4)Role of the army very important
B.Pax Romana 200 years of relative unity and peace (27 B.C.E. to 180 C.E.)
1.Augustus able to cut army in half
2.Rome: center of the world, enormous city
a.500,000+ inhabitants: no city bigger until London in 18th century
b.Augustus & successors try to improve life in Rome
c.Famous for its Public buildings and monuments
(1)Augustus: found Rome city of brick, left it city of
marble
(a)His most famous: Forum of Augustus, tem of
Mars
(b)Also, Temple to Julius Caesar & Altar of Peace
(2)Other Emperors constructed Buildings and Monuments
(a)Column of Trajan
(b)Pantheon
(c)Colosseum
d.Many poor people living in horrible housing (read Hunt p.162)
3.Expansion of the empire
a.Relatively peaceful period; some wars of conquest
b.Roman empire at greatest extent: 117 C.E. see map 5.1
4.Latin & the Law
a.Latin: lingua franca of western Europe
b.Codification of Natural Law
(1)Integrity of empire required common laws
(2)Romans come to believe in Natural Law
(a)the law found in nature and found by reason
(b)principle of equity: what was good & fair
(c)Marcus Tullius Cicero (died 43 B.C.E.)
 i)early, famous exponent of natural law
ii)murdered by order of Mark Anthony
(d)Natural Law fit well with Stoic philosophy
i)Originated with Hellenistic Greeks
ii)Stoicism: popular in Republic & Empire
a)fate (nature) determines everything
b)Humans action still important
1)must endure hardships
2)strive to do good
(3)Roman jurists begin codifying (writing) law
(a)Make progress (never complete) in having one
set of laws for whole empire
(b)Idea that different set of laws for different classes
begins to decline
i)Caracalla grants citizenship to all free adult
males resident in empire: 212 C.E.
ii)major gain in equality before the law
(c)Roman law basis for laws in countries that follow
Roman empire, e.g. Italy, France, Spain, etc.
C.Rise of Christianity
1.From Jewish sect to universal religion
a.Some Jews see Jesus as the Messiah
(1)belief that God will free Jews from oppression
(2)See Jesus as getting rid of Romans
b.Conversion of Saul/Paul
(1)Roman citizen & Jew
(2)Has dramatic conversion to Christianity
(3)Decides that central mission is to convert gentiles
c. Paul travels eastern Roman world preaching and writing
(1)establishes Christian communities in several places
(2)executed by Romans as a troublemaker
2.Role of Women
a.Fraternity and Equality: part of appeal of Christianity
b.Includes gender equality: women often leaders
c.Especially important are women who remain single
3.Role of Bishops
a.Survival of Christianity depends on organization
b.Apostolic Succession
(1)See 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus as 1st bishops
(2)Current bishops “appointed” by apostles
(3)Bishop of Rome: first among equals,–> Pope
c.Women denied leading roles
(1)Use rationale that disciples were all men
(2)Over time even priests could only be male
4.Persecution
a.Early Christians often accepted
 b.Problem: Christians refuse to recognize Roman gods
c.Christians blamed for Crisis of 3rd century
(1)Pax Roman ends after 180 C.E.
(2)Empire beset by civil war and economic problems
(3)Christians now number 10% of population
(4)Widespread Persecution begins about 250 C.E.
5.Acceptance
a.Persecution fails to destroy Christianity
(1)Church organization strong enough to withstand
pressure
(2)Some Christian see Martyrdom as honor
(3)Suffering of Christians gains sympathy from many
b.Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity
c.Constantine issues Edict of Milan (313 C.E.)
(1)proclaimed freedom of religion
(2)Created Sunday: day of worship for everyone
d.Christianity becomes major religion of Europe by 600 C.E.
D.Division of the Empire
1.Crisis of the 3rd century
a.Civil war over imperial succession
b.Wars along the borders: esp. Germans and Persians
c.War disrupts the economy
2.Diocletian ends the crisis (rules 284-305 C.E.)
a.Able commander who gets support of army
b.Restores peace
c.Declares himself Dominus
(1)Reforms bureaucracy to limit autonomy of provinces
(2)Has his administrators collect more taxes
3.Diocletian Resides in huge palace at Nicomedia
a.Recognizes that center of Empire is now in the East
b.Eastern part of Empire more prosperous than West
c.Rome no longer center of Empire (see Map 6.1)
4.Empire formally Divided 395 C.E.
a.Diocletian reforms only delay split
b.Honorious: Western Empire with capital at Ravenna, Italy
c.Arcadius: Eastern Empire with capital at Constantinople
d.Rome still important as HQ of Church, residence of the Pope

II.Western Empire to 554

A.Germanic “Barbarian” Invasions
1.Visigoth, Ostrogoths, Vandals & Franks
2.Semi-Nomadic tribes
a.Intermittent war betw Romans & Germans since Republic
b.Some German tribes settle inside Empire
B.End of Western Empire
1.In mid 4th Century; Germans become more aggressive
 a.Roman empire is weaker
b.Germans being attacked from east by the Huns
2.In 5th Century, control most of former Western Empire
a.410 and 455: plunder Rome
b.Often settle in permanent communities
c.Adopt many Roman ways
d.Want to be civilized like the Romans
e.Odacer deposes emperor at Ravenna 476
(1)leader of tribe that had allied itself with Romans
(2)Declares himself Emperor of Western Empire
(3)Nominal allegiance to Eastern Emperor
3.Theodoric establishes Ostrogothic Kindom 493
a.Theodoric (an Ostrogoth) living in Constantinople
b.Sent by Emperor Zeno to get rid of Odacer
c.Defeats and murders Odacer
d.Establishes Ostrogothic Kingdom (see Hunt map 6.4)
e.Says that he owes allegiance to Eastern Emperor
4.Conquest of Italy by Justinian (Eastern Emperor) 535-554
a.Successors to Theodoric quarrel with Justinian
b.Justinianian decides that Italy needs to be under direct control
c.Spends years, money and lives to recapture Italy
d.With defeat of Ostrogothic kingdom, no more western Empire
5.Rome remains as Spirtual Center of Europe
a.Western kings seek blessing of Pope to rule
b.Some would even seek blessing to be new emperor

III.The Eastern Empire to 1453

A.Survives for centuries after “fall” of West
1.More populous & prosperous than West
2.Referred to themselves as Roman
3.Greek is lingua franca: legacy of Alexander the Great
4.Latin is language of the law
a.Justinian completes compilation of Roman Law
(1)Corpus Juris Civilis
(2)Helps make Roman law the basis of law in many
countries
B.Grows and Shrinks in size over centuries
1.6th century: greatest geographic extension under Justinian
2.7th century: Arabs conquests greatly reduce its size
3.8th century: Papal States break away
4.10th century: Expands a little by conquering Balkan area of Europe
5.15th century: Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople
C.The Great Schism 1054
1.Split in Christian Church parallels political East/West division
2.For centuries Eastern Church recognizes Pope as head of Church
a.Homage often just a formality
 b.Patriarch of eastern Church often works closely with Emperor
3.Creation of Papal States worsens relations betw East & West Churches
4.Formal split (mutual excommunication) occurs in 1054
a.Roman Catholic church in the West
b.Greek Orthodox Church in the East

IV.Conclusion: Roman culture greatly shapes European culture

A.Intellectual: Language, Law and Literature
B.Material: Concrete, Domes and Aqueducts
C.Religion: Christianity (the Cross, Roman Catholic Church)
D.Idea of Unity: Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, and Helmut Kohl