The Roman Empire
At its height the Roman Empire included all the land around the Mediterranean Sea. The empire in the early 100s stretched from Britain south to Egypt, and from the Atlantic Ocean all the way to the Persian Gulf.
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Octavian/Augustus Caesar
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Good and Bad Emperors
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Gladiatorial Games
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Christianity
Early in the first century AD a new religion, Christianity, appeared in Rome. At first the Romans saw the Christians as a branch of an older religion, Judaism. They didn't anticipate that Christianity would become a major force in the empire. Christianity grew, though, spreading quickly through Rome. Worried by this growth, some officials tried to stop Christianity from spreading by punishing or even killing Christians. Then in the 300s, a Roman emperor called Constantine became a Christian and also made it the official religion of the Roman Empire.
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The Fall of the West
By the end of the 100s emperors had given up some of the land the Roman army had conquered. These emperors feared that the empire had become too large to defend or govern effectively. Even as emperors were giving up territory, new threats to the empire were appearing. Tribes of German warriors, whom the Romans called barbarians, attacked Rome's northern borders. At the same time, Persian armies invaded in the east. The Romans defended themselves for 200 years, but only at great cost. Barbarian invasions are often considered the cause of Rome's decline. In truth, they were only one of several causes.
Other internal problems also threatened Rome's survival. Disease swept through the empire killing many people. The government increased taxes to pay for the defense of the empire. During the 200s and 300s AD Rome had over 40 different emperors - each reigning for an average of 2 or 3 years before being murdered. Another cause of Rome's decline was the vast size of the empire. In some ways, Rome had simply grown too big to govern. Communication among various parts of the empire was difficult, even in peaceful times. During times of conflict it became even more difficult.
Political crises also contributed to the decline. By the 400s corruption, the decay of people's values, had become widespread in Rome's government. Corrupt officials used threats and bribery to achieve their goals, often ignoring the needs of Roman citizens. Because of officials like these, Rome's government was no longer as efficient as it had been in the past. As wealthy citizens abandoned Rome and other cities, life became more difficult for those who remained. Rome's population decreased, and schools closed. At the same time taxes and prices soared, leaving more and more Romans poor. By the end of the 400s Rome was no longer the city it had once been. As it changed, the empire slowly collapsed around it.
Other internal problems also threatened Rome's survival. Disease swept through the empire killing many people. The government increased taxes to pay for the defense of the empire. During the 200s and 300s AD Rome had over 40 different emperors - each reigning for an average of 2 or 3 years before being murdered. Another cause of Rome's decline was the vast size of the empire. In some ways, Rome had simply grown too big to govern. Communication among various parts of the empire was difficult, even in peaceful times. During times of conflict it became even more difficult.
Political crises also contributed to the decline. By the 400s corruption, the decay of people's values, had become widespread in Rome's government. Corrupt officials used threats and bribery to achieve their goals, often ignoring the needs of Roman citizens. Because of officials like these, Rome's government was no longer as efficient as it had been in the past. As wealthy citizens abandoned Rome and other cities, life became more difficult for those who remained. Rome's population decreased, and schools closed. At the same time taxes and prices soared, leaving more and more Romans poor. By the end of the 400s Rome was no longer the city it had once been. As it changed, the empire slowly collapsed around it.
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The Byzantines (The Eastern Roman Empire)
Society, people, and there culture was different in Byzantine Empire compared to Roman Empire. People began to speak Greek, the language of the eastern empire, rather than Latin. Scholars studied Greek, the language of the eastern empire, rather than Latin. Scholars studied Greek, not Roman, philosophy. Gradually, the empire lost its ties to the old Roman Empire, and a new society developed. The people who lived in this society never stopped thinking of themselves as Romans. But modern historians have given their society a new name. They call the society that developed in the eastern Roman Empire after the west fell the Byzantine Empire, named after the Greek town of Byzantium.
One reason eastern and western Roman society was different was the Byzantines' interaction with other groups. This interaction was largely a result of trade. Because Constantinople's location was ideal for trading between Europe and Asia, it became the greatest trading city in Europe. Merchants from all around Europe, Asia, and Africa traveled to Constantinople to trade. Over time Byzantine society began to reflect these outside influences as well as its Roman and Greek roots.
One reason eastern and western Roman society was different was the Byzantines' interaction with other groups. This interaction was largely a result of trade. Because Constantinople's location was ideal for trading between Europe and Asia, it became the greatest trading city in Europe. Merchants from all around Europe, Asia, and Africa traveled to Constantinople to trade. Over time Byzantine society began to reflect these outside influences as well as its Roman and Greek roots.
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Justinian and Theodora
After Rome fell in 476, the emperors of the eastern Roman Empire dreamed of taking it back and reuniting the old Roman Empire. For Justinian, an emperor who ruled from 527 to 565, reuniting the empire was a passion. He couldn't live with a Roman Empire that didn't include the city of Rome, so he sent his army to retake Italy. In the end this army conquered not only Italy but also much land around the Mediterranean.
Justinian's other passions were the law and the church. He ordered officials to examine all of Rome's laws and remove any out-of-date or unchristian laws. He then organized all the laws into a legal system called Justinian's Code. By simplifying Roman law, this code helped guarantee fair treatment for all.
Justinian's other passions were the law and the church. He ordered officials to examine all of Rome's laws and remove any out-of-date or unchristian laws. He then organized all the laws into a legal system called Justinian's Code. By simplifying Roman law, this code helped guarantee fair treatment for all.
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The Fall of the east
After the death of Justinian in 565, the eastern empire began to decline. Faced with invasions by barbarians, Persians, and Muslims, later emperors lost all the land Justinian had gained. The eastern empire remained a major power for several hundred years, but it never regained its former strength. The eastern empire's struggles finally ended nearly 700 years after the death of Justinian. In 1453 a group called the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople. With this defeat the 1,000-year history of the eastern Roman Empire came to an end.
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