Rise of Universal Religions

1. Rise of Universal Religions

2. Universal Religions • Spread across Afro – Eurasia and China • Affected millions of people • Appealed to diverse populations • Promoted universal rules and principles to guide behavior • Created a sense of community • Created new believers

3. Christianity in the Roman Empire • Changed the way people viewed their life and surroundings • Gave a sense of being • Promoted rules and principles on how to live one’s life • Offered a single deity that united people • Promoted obedience to a deity instead of a human ruler

4. Embraced the religion following his victory at the Milvian Bridge in 312 C.E. Made Christianity the religion of the empire in 321 C.E. In 330 C.E. established his capital at Constantinople in the east In 335 C.E. permanently divided the Roman Empire and thereby divided Christianity Constantine and Christianity

5. In 325 Constantine summoned bishops to Nicaea to form a creed for Christianity 1,800 bishops were invited to attend 1st general council of the church held in 275 years Created 1st uniform Christian doctrine Council of Nicaea

6. Affirmed the Holy Trinity – the father, the son and the holy spirit Bishops agreed to hold Easter on the same day each year Established a common baptismal doctrine Established 20 new church laws or canons Creed of Nicaea

7. Denounce Arianism as heresy to the Church Proclaimed the divinity of Jesus Christ Proclaimed Jesus Christ the true begotten Son of God Prohibited bishops and priests from moving from one church to another Creed of Nicaea

8. Became the official religion of the Roman Empire in 321 C.E. Tribes that settled within the Roman Empire converted By 600 C.E., churches and traveling priest established the religion throughout the Mediterranean area Spread of Christianity

9. By 350 C.E. the Huns were advancing westward into Europe By 360 C.E. barbarian tribes were raiding Roman territory in advance of the Huns In 365 C.E. the Goths invade asked to settle in Roman territory In 410 C.E. the Goths under Alaric I sack Rome Barbarian Invasions of Rome

10. A nomadic tribe on the steppes of central Asia Ruled by a king Became a powerful and feared military force under Attila Led to the Great Migration between 376 – 476 C.E. Empire covered 1.5 million square miles at its peak in 453 C.E. under Attila The Huns

11. Born in the central plains of Asia in 406 C.E. In 434 C.E. became ruler of the Huns His empire was a threat to the Roman Empire Invaded Italy in 452 C.E. Pope Leo I convinced him not to sack Rome Attila

12. A factor in the fall of the Roman Empire Tribes displaced by the advancing Huns invaded the Roman Empire Reached the Roman Empire by 434 C.E. Began raiding Roman territory in 441 C.E. Hun Empire

13. Invaded the Balkans in 441 – 442 C.E. Invaded Gaul in 451 C.E. and was finally defeated at the Battle of Chalons Invaded Italy in 452 C.E. and received tribute for peace Attila’s death in 453 C.E. leads to a power struggle Apex of the Hun Empire

14. Ascended the Byzantine throne in August 527 C.E. Aspired to return Rome to greatness Reformed Roman laws and judicial system Ordered compilation of the Digest and Institutes Justinian I

15. Reforms of Justinian • In 527 C.E. Justinian established a 10 – man commission to review and update Roman laws • Contradictory and obsolete laws were discarded • Remaining laws were updated for the times • In 529 C.E. the commission put forth the 10 – book Codex Constitutionum • All laws not included in the Codex were repealed

16. Reforms of Justinian • In 530 C.E. a commission of 16 lawyers began collecting and examining all known writings of authorized jurists that could be sited in court • Completed in 533 C.E. each of the 50 book Digesta was subdivided by titles • Completed in 533 C.E. the 3 book Institutiones covered “persons,” “things,” and “actions” and was used as a textbook for 1st year law students for centuries to follow

17. In September 531 C.E., concluded peace treaty with Sassanid Empire Conquered North Africa in September 533 C.E. Conquered southern Spain in 552 C.E. Conquered Italy in 554 C.E. Empire began to weaken after Justinian’s death in 565 C.E. Expansion under Justinian

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19. Founded by Ardashir in northeastern Iran in 224 C.E. Under Shapur I (239-272) the empire expanded to include provinces of the old Parthian Empire Shapur I restructured and centralized the Sasanid government The Sassanid Empire

20. Sassanid Empire • Battled the Eastern Roman Empire for nearly 400 years • Maintained relations with the Tang Dynasty of China and several kingdoms in India • Embraced Zoroastrianism as the major religion of the empire • Practiced religious tolerance

21. Annexed provinces of the old Parthian Empire Fought two wars with Rome Annexed Armenia under a treaty with Rome in 244 C.E. Restructured and centralized the government Shapur I (240 – 270 C.E.)

22. In 260 C.E. a Roman army was defeated at the Battle of Edessa The empire briefly gained control of Rome’s Near East provinces Centuries of warfare weakened the empire Collapsed in 651 C.E. in the wake of Islam The Sassanid Empire and Rome

23. Buddhists monks used the trade routes to spread their word Spread north and east into China and the Iranian Plateau Reached Afghanistan in the 5th century C.E. Spread of Buddhism

24. Established in 320 C.E. by Chandragupta I along the Ganges River Reached its “golden age” between 375 – 415 C.E. during the reign of Chandragupta II By 500 C.E. the Huns had gained control of western India leading to empire’s collapse in 550 C.E. The Gupta Empire

25. The Golden Age of India saw great advancements for in the fields of science, religion and philosophy The decimal system and the concept of the number “zero” were invented during this period The Golden Age was a peaceful and prosperous period for India Golden Age of theGupta Empire

26. Hindu practices became embedded in India in the centuries following the Gupta Empire Established the four classes, or varnas, today known as the caste system in India Hinduism and the Caste System

27. Hinduism • Brahman practices created a social, cultural and religious shift in Indian society toward Hinduism • Adapted religion to rural life and agrarian values • Three major deities – Brahma, Visnu and Shiva • Promoted an individual relationship with a specific god through personal devotion

28. The Division of Buddhism • By the 1st century C.E. Buddhism had developed two schools of thoughts • Mahayana believe Buddha to be only (1) part of a greater being and created new text • Theravada believed that salvation could be reached through high moral conduct and based on the old Buddhist text

29. In the 1st century was the largest empire in the world Emperor collected taxes through goods and military service Collapse was equal to the collapse of the Roman Empire Han Dynasty

30. A Buddhist monk and teacher Translated old Buddhist text to Chinese Greatly influenced Chinese Buddhism Led to creation of Mahayana Buddhism Kumarajiva (344 – 413)

31. Bantu languages began in the areas of Nigeria and Cameroon in West Africa Migration of people spread the languages south, east and west Southern part of the continent speak one of over 400 variations of the Bantu language Distribution of the Bantu Languages

32. Rose to power in the 1st century C. E. and became the 1st city – state of Mesoamerica At its peak around 500 the city controlled a population of about 150,000 The city was ruled by an elite priest class that practiced human sacrifice during religious rituals Teotihuacan

33. Emerged as a rising power on the Yucatan Peninsula around 250 C.E. By the 8th century their capital, Tikal, maintained a population of around 50,000 Ruled by an elite priest class and practiced human sacrifices The Maya

34. Viewed celestial bodies as gods to worship Developed writing and a 52 year cycle solar and absolute Long Count calendar From the 3rd – 8th century the most powerful city – state was Tikal Empire collapsed around 900 C.E. The Maya