Chapter 9- The Fate of Ancient Rome

1. Chapter 9- TheFate of Ancient Rome WorldHistory 9th Ms. Stephanie Custodio

2. Section 1 RomanDailyLife

3. Roman Citizens • Rome was the first among the cities of its time. • A million or more people lived in Rome by the time of Augustus (noisy and crowded). • Being counted as citizen: • Being a Roman citizen was a matter of great pride.Only residents of the city of Rome were enjoyed citizenship. • Every 5 years, men registered for the census- official count of people. Registering was the only way to claim citizenship. • Roman men declared their families, slaves, and wealth to authorities at census time. If a man didn’t register, he ran the risk of losing his property, or be sold into slavery. • Women, girls, slaves and freed slaves were not counted as citizens. Their place in society was determined by their relationship with citizens. • Roman people loved Rome, it monuments and buildings were a constant reminder that their city was a center of religion, politics, and culture. Banquets and other gatherings made Rome the scene of all social life. • As the Roman Empire expanded, people beyond Rome gained citizenship.

4. Roman Social Classes • The rich had elegant homes in the city, and many had country estates called villas. • Wealthy Romans were famous for overdoing things: • Eating (flamingo or ostrich in special occasions) • Feasts (entertainment: musicians, dancers, performers reciting poems) • Served game (partridge or wild boar) • Most people in Rome were poor: • Lived in poorly built, rundown housing, or tall apartment houses with no running water, toilets, or kitchens. • Rubbish and human waste were carried down to the street or dumped out of a window. • Fires were frequent (houses made of wood).

5. Roman Social Classes

6. Bread and Circuses • To prevent riots from the poor, the emperors supplied free grain and provided spectacular shows, held in the Colosseum or in circuses (arenas). • The shows came to be known as circuses. • Animal fighting other animals, animals fighting humans, and humans fighting humans. • Clowns would entertain • Criminals were publicly executed • Fights between gladiators- people who fought to death, most were slaves captured in battles.

7. Roman Social Classes in theColosseum

8. Roman Family Life • The Roman government provided family support (usually to the upper classes): • Under Julius Caesar, fathers of 3 or more received land. • Freeborn mothers of 3 children and free slaves with 4 children were given privileges. • Unmarried men and couples with no children didn’t receive financial benefits. • This was designed to encourage the upper class to increase and to continue their family names.

9. Roman Villa

10. Roman Household • Head of household: paterfamilias- “father of the family” • Could be father, grandfather, or great-grandfather of the household. • Under Roman law, they had absolute power over the entire household and owned everything on it (women, children, slaves, furniture) • At first, could sell a daughter or son into slavery. • Family included everyone in the household below the rank of paterfamilias- women, children, and slaves. • To do business or to own property, a son had to be emancipated by the father of the family. • Three generations usually lived under the same roof (Romans of all social classes lived in extended families) • Wealthy families often controlled hundreds of slaves, often including children.

12. The Roles of Women in Roman Society • Household passed among the men in the family. Women married into it from outside. • Sometimes a woman formally left the house of her father to live with her husband and took the role of daughter under the paterfamilias of her new home. • Depending on circumstances, a woman might keep ties with the family in which she was born. • Her only role in her husband’s family: to produce children. • Wealthy women • Had a great deal of independence, had a strong influence in their families, and some wives of famous men became famous themselves. • Mothers or wives of some Roman emperors gained political power. • Role of women outside their families: • Trained to be doctors, worked in women’s medicine. • Involved in business and even controlled their own money. • Lower class women: • Cooks, dressmakers, hairdressers, shoemakers, danced, sang, acted for entertainment.

13. Slavery in Rome • Almost every wealthy family owned slaves. • About a third of Italy’s population were slaves by 50 B.C. • Slaves had almost no rights, but their relationship with their owners were trusting and friendly. • They provided their owners with companionship and helped raise the family’s children. • Slaves who worked in farms were sometimes chained together when working, and slept in chains at night. • Slaves in mines worked in terrible conditions. • Gladiators risked death every time they fought. • Slaves trained as rowers powered Roman warships. • Some slaves saved tips or wages and could buy their freedom.(mostly gladiators and chariot racers)

14. Section 2

15. The Rise of Christianity • Jesus founded Christianity. • In the beginning, its followers were mainly the poor and the slaves. • Over time, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire. • The Romans conquered the Jewish homeland of Judaea in 63 B.C. • At first they respected their right to worship their God. • Many Jews resented foreign rule and believed that a messiah (savior) would come to bring justice and freedom to the land. • As opposition grew, Romans struck back with harsh punishment. • The Roman senate appointed a new ruler in Judaea named Herod; Jesus was born during his reign in the town of Bethlehem. • There are stories about what Jesus taught and how he lived in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. • After Jesus died, his disciples (followers) told stories about his life and teachings. • Gospels: four stories about Jesus’ life written between 40 and 70 years after his death, believed to be written by 4 of his disciples: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

16. Christian Belief • Jesus grew up in Nazareth, learned to be a carpenter and began teaching when he was about 30 years old. • Jesus grew up in Nazareth, learned to be a carpenter and began teaching when he was about 30 years old. • Tradition holds that for 3 years Jesus traveled from place to place, preaching to Jews living in the countryside. • Jesus preached there was only one true God, and that he was loving and forgiving. • He said that people must love God with all their hearts, and that people had the responsibility to love their neighbors as they loved themselves. • He promised that people who followed his teachings would have everlasting life. • His teachings came to be known as Christianity, and his followers believed he was their messiah.

17. Fears about Christianity • Fears about Christianity: • Some people complained to the Romans that Jesus was teaching that God was greater than the emperor. • Romans feared that Jesus would lead an armed revolt against the government, so he was condemned to death. • Jesus was crucified. • According to the Gospels, Jesus rose from the dead and spoke to his disciples, telling them to spread his teachings.

18. Christianity Spreads • Greek equivalent of messiah: Christos. As people began accepting the teachings of Jesus, they began calling him Christ. • Saul: • One of the most devoted followers of Jesus’ teachings; he was well educated and spoke Greek. • According to the New Testament, he rejected the Christian message at first, but one day he believed he had a vision in which God spoke to him. • After this, he changed his name to Paul and carried Christianity to the cities around the Mediterranean. • He wrote many epistles (letters) to Christian groups in distant cities and became a part of the Christian Bible.

19. Christianity Moves to Cities • By A.D. 100, groups of Christians were gathering for worship in Alexandria, Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, and even Rome. • Many poor city dwellers welcomed the message of Christianity as good news. • The word paganuswas used for anyone who didn’t share the beliefs. • Christian ways to worship: • They prayed and sang. • They read from the scripture or from one of Paul’s letters. Often someone interpreted these readings for those gathered. • They set aside Sundays (day believed Jesus rose from the dead) as their they of worship. • Rite of Baptism: a believer was dipped in water to wash away his or her sin; it made a person a member of the Church. • Rite of the Lord’s Supper: Christians shared bread and wine in a sacred meal called Eucharist, in memory of Jesus’ last supper. They believed they were receiving the body and blood of Jesus.

20. Rome Reacts • Christians refused to worship Roman gods and didn’t show the emperor the respect required. • Some Romans stopped serving in the army. • Roman officials started viewing Christians as enemies of the empire. • First official campaign against Christians began under Nero: • One night a fire started in some shops in Rome, it spread for 9 days and left most of the city in ruins. • Nero blamed the Christians and ordered their arrest, who were sent to their deaths: • Some were forced to fight wild animals in the Colosseum. • Others were soaked in oil and burned alive. • Others were crucified. • Paul was imprisoned for 2 years and then killed.

21. Treatment of Christians • Romans persecuted Christians for another 250 years. • The Roman Empire began to lose its power, and blamed the followers of Christianity for this. • Punishment to be a Christian: death. “The Christians to the Lions” • Christianity continued to spread despite the persecution. • The help they gave to widows, orphans, and the poor drew people to the new religion. • Messages of love, forgiveness, and a better life after death appealed to many. • The figure of Jesus attracted followers- he was not a myth, he actually lived among people of the empire. • The Gospels helped spread Jesus’ teachings and their simple style made the teachings easy to grasp. • Actions against Christians were especially severe under: • Domitian, Marcus Aurelius, Decius, Valerian, Diocletian. • They outlawed Christian services, imprisoned priests, put many believers to death. • Romans saw Christians as martyrs and heroes.