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Christianity and the Roman Empire. The Rome of Caesar Augustus. Octavian consolidated his power by giving it all back to the Senate. In return, he asked for exclusive control over Spain, Gaul, and Syria These provinces held most of the Roman Legions
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The Rome of Caesar Augustus • Octavian consolidated his power by giving it all back to the Senate. • In return, he asked for exclusive control over Spain, Gaul, and Syria • These provinces held most of the Roman Legions • Therefore, Augustus controlled the Roman Military • Also ruled Egypt as his own private possession 63 BC – AD 14
Political Reforms • Augustus took the office of tribune for himself, even though he was a patrician (and, therefore, ineligible) • Remember: tribunes represented the political needs of the plebeians • This enabled Octavian to consolidate all political power to himself. • Augustus became both Consul and Tribune! • The People and Senate, however, did not mind.
Pax Romana • After brutal civil wars, Octavian’s policies brought much needed peace and prosperity (“Pax Romana”) Roman civilization flourished: • safe and efficient travel and communication over vast distances (Roman Roads) • the spread of Christianity was facilitated by these peaceful conditions • During the Pax Romana, the empire enjoyed 200 years of peace. Via Appia
Cultural Impact of the Romans • Greeks excelled in literary expressions (philosophy and the arts) • Romans excelled in practical disciplines: organization, administration, government, law. • A well organized empire of Laws and Legions • The literature of the Golden Age (30 BC – AD 18): • Virgil’s Aeneid • Horace’s satires • Livy’s Roman History
West Deeply influenced by Latin culture, especially: North Africa, England, Gaul, Iberia, Helvetia, and Germanic lands. Latin was the root language in the West Latin was dominant in North Africa, long before Arabic under the Mohammedans. East Much older, with more deeply rooted traditions Both Greek and Latin were used. Roman administrative and civil laws respected, but Greek culture tended to dominate Empire: East and West
Roman Morality Morality: the science of human acts (good and evil) • Under Augustus, Roman law supported good public moral conduct. • Laws protecting the family • Roman Family was the heart and soul of the Empire • Morality will see a terrible decline towards the end.
The Roman Martyrology • The 25th day of December • In the 5,199th year of the creation of the world, from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth; • the 2,957th year after the flood; • the 2,015th year from the birth of Abraham; • the 1,510th year from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;
Cont. • the 1,032nd year from David's being anointed king; • in the 65th week according to the prophecy of Daniel; • in the 194th Olympiad; • the 752nd year from the foundation of the city of Rome; • the 42nd year of the reign of Octavian Augustus; • the whole world being at peace, in the sixth age of the world,
Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming,being conceived by the Holy Ghost,and nine months having passed since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary,being made flesh. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.
Julio-Claudian Dynasty 1. Augustus: 27 BC – AD 14 - died of natural causes 2. Tiberius: 14 – 37 • Died of old age, possibly assassination 3. Caligula: 37 – 41 - Assassinated in conspiracy by Senate and Praetorian Guard 4. Claudius: 41 – 54 - Poisoned by his wife Agrippina the Younger 5. Nero: 54 – 68 • Committed suicide after being declared a public enemy by the Senate. • First persecutor of the Catholic Church
The Year of the Four Emperorsand the Flavian Dynasty 6.Galba: June 68 – January 69 - Murdered by the Praetorian Guard 7.Otho: January 69 – April 69 - Committed suicide after losing the Battle at Bedriacum to Vitellius 8.Vitellius: April 69 – December 69 - Murdered by Vespasian’s troops 9.Vespasian: July 69 – 79 - Died of natural causes 10.Titus: 79 – 81 - Died of natural causes (plague) 11.Domitian: 81 – 96 - Assassinated by court officials
Nervan-Antonian Dynasty 12. Nerva: 96 – 98 13. Trajan: 98 – 117 14. Hadrian: 117 – 138 15. Antoninus Pius: 138 – 161 16. Lucius Verus: 161 – 169 - Natural causes (plague) 17. Marcus Aurelius: 161 – 180 18. Commodus: 177 – 192 - Assassinated at his palace (strangled to death)
First Persecutors • Jews • After the Ascension of the Lord, the Apostles had the mission of the salvation of souls. • The High Priest, Sanhedrin, and Pharisees violently opposed the work of the Apostles. • St. James was the first Apostle to be martyred. • St. Stephen the Deacon was the first martyr. • St. Paul was a vicious Pharisee persecutor who was miraculously converted
Roman Proscription • The Emperor Nero (no. 5) was the first to persecute the Church. • He wanted to rebuild Rome, so he caused a fire which burned a large portion of the city • Much property damage and deaths of civilians. • The Senate suspected Nero, but deflected the issue by blaming it on a growing Jewish sect known as “Christians.” Nero was seen playing his fiddle while Rome burned
Christiani Non Sint! Nero declared Christianity illegal and subject to: • Arrest • Imprisonment • Confiscation of property • Death • Tacitus says that Nero was unable to procure any real evidence against Christians, so he charged them “hating the human race”
The Martyrs of Rome AD 64: The Christians were first taken across the Tiber to an arena on the Vatican Hill called Nero’s Circus. * Also killed at the Circus Maximus The Catholics were: • Crucified • Hunted and killed by wild beasts • Burned alive • St. Peter was crucified on Vatican Hill • St. Paul was beheaded on the Appian Way • They were both martyred on the same day.
The Emperor Domitian: “Lord and God” • Domitian (81-96): good relationship with the military; relationship with the Senate was not so good. • He always referred to himself as: Dominus et Deus. • Wanted to stop the spread of Christianity from the lower classes to the patricians. • Many in his own family! • Levied a special tax for Christians and Jews to build a temple to Jupiter. • Murdered his cousin, Flavius Clemens, a Catholic, who served as Consul of Rome. • Pope St. ClementI mentions this persecution (also martyred) Titus Flavius Domitianus (murdered 18 Sept)
“The Five Good Emperors” Nerva (96-98) Trajan (98-117) Hadrian (117-138) Antoninus Pius (138-160) Marcus Aurelius (160-180)
Intro • They were considered “good” because they enjoyed the support of the Military, the Senate, and the People (like Octavian). • They were not necessarily supportive of Christianity, but not fanatical like Nero, either.
Trajan (53-117) • His 25 year reign is considered the most excellent in the history of the empire. • Humane treatment of abandoned children and the poor. • Military conquests of Dacia (Armenia) and Parthia (Iraq) • Took the title of Optimus (the best). • The Senate used as a blessing: “May you be even luckier than Augustus and even better than Trajan.”
Trajan’s Rescript (AD 112) • Trajan took an enlightened and balanced approach to the Christian situation. At the request of Pliny the Younger (61-112), Trajan decreed that: • If a Christian renounced his faith and offered sacrifice to the gods, he would be allowed to live; • Anonymous denunciations would not be allowed; • If one publicly admitted to being a Christian, he is to be put to death; • Under Trajan, it was either death or apostasy.
Hadrian (117-138) • Was a self-professed Hellenist (lover of Greek culture) • Interested in science, art, philosophy. • Planned to turn Jerusalem into a Roman colony called Aelia Capitolina. • The Jews revolted under their leader Bar Kokhba in 132. • Jews were suppressed in 135 and forbidden to enter Jerusalem. Adopted by Trajan after his father’s death.
Hadrian’s Rescript (123/124) Serenus Granianus (Proconsul of Asia) asked Hadrian about the often violent mobs intent on murdering Christians. In answer, Hadrian decreed that: • Christians could only be prosecuted for breaking the common laws of Rome, not just for being simply Christian. • If an accuser made a false accusation, then the accuser was to be punished. • Under Hadrian, Christians were respected as citizens. Hadrian’s Villa - Tivoli
The Philosopher-King • Marcus Aurelius (121-180), adopted son of Hadrian. • Greek Philosophy was the focus of his life, particularly Stoicism. • Wrote the Meditations. With respect to Christianity, he followed Trajan rather than Hadrian: • Reinstated anonymous denunciations; • Killed Christians if it suited him; • Allowed mobs to kill Christians at will; • Under Marcus Aurelius, the northern borders of the Empire were being pestered by Germans.
Towards the End • Septimus Severus (193-211): decreed in 202 that Baptism was forbidden. • After Septimus, Christians enjoyed roughly 50 years of peace. • Christians could even own private property and build churches! • Troubles returned with a severe destabilization in the Empire. • From 238-284, there were 18 legitimate emperors, and many others who were pretenders. Many met violent ends.
Decius (249-251) • Imperial troubles from both the military and Germanic barbarians in the eastern frontier. • By this time, one third of the empire had converted to Christianity. • Inaugurated the first empire-wide persecution. Wanted to exterminate Christianity forever. • Wanted the Empire to return to the purity of the old pagan cults. Gaius Messius Quintus Decius
The Edict of Decius • Law of Extermination. • Anyone suspected of being a Christian had to present himself before a local magistrate. Sacrificanti: offered sacrifice to the gods of Rome. Thurificati: offered incense to the gods. • Certificates were issued verifying your allegiance to the gods of Rome. Libellatici: Christians who purchased these certificates.
Mass Apostasy Apostasy: the public renunciation of the Catholic Faith. • Decius’ persecution resulted in countless defections of the Faith (lapsi) • The Church was divided on how to treat these “traitors” • Novatian, a Roman priest, said that apostates could never be re-admitted into the Church. • The Popes finally decreed that they could, after many years of penance. Certificate of Sacrifice
