W O R L D H I S T O R Y 9 T HM S . S T E P H A N I E C U S T O D I O

CHAPTER 9- THE FATE OF ANCIENT ROME

SECTION 1ROMAN DAILY L IFE

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.

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).

ROMAN SOCIAL CLASSES

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.

ROMAN SOCIAL CLASSES IN THE COLOSSEUM

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.

ROMAN VILLA

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.

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.

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)

SECTION 2

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 paganus was 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.

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.

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.