Roman Empire, Part 2

Flavian Emperors

• Vespasian 69-79 – sent by Nero to put down revolt in Judea, started building Colosseum, sent Titus to Judea to destroy Temple

• Titus 79-81 – Mt. Vesuvius, Pompeii, Herculaneum, finished Colosseum

• Domitian 81-96 – brother of Titus

Temple of Jerusalem

The Five Good Emperors

• Nerva 96-98 - • Trajan 98-117 – adopted by Nerva (non-blood relative)• Hadrian 117-138 – tried to build temple on site of

Solomon’s Temple, 3-year war ensued, Hadrian’s Wall, Picts

• Antonius Pius 138-161 - • Marcus Aurelius 161-180 – stoic philosopher, Meditations, Pax Romana ends, possibly died of Plague of Galen

Commodus and Diocletian

• Commodus 180-192 – brutal, loved gladiatorial contests

• Diocletian 284-305 – end of period of chaos, divided empire into Tetrarchy, responsible for lots of Christian persecution

• Tetrarchy – East had one “Augustus” and one “Caesar”, West had one “Augustus” and one “Caesar”

• Diocletian took the East, Maximian the West

Diocletian’s Division of the Empire

Constantine the Great, 306-337

• Eusebius – early Christian historian• Battle of Milvian Bridge 312 – “In this sign,

conquer.”, defeated Maxentius• Power shift to Byzantium• Edict of Milan 313 – property returned to Christians• Constantinople – Hagia Sofia• Mother Helena – finds True Cross• 1st Council of Nicea – combats the heresy Arianism

The Hagia Sofia

Hagia Sofia