Chapter Summary

With the rise to power of Caesar Augustus, Rome entered a period of almost 200 years of internal peace. However, challenges remained for the Roman empire. The challenges of unifying a multi-ethnic empire and struggles over morality troubled the Romans during the Pax Romana. In the third century B.C., economic and political problems shook the empire to its very foundations as the military gained in power. Two great rulers, Diocletian and Constantine struggled to hold the empire together with innovative reforms. Finally, the birth of a new religion transformed Roman society and culture. Romans initially ignored and even persecuted Christians, but eventually the empire itself embraced Christianity.

Chapter Outline

1. The Pax Romana, 27 B.C. - A.D. 192
   After winning a violent civil war, Augustus came to power and transformed the Roman government into a new system, the principate, which itself was also transformed as succeeding emperors struggled to meet the challenges of governing an empire.
   1. Augustus Takes Power
      
      1. Civil war
   2. A New Form of Governing
      
      1. The principate
      2. Governmental structure
      3. A.D.ministering an empire
      4. Virgil's Aeneid
      5. Livy's Historia
   3. Challenges to the Principate, A.D. 69 - 193
      
      1. Augustus's successors
      2. A new dynasty
      3. Provincial defense
   4. A Vibrant, Far-Flung Empire
      
      1. Colonies
      2. Provincial administration
      3. Roads and transportation
      4. Imperial diversity
2. Life During the Peace of Rome
   The wealth pouring in from the provinces brought new problems to Roman society, which Roman rulers tried to solve with laws and new civic activities.
   1. A New Decadence
   2. The Problem with Population
      
      1. Birthrates
   3. Sexual and Medical Misunderstandings
      
      1. Galen
   4. The Games
      
      1. From Forum to arena
      2. Gladiators
3. Crisis and Transformation, A.D. 192 - ca. 400
   With the end of the Roman peace, rulers like Diocletian and Constantine sought to resolve economic and political problems with reforms.
   1. The Military Monarchy
      
      1. Threats to empire
      2. Economic recession
      3. Inflation
   2. The Reforms of Diocletian, A.D. 284 - 305
      
      1. Tetrarchy
      2. Military reforms
      3. Economic reforms
   3. The Capital Moves East
      
      1. Constantinople
      2. Twilight of the empire
      3. Rome's "fall"
4. The Longing for Religious Fulfillment
   Although religion continued to play an important role in Roman life, many suffered from a spiritual dissatisfaction, which led to the popularity of new philosophic and religious movements.
   1. Stoicism and Platonism
      
      1. Neo-Platonism
   2. Mystery Cults
      
      1. Cult of Dionysus
      2. Cult of Isis
   3. The Four Faces of Judaism
      
      1. Sadducees and Pharisees
      2. Essenes
      3. The Messiah
   4. The Jesus Movement
      
      1. Jesus' Ideas
      2. Apostles
      3. Paul of Tarsus
      4. Destruction of the Temple
      5. Dispersion of Jews
   5. Early Christian Communities
5. From Christian Persecution to the City of God, A.D. 64 - 410
   Christians were misunderstood and even persecuted until Constantine's support of Christianity transformed both the status of the religion and Christianity itself.
   1. Looking for Christian Scapegoats
   2. Constantine: The Tolerant Emperor
      
      1. Constantine supports church
   3. The Empire adopts Christianity
      
      1. Christianity changes
      2. Christian organization
      3. Religious disagreements
      4. City of God
   4. The New Roman
      
      1. Christian sexuality
6. The Holy Life
   Fleeing Christians sought refuge and spiritual fulfillment in asceticism and communal monasticism, while saints became an important part of the Christian faith.
                 1. Flight to the desert
                 2. Monastic communities
   
   1. The Influence of Holy People
      
      1. Saints' cults
      2. Ascetic influence

The Chapter in Perspective

      Four hundred years after Julius Caesar and Octavian, the Roman empire was still an impressive territorial unit but it would hardly have been recognizable to the conservative Romans of Augustus' time. The empire had become Christian, and Constantinople rather than Rome served as its capital. A Christian emperor now ruled in the name of God, with the assistance of bishops instead of the Senate. Roman legions still guarded the borders of the "civilized" world, but by the fourth century, these borders had become porous. The Germanic peoples who had so badly shaken Rome's authority had now become a part of the empire. Sadly, for Rome, the centrifugal forces pulling at this radically transformed empire would eventually prevail. The Roman empire eventually split into three parts: Byzantium in the east, the Muslim world in the south, and the Germanic kingdoms in the west. However, the glory and accomplishments of Rome would remain in the West's memory for centuries.

1. Given what you know about the economy and geography of the Mediterranean region, which of the empire's parts--the eastern or the western portions--do you think might be the most prosperous and secure in the next centuries? Which do you think will be the most vulnerable? Why?*
2. Which aspects of Roman life and society do you think will persist in the Byzantine, Muslim, and Germanic worlds that emerge with the disintegration of the Roman empire?