Christianity Becomes the Official Religion of the Roman Empire

In 306 AD, Constantine rose to emperor after the death of his father Constantius. Maxentius (his brother-in-law) and he were bitter rivals as co-emperors of the west. Before the battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, Constantine had a vision of Christ, telling him to put his symbol on their battle standards. Constantine obliged, and was victorious over Maxentius. Constantine took on to support of Christianity, even though he still believed in his pagan sun god. Constantine felt he owed his victory to the God of the Christians, and pushed forward for an imperial policy to advance its cause. Some people argued that Constantine only converted for political reasons, but this may not be true, even though Constantine only got baptized right before death. Tax exemptions were given to Christians, and money from the imperial treasury was granted to rebuild churches. After Constantine died, his three sons had different religious views, and created political instability. Nevertheless, Christianity came to dominate the western world.

Picture: http://media.expedia.com/tshops/media/rome/christian_rome.jpg

Laocoon Gets Eaten by the Serpent

Chapter 23-S.A. 1-8

1. You will be suppressed by my guard.
2. And so then, those men, stretching out their hands, gave a salute.
3. Tantalus, being thirsty, kept desiring to touch the river fleeing his mouth.
4. The signs of things about to be are shown to the world by the gods.
5. Captured Greece has conquered its harsh conqueror.
6. Atticus gave much money to Cicero, who was fleeing out of the fatherland.
7. If you will entrust him to me to be raised, I shall begin to form his studies from infancy.
8. Often use the eraser, for the good little book

Participles

~~~	Active	Passive
Pres	Agens, agentis-leading	---
Perf	---	Acutus, -a, -um-about to be led
Fut	Acturus, -a, -um-about to lead	Agendus, -a, -um-about to be led

On Ambition and Literature, Both Latin and Greek (From Cicero's Pro Archia)

Causes of the Punic Wars-Why

First Punic War
Carthage had control of much of Sicily in the 260's, which mattered little to Rome. Thus, when a quarrel arose in 264 in Messana, some sided with teh Carthaginians, and some sided with the Romans. Many thought this was a local problem, and it was, until it blew up into something big. When a Carthaginian fleet was invited into Messana, Rome felt like it had to respond in some way. Therefore, an expeditionary force was sent to expel the Punic fleet. Carthage then responded by sending out a larger force, and Rome responded in the same way. Rome quickly won many victories, but as the war went on, it was clear that to win the war, Rome would have to win control of the sea. This war lasted 20 years.

Second Punic War
A peace treaty put Carthage in an impossible position. Not long after the First Punic War, a geniune war hero arose, Hamilcar Barca, who won much of Spain. It became apparent, though, that he wouldn't be able to get revenge on the Romans, so he taught his son everything he knew, including a hatred of the Romans. Hannibal quickly established himself as an even greater leader than his father, and he marched on Rome at the age of twenty-five.

Third Punic War
The Third Punic War was a brief and unnecessary war. The Carthaginians had lost an empire, but had lost their debt with it, and were left free to pursue their own goals. The Romans tried to use much of the agricultural land they gained, but never would they be as good as the Carthaginians at it. This angered the Romans, which caused Cato the Elder to agitate against Carthage. Some feared Carthage was dangerous, and many were angry that the Carthaginians were prospering while they were not. Cato was sure that the only defense against Carthage rising again was to completely destroy it.
African tribes learned that the Carthaginians would not cross the border into Roman territory, therefore they would steal from them and return to Roman soil. This angered the Carthaginians who eventually crossed the border to attack the African tribes.
The Romans saw this as an excuse, and declared that this was violation of the treaty. War was declared.

Picture: http://www.choiceonesupport.org/Punic%20War.gif

The Burning of Rome-What

It was July 18th, 64 A.D. In the night a fire broke out in the merchant area of the city of Rome. The summer winds fanned the fire, and allowed it to spread quickly to the dry, wooden structures of the Imperial City. For six days and seven nights the conflagration scarred Rome. Seventy percent of the city was left in smoldering ruin. Rumors arose of Nero ordering the torching of Rome, and these accused him of standing on the Palatine Hill and watching, playing his lyre, as Rome burned. These have never been proven true, but Nero did look for scapegoat, and found one in the Christians in the city, who he had fed to the lions.
From these ruins of Rome rose a more spectacular Rome, with marble, stone, wide streets, pedestrian arcades, and ample water supply for any future fires. Also, much of the debri was used to fill in marshes around Rome that had plagued the city with malaria for generations.

Picture: http://www.30giorni.it/foto/1098263943630.jpg

Word Relations-Notes

Latin affects English and the Romance Languages

• Casa-house, also means house in Spanish
• Tt=ss
• You all-midatlantic
• y'all-south
• Yins-Pittsburg

• v=b
• Asper-Asp-snake
• (Con)tinere-con means together
• Tineo means to hold

• B in Indo European language is the most likely letter to change
• Semantic range-all the possible meanings of a word

Subura-Where

The Subura was a district in a valley central Rome. It was a low-lying area between the Viminal and Esquiline hills. It was a busy, crowded, noisy, dirty area. The Subura housed trades in manufacturing, crime, prostitution, merchants, writers, and politicians. This was a motley group of people. Many families that lived in the Subura were poor, lower-class families. In the Subura, Juvenal states that there are "the thousand dangers of a savage city" (Sat. 3. 8-9). The Subura has been called, dirty and wet, a resort of harlots, of dealers in provisions and delicacies, and finery of tradesmen of various sorts. There were also some dwellings of more distinguished persons, including Caesar.

Pictures: Google Earth
http://www.collegium-metamense.de/latein/felix/subura.jpg

Hopping Through Rome-Every 50 years-When

510 BC-Tarquin Superbus, Rome's last king, is overthrown in rebellion
450 BC-Romans colonize Italy; Law of Twelve Tables is published
300 BC-Rome and Carthage sign a treaty
264-241 BC-First Punic War; Rome annexes Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily; Aurelian Way completed
200-196 BC-Second Macedonian War
150-146 BC-Third Punic War; Carthage destroyed
103-102 BC-Second Sicilian Slave Rebellion
51 BC-Gaul becomes a Roman province
6 AD-Judea becomes a Roman province
54 AD-Nero becomes emperor
80 AD-Fires ravage Rome again; Baths of Titus and Coloseum are completed
161-180 AD-Rule of Marcus Aurelius
250 AD-Decius introduces "Emperor Worship" and persecutes Christians
306 AD-Constantine declared ruler of the Eastern Empire
351 AD-Constantius reunites the Empire
395 AD-The Empire is permanently divided
452 AD-Attila invades northern Italy

Picture:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Map_of_the_Ancient_Rome_at_Caesar_time_%28with_conquests%29-fr.svg/800px-Map_of_the_Ancient_Rome_at_Caesar_time_%28with_conquests%29-fr.svg.png

Who's Who-Roman vs. Greek Gods-Who

Roman---Greek

Bacchus---Dionysus
Ceres---Demeter
Cupid---Eros
Diana---Artemis
Dis Pater, Pluto, Orcus---Hades
Discordia---Eris
Hercules---Heracles
Juno---Hera
Jupiter---Zeus
Mars---Ares
Mercury---Hermes
Minerva---Athena
Neptune---Poseidon
Saturn---Cronus (though technically not a god, but a titan)
Ulysses---Odysseus
Venus---Aphrodite
Vulcan---Hephaestus

Picture: http://churchofcriticalthinking.org/images/godz.jpg

Virgil's Messianic Eclogue

Now, a great new age is coming; A boy will be sent down from heaven, who will have the life of the gods he will see the gods, and he will seem like him to those men. This boy will rule the world in which the virtuous men of this land will get peace. A few evil men, however, will remain, which men will order under the yoke and would wage harsh war . There also there will be another war, and also the Great Achilles being sent to the Troy. Then, the boy will have been for a long time where you men, there will be no work, no war, and the sailor come in from the sea, and the farmers as well will leave behind their farms, and the earth will prepare itself for all people everywhere. Rush, time; begin little boy, know your mother, and enough spirit inside me to say your deeds.

Virgil's Messianic Eclogue and Chapter 21 Sententise Antiquae

Virgil's Messianic Eclogue

1. Venit-3rd person singular future active indicative of "venire" meaning "to come"
2. Mittitur-3rd person singular present passive indicative of "mittere" meaning "to send"
3. Habebit- 3rd person singular future active indicative of "habere" meaning "to hold"
4. Videbit- 3rd person singular future active indicative of "videre" meaning "to see"
5. Videbitur- 3rd person singular future passive indicative of "videre" meaning "to seem"
6. Dederunt- 3rd person plural perfect active indicative of "dare" meaning "to give"
7. Remanebunt- 3rd person plural future active indicative of "remanere" meaning "to remain"
8. Iubebunt- 3rd person plural future active indicative of "iubere" meaning "to bid"
9. Laborare-infinitive meaning "to labor"
10. Gerere- infinitive meaning "to carry"
11. Erunt-3rd person plural future active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
12. Mittetur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "mittere" meaning "to send"
13. Fecerit- 3rd person singular future perfect indicative of "facere" meaning "to make"
14. Labores- 2nd person singular present active indicative of "laborare" meaning "to labor"
15. Discedent- 3rd person plural present active indicative of "discedere" meaning "to go away"
16. Relinquent- 3rd person plural present active indicative of "relinquere" meaning "to leave behind"
17. Parabit- 3rd person singular future active indicative of "parare" meaning "to prepare"
18. Currite- 2nd person present imperative indicative of "currere" meaning "to run"
19. Incipe- 1st person present imperative indicative of "incipiere" meaning "to begin"
20. Erit- 3rd person singular future active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
21. Dicere- infinitive meaning "to say"

Chapter 21 Sententiae Antiquae

1. Vincitur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "vincere" meaning "to conquer"
2. Est- 3rd person singular present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
3. Potest-3rd person singular present active indicative of "posse" meaning "to be able"
4. Iubebunt-3rd person plural future active indicative of "iubere" meaning "to bid"
5. Teritur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "terere" meaning "to wear out"
6. Deletur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "delere" meaning "to erase"
7. Excluditur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "excludere" meaning "to shut out"
8. Est-3rd person singular present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
9. Continet- 3rd person present active indicative of "continere" meaning "to contain"
10. Possunt- 3rd person plural present active indicative of "posse" meaning "to be able"
11. Est- 3rd person singular present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
12. Sunt- 3rd person plural present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
13. Sunt-3rd person plural present active indicative of "esse" meaning "to be"
14. Laudatur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "laudare" meaning "to praise"
15. Inscribitur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "inscribere" meaning "to entitle"
16. Decipi-1st person singular perfect active indicative of "decipiere" meaning "to deceive"
17. Inveniuntur- 3rd person plural present passive indicative of "invenire" meaning "to find"
18. Laborat-3rd person singular present active indicative of "laborare" meaning "to labor"
19. Exstinguitur- 3rd person singular present passive indicative of "exstinguere" meaning "to extinguish"

Catilinarian Conspirators-Why

In Etruria, a man named C Manlius was gathering weapons to form a revolt. Cicero believed Catiline was behind it. Cicero managed to convince the Senate of the danger, and the senate gave him full authority over the matter. Catiline and his supporters had a meeting, and afterward, both Catiline and Cicero debated at the senate. In the end, Catiline volunteered to go into exile. On his way, Catiline joined C. Manlius and his mob. The Romans conspirators wanted the Gauls to help, but they didn't want anything to do with it. Word of this got to Rome, and the senate wanted the conspirators killed. Caesar, who was praetor at the time, argued against death as a penalty, but in teh end he was overruled, and the conspirators were strangled. In 62 BC, M. Petreius destroyed the revolt, and killed Catiline in the progress, and the conspiracy ended.
Cicero was hailed as "father of his country" for saving Rome from another rebellion, but later this would turn against him.

Picture: http://www.eonimages.com/watermark.php?i=336

Roman Medicine-What

In medicine, the Romans learned much from the Greeks. This isn't to say that the Romans copied the Greeks, but used some of the Greek's practical ideas and threw out what was not needed. In the early years of the Roman Empire there were no real "doctors", just the leader of the family who were trusted to know enough about medicine and herbs. Romans also supported the idea that a healthy mind supports a healthy body. Romans believed that illness occurred from a natural cause. Cities, villas, and forts were built in wha were thought of as "healthy" places. Romans occasionally drained marshes to rid the area of malaria carrying mosquitoes. Great emphasis was put on keeping Roman soldiers fit and supplied with clean water. Having clean water was a big concern for the Romans, and they used aqueducts to bring water from afar. Personal baths were also very important.

Picture: http://www.pharmacy.wsu.edu/history/images/picture09.jpg

Rome, The Pantheon-Where

The Pantheon was originally built from 27-25 BC. It was built by the magistrate Marcus Agrippa to commemorate the victory of Actium. This was a victory over Antony and Cleopatra. In 80 AD the original temple burned down.
Hadrian reconstructed it in 125 AD, and dedicated it to every known god. Septimus Severus and Caracalla maintained and restored the Pantheon.
During its use, statues of gods lined the walls, sacrifices were made in the center, and smoke rose out through the oculus. When Christianity replaced paganism, the temple fell out of use for awhile.
Pope Boniface IV eventually consecrates the temple as a Christian church. The church was dedicated to Mary and all martyrs, so again the Pantheon is not for specific gods/people.
In 667, the Pantheon was stripped of everything of value inside, including the golden roof tiles. It was robbed and restored multiple times.
Michelangelo studied at the Pantheon before he designed St. Peter's, and Bernini stripped the Pantheon's bronze for a project in St. Peter's. The bronze doors were restored in 1563.

Picture from: http://www.davidmixner.com/images/2008/06/07/pantheon.jpg

7 Latin Verbs-Chapter 21

Rise and Fall of Rome-Time-line-When

753 BC-Rome founded by Romulus and Remus
509 BC-Republic established
264-241 BC-First Punic War
218-202 BC-Second Punic War
214-205 BC-First Macedonian War
200-196 BC-Second Macedonian War
171-168 BC-Third Macedonian War
149-146 BC-Third Punic War
150-146 BC-Fourth Macedonian War91-89 BC-Social War
73-71 BC-Spartacus leads slave revolt
63 BC-Cataline conspiracy
59 BC-Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus form alliance
49 BC-Caesar crosses the Rubicon
44 BC-Death of Caesar
476 AD-Fall of Rome

Romulus and Remus Found Rome-What

Why Rome Fell-Why Post

The most agreed upon date for the Fall of the Rome is 476, when the Germanic general Odavacar overthrew the last remaining Roman Emperor. Some say that the split of the eastern and western part of the Roman Empire ruled by different emperors caused Rome to collapse. Some argued that the collapse started when inflation hit the Romans severely after Marcus Aurelius' reign. Regardless, many factors led to the Fall of Rome.
Many factors weakened Rome for its fall. These included: Christianity, lead, monetary trouble, decadence, and military troubles. Problems within Rome and pressures from outside of Rome helped facilitate its fall.
Imperial incompetence was a major factor. Since there was no clear-cut method for choosing emperor's this left a lot to interpretation. The emperor, the senate, and the Praetorian Guard had a large say. Over 100 years, there were 37 emperors, many killing the last to take his spot, and some selling the position. Therefore, no strong consistent leaders helped unify Rome.
Diseases killed many of the poor who lived in unsanitized squalor. Lead pipes used for water also killed many of the rich.
All of these reasons contributed to the fall of the greatest empire man has ever seen.