Lecture 3: The Roman Empire's Transition to Christianity

Overview

• Roman Republic to Empire
  • The Republic lasted ~400 years with issues leading to civil wars.
  • Augustus Caesar established the Roman Empire.
  • Empire initially stable, but faced imperial overstretch and succession issues.

Challenges for the Roman Empire

• Imperial Overstretch
  • Size of the empire made communication difficult.
  • Increased number of enemies, particularly along borders.
• Imperial Succession
  • Romans resisted hereditary monarchy.
  • Succession was often through power seizure by army or Praetorian Guard.

Political Instability

• Severan Dynasty (193-235 AD)
  • Military monarchy where army influenced emperor selection.
• Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 AD)
  • 27 emperors, 23 killed or deposed.
  • Internal revolts, external invasions (Germans, Sasanian Empire).
  • Plague (likely smallpox) and monetary collapse.

Diocletian's Reforms

• Reign: 282-305 AD
  • Identified administrative issues.
  • Division of Empire: Split into East and West.
  • Tetrarchy: System with two emperors (Augusti) and two junior emperors (Caesars).
  • Purpose to stabilize succession and manage borders.
• Problems with Tetrarchy
  • Four leaders vying for sole power.
  • Capital cities: Rome, Nicomedia, Sirmium, Mediolanum, Augusta Trevorrow.
  • Strategic mobility for military response.

Rise of Christianity

• Roman Religion
  • Initially polytheistic, saw Christianity as a mystery religion akin to others.
  • Jesus perceived as a potential revolutionary Jewish Messiah.
• Persecution of Christians
  • Early persecution under emperors like Nero, Decius, and Diocletian.
  • Christianity seen as a threat due to refusal to worship Roman gods.

Constantine and the Legalization of Christianity

• Constantine's Rise
  • Seized power in the West; had a vision leading to his conversion.
  • Battle of the Milvian Bridge: Victory attributed to the Christian symbol.
• Edict of Milan (313 AD)
  • Legalized Christianity.
  • Allowed construction of churches, redirected state funds to Christianity.
• Subsequent Developments
  • Christianity became dominant.
  • Theodosius made it the state religion in 395 AD.

Christianity's Influence

• Growth and Spread
  • Provided salvation promise and community structure.
  • Grew demographically due to family structures and conversion.
  • Eventually spread throughout Europe and beyond via Roman and later European expansion.

Decline and Legacy

• Western Empire fell in 476 AD
  • Eastern Empire continued as Byzantine Empire until 1453.
• Impact of Roman Christianity on global spread.

Key Figures

• Diocletian: Attempted administrative reform.
• Constantine: Legalized Christianity, pivotal in its rise.
• Theodosius: Made Christianity the state religion.

Key Concepts

• Imperial Overstretch: Challenge of managing vast territory.
• Tetrarchy: System of multiple rulers to manage succession.
• Christianization: Integration of Christianity into Roman state and society.