Judaism

I. Difference from Greco-roman religion

1) Monotheistic
2) Have a holy book
3) Religion gives a lot of rules for life
4) Do not make statues of their god
5) God has a political leadership as well as spiritual
II. Important historical /religious events
1) Believe in the old testament
2) Jews started off as slaves in Egypt until their god liberates them to promised land(Israel)
3) God gives them laws that must be followed(even if not living in Jewish state)
III. Roman views on Judaism
1) They find it strange due to that it is monotheistic
2) They respect it because it is an old religion
3) The romans tolerated it if:
 The jews obeyed the romans
 The jews didn’t deny the existence of any gods and didn’t try to convert
anyone to their religion.

Monotheism
I. Definition: Belief in only one god.
II. What religions are monotheistic: Judaism, Christianity

Christianity
I. Difference from Judaism:
1) Christians follow the New Testament instead of the old
2) Christian god is more spiritual and leads the believers to heaven
3) Both religions are monotheistic but Christianity is the first missionary religion
II. Roman views on Christianity:
1) Christianity was a new religion at the time so they did not respect it
2) They executed the founder of Christianity (Jesus)
3) As it was a missionary religion, it insulted other gods
III. Important facts about Christians
Missionary religion: 1) The Christians refused to worship the emperor as a god
A religion that wants 2) They refused to join the army and were against war as a problem solver
to share their religion therefor they were arrested, beaten and killed by the romans
with all people and IV. Reasons why Christianity grew:
try to convert 1) It is missionary (convinces people to convert)
everyone. 2) Christian families were bigger because they did not abort any children even if
they were deformed or ill and Greek and Jewish families did do that
(Christian families would take babies if they found them abandoned)
3) At the time there was a leader in a household so if a Christian manged to
convince the leader the whole family and workers and slaves would also
become Christian
4) The Pax Romana made it relatively safe to travel around the roman empire,
Christians could easily travel around and convert people

Pax Romana
I. What is Pax Romana:
It was a period in the roman empire (27 BC to 180 AD) starting under
Augustus and ending with Marcus Aurelius.
II. Facts about Pax Romana:
1) Wars against the barbarians continue
2) Some civil wars start and ending during Pax Romana
III. How did the romans keep Pax Romana (roman peace)
1) They had an excellent army
2) They had an excellent infrastructure
3) The laws applied in every province
4) As long as conquered people respected Rome and the emperor,
they could continue their old way of life
IV. Emperors role during Pax Romana:
1) He could not pass his role to successor (he is not a king)
2) The new emperor had to create his own authority
3) Emperor has control of the army
4) Has control of the government
5) Has veto power
6) Could be considered a super-patron, everyone could ask him for
a favour but could not grant every wish (he had to keep certain
people happy
V. Roman games (Ludi Romani) during Pax Romana:
1) Were meant to honour the gods
2) It was a way for the emperor to make the citizens happy and
make them forget they had no power

Things we have to know

I. Founding of Rome:
1) Founded April 21, 753 BC
2) Founded by Romulus, killed his twin brother to decide
who would be king of Rome and where it would be
founded (location and ruler)
3) Romulus and Remus are sons of Mars, the god of War
and Rhea Silvia
4) Romans are brave and ancient
II. Res Publica
1) They changed to a republican state after Tarquinius
Superbus, the last king of Rome in 509 BC
2) The state is no longer a kings property but managed by
the citizens
 III. The republican system
1) There were 2 consuls elected that hold power for 1 year
2) Each consul has veto power against the other consul’s
decision (the power to cancel the opposing consuls
ideas)
3) The consul lead and had power of the army and military
4) The consul would negotiate with foreign heads of state
IV. The roman senate
1) 300-500 men from the wealthiest families
2) They must have served in public office
3) Give advice that is usually obeyed, also by consuls

Punic Wars
I. Who were the two sides in the Punic wars?
The romans against the Carthaginians.
II. About the Carthaginians
1) Capital Carthage in modern day Tunisia
2) Had many colonies over the Mediterranean
III. First Punic war
1) Started in 264 BC and ended 241 BC
2) At the time Rome had conquered most of Italy and did not want Sicily to fall
into foreign power (Carthaginians)
3) Carthage get to Sicily first, Romans push into city and war begins
4) Most of the war was fought in or around Sicily (also in Corsica and North
Africa)
5) Romans hated the sea but still won 6 of the 7 naval battles
6) The end of 1st Punic war, romans win and take over Sicily, Corsica and
Sardinia
IV. Second Punic war
1) Started in 218 BC and ended 201 BC
2) After the defeat, Carthage concentrates on expanding in Iberia but take over
a pro roman town
3) Rome declares war on Carthage
4) 218 BC war of Trebbia, 20,000 romans were killed or captured
5) 217 BC battle of Lake Trasimene, 25,000 romans were killed or captured
6) 216 BC battle of Cannae:
Hannibal(leader of the Carthaginians) defeats largest roman army, 48,000
Cities in southern Italy start to revolt against romans
To make up for losses the romans start enlisting slaves and criminals into
legions
They fight but romans never fought in big groups which frustrated the
opponents
7) Scipio Africanus, roman general, takes over Spain for Rome, moves into
Africa where he defeats Hannibal in 202 BC in battle of Zama
V. Third Punic war
1) Started in 149 BC and ended 146 BC (only 3 years, shortest Punic war)
2) Romans destroy City of Carthage and kill all inhabitants except 50,000 which
they sell as slaves

Julius Caesar
I. The story of Julius Caesar
1) Julius Caesar is the governor of Gaul and his 2 nd term is about to
end. The senate which was under the influence of Julius’ enemy,
Pompey the Great, orders him to come back to Rome and
disband his armies. He crossed the river Rubicon with his army
which was illegal (crossing the river with your army was an act of
conflict. He started a civil was and fought across the roman
world. It ends with Pompei dead and Caesar dictator for life.
Eventually Caesar was killed by Senates because they were afraid
that he would proclaim himself as king
II. What happens after his death
1) Caesars death causes another civil war between Octavian
(Caesars grand-nephew) and Mark Antony(Caesars former right
hand).
2) Octavian becomes the most powerful man in Rome
3) There was no going back to Republic or kingship anymore for
Octavian
4) Octavian gives his power back in a ceremony after 100 years of
civil war and is given back the power the next day as
Commander-in-chief for life
5) He becomes Augustus, the first emperor of Rome
 Things we have to know
V. Founding of Rome:
5) Founded April 21, 753 BC
6) Founded by Romulus, killed his twin brother to decide
who would be king of Rome and where it would be
founded (location and ruler)
7) Romulus and Remus are sons of Mars, the god of War
and Rhea Silvia
8) Romans are brave and ancient
VI. Res Publica
3) They changed to a republican state after Tarquinius
Superbus, the last king of Rome in 509 BC
4) The state is no longer a kings property but managed by
the citizens
VII. The republican system
5) There were 2 consuls elected that hold power for 1 year
6) Each consul has veto power against the other consul’s
decision (the power to cancel the opposing consuls
ideas)
7) The consul lead and had power of the army and military
8) The consul would negotiate with foreign heads of state
VIII. The roman senate
4) 300-500 men from the wealthiest families
5) They must have served in public office
6) Give advice that is usually obeyed, also by consuls
7)