The Roman legacy on the western civilization

Check the map: Retrieved from: Putzger Historischer Weltatlas. (1992). Political
division in Europe, North Africa and Near East after the end of the Western Roman
Empire in 476 AD. [photograph]. Cornelsen: Berlin.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Europe_and_the_Near
_East_at_476_AD.png/800px-Europe_and_the_Near_East_at_476_AD.png?202310
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Introduction: This is the first part focused on technological, scientific and

cultural achievements.

The Big Idea: The Romans developed many ideas and institutions that
became fundamental to Western civilization.

Why it matters now: Evidence of Roman culture is found throughout

Europe and North America and in Asia and Africa.

Key terms and people:

- Greco Roman culture (Adrián): Mixing of elements of

Greek,Hellenistic and Roman culture .This is often called the
classical civilization.

- Pompeii (Valentina): A Roman town where best examples of

Roman painting are found.

- Virgil (Joaquin): Writer who spent almost 10 years on the Aeneid, a

poem that tells Aeneas history.

- Tacitus (Macarena): Roman historian , among historians because

he presented the facts accurately. He was also considerate about
the Romans' lack of morality . He also used legends freely ,
creating more of a national myth of Rome then a true history

- Aqueduct (Amira): Aqueducts were a popular invention made by

Roman engineers to bring water into cities and towns. When the
water channel spanned a river or ravine, the aqueduct was lifted
high up on arches.

- Other contributions:

- Arches, domes and columns, including the use of cement.

 - Roman Law, the base for the modern civil law in multiple
western countries.

- Christianity and its cultural legacy for most of the world.

Context: As soon as the Pax Romana ended, multiple socio economic

problems arose and led to a constant crisis for around 200 years. This
marked the end of the western Roman Empire, which was confirmed
after 476, the moment in which the last emperor was dethroned.

Major achievements:

- The expansion of Latin and the roman languages (combined with

Germanic traditional languages)
- As part of literature they developed many expressions derived
from the Greek traditions, such as epics, poetry and partially
theater, although it was adapted to public spectacles in which they
excelled.
- Artistically, they developed paintings (frescoes), sculpture
(bas-relief) and decoration (mosaics). Architecturally, they
continued the path of the Greeks with the use of geometric
shapes, domes, pillars, arcs and vaults.
- Some of the best examples are the aqueducts, that include the use
of concrete, and the Roman Pantheon (check image in the PPT).
- In terms of math they contributed with the Roman numbers.
- Scientifically, Pliny the Elder could be considered the first scientist
of Rome because of his work on natural history and the
categorizing of plants, animals and inorganic matter.
- Additionally, the work of Greco-Roman physician known as the
father of medicine, Galen. His works continued to be the base of
practice of medical care until the Renaissance time in the Western
World (appearance of Vesalius). In the Eastern and Muslim World,
the physicians were more advanced because they could practice
autopsy or the opening of bodies (for the Christian world, this was
a sin due to it breaking the divine entity of the body).
- Finally, the work of the Romans in Law is the greatest contribution.
It established the common law that is the base for modern judicial
systems, also, it consolidated a modern concept of justice and the
penitentiary system, and set the base for the Republican model.
Lesson Assessment (Review for the Process Evaluation 8)

- In what ways did Roman art differ from Greek art?

- What were some of the Romans’ major achievements in math,
science, and technology? How did those achievements originate
and diffuse?
- Answer in TEXT the following question: Do you agree with
Horace’s claim that when it came to culture, Greece in essence
conquered Rome? Explain.

Introduction: This second part includes the main ideas of the most
controversial legacy of the Romans: Christianity. It was a culturally
imposing and reorganize most of the values of the Roman society,

The Big Idea: The creation of a religious and ethical system that arose in
Roman-occupied Judea and spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Why it matters now: Christianity has spread throughout the world and
today has more than a billion followers. It is one of the most political
religions in the current days.

Key terms and people:

1. Jesus: Historically was a reformer of the Jewish Church and a

challenger of the socio-political structures of the Roman Empire.
His main goal was to reform Judaism by spiritual teachings and
removing the political focus.
2. Apostle: 12 men, Jesus disciples, some of the Gospels are thought
to have been written by one or more of them.
3. Paul: Jew who never met Jesus and at first was an enemy of
christianity. He spent the rest of his life spreading and interpreting
Christ’s teachings.
4. Diaspora: The Jews made another attempt to break free of the
Romans and most of them were driven from their homeland into
exile.
5. Constantine: Fight with three rivals for the leadership of Rome,
after Milvian Bridge Constantine played for divine help, he says
that he saw a cross of Jesus, Constantine and his troops won the
battle. As a result he approved christianity as one of the religions.
6. Bishop: A priest that supervised several local churches.
 7. Peter: An apostle who had traveled to Rome from Jerusalem and
became the first bishop there. Jesus referred to him as the “rock”
on which the Christian Church would be built.
8. Pope: father or head of the Christian Church.

Four main topics to discuss the historical relevance of Christianity:

I. The teaching of Jesus of Nazareth and its historical relevance

II. The transformation of Christianity from a small cult or branch of
Judaism into a massive religion of the modern world
III. Key elements into the legalization of Christianity as part of the
Roman Empire
IV. Impact nowadays of Christianity.

Teachings of Jesus: Tolerance, Respect and Peaceful life.

Why was this religion challenging to the Roman and Jewish authorities?

Roman Context: 15-10 BCE to 24-26 CE: Roman empire has started its
development:

● Social division between Patricians and Plebeians (less

privileged people)
● There were three types of citizenship, the Jewish community
and the region of Palestine was a second type, therefore,
they had rights as Roman citizens and they had autonomy
on religious matters.
● Jewish community is autonomous politically, the reason for
which they had a king.
● A man that challenged these systems with basic and
practical policies was a threat because of the location of the
Palestine region and its benefits for trade.

Roman beliefs / laws Jesus’ attempts of change

Polytheism as their religion
Religion and Politics were held
together.
The Emperor was the
Monotheism and more emphasis on
the power of ONE GOD.
Religion needed to be separated
from politics.
The emperor was just a political
 representative of Jupiter. office.
Religion was exclusive to Was a religion for everyone
patricians and elite political class. (including the non-citizens of
Rome).
The reasons for the expansion of Christianity

Pax Romana Common languages (Latin and Greek).

Travel and exchange of culture was safer and faster
(Roman Roads).
Concern was in war and alliances rather than persecuting
one monotheistic faith.

Paul His work promoted universality of faith.

Tolerance and respect even though you were not a Jew.
His actions defied the authority of the emperor, he was a
martyr (this inspired others to practice this religion).

Constantine Due to war, he told the story of the appearance of a

Cross. Because of it, he won the war and stopped the
persecution of Christians as a way to thank the Christian
God (Edict of Milan 313 CE).
He promoted the Council of Nicae in a way to organize
the rules and teachings of Christianity. (325 CE)
During this time it's speculated that the Holy Bible was
organized by unifying the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)
and the new gospels about the life of Jesus (New
Testament).

Theodosius He made this religion the official of the Empire,

establishing a political unity and dominance.

Lesson Assessment (Review for the Process Evaluation 8)

- Why did the early Christians face persecution from the Romans?
- What was the importance of the Nicene Creed?
- Explain in one TEXT paragraph the following question: Do you
think Christianity would have developed in the same way if it had
arisen outside of the Roman Empire?