... The rise to power of the Papacy in the Roman Empire during the 6-9th centuries is crucial to the history of the church. There were many theories as to why the Papacy earned such central power. Included in these were the rise of the early church, and also the negative and positive effects of individuals related tot he government of the Roman Empire. Altogether it took many steps in a long process for the Papacy to gain such control. What is clear though is that the Papacy held firm control until the reformation. This paper will expand on the reasons for the rise of the Papacy in power, what allowed for it to thrive, and also negative and positive impacts on the empire and even the world. Fall of the Roman Empire There were many factors, and theories that are included when one is speaking of the fall of the Roman Empire. One of the first theories centers around disease and plagues. Some historians maintain that the Empire was crippled, as many diseases and plagues circled the Empire. They crippled families, workers and even members who were involved with the government. Another small factor may have been the decay of the army. The army say an increase in more German peoples, which may have altered the morale of the army, and even the size of the army itself. One large theory also centers around the government of the Empire. Many historians also believe that the Roman Empire set itself up for failure.(1) In the way that the government was structured...
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...Factors enabled the Catholic Church to thrive after the decline of the Roman Empire Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Institution: Introduction The decline of the Roman Empire was a significant feat in the history of the world especially in Europe. This is because virtually all of them were under its rule. Moreover, the Empire’s fall was attributed to a variety of factors and consequences that are lessons to the present world. Nevertheless, some core components existent at the rule of the Roman Empire withstood the test of time. Most of them have since diminished gradually with the exception of the Catholic Church. As such, a number of factors are attributed to its resilience in reference to the Empire’s fall. Thus, it is in consideration of the above that this term paper seeks to present some of the factors that supported the Catholic Church to thrive after the decline of the Roman Empire. Hence; they are presented in a deblockedive manner with much correlation to the history of the Medieval Ages. To begin with was the spread of Christianity as a dominant religion at the time of the fall of the Roman Empire. Irrefutably, this religion had taken grip of...
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...Greek and Roman financiers: from the 4th century BC Banking activities in Greece are more varied and sophisticated than in any previous society. Private entrepreneurs, as well as temples and public bodies, now undertake financial transactions. They take deposits, make loans, change money from one currency to another and test coins for weight and purity. They even engage in book transactions. Moneylenders can be found who will accept payment in one Greek city and arrange for credit in another, avoiding the need for the customer to transport or transfer large numbers of coins. Rome, with its genius for administration, adopts and regularizes the banking practices of Greece. By the 2nd century AD a debt can officially be discharged by paying the appropriate sum into a bank, and public notaries are appointed to register such transactions. The collapse of trade after the fall of the Roman empire makes bankers less necessary than before, and their demise is hastened by the hostility of the Christian church to the charging of interest. Usury comes to seem morally offensive. One anonymous medieval author declares vividly that 'a usurer is a bawd to his own money bags, taking a fee that they may engender together'. Rome The Roman Empire inherited the spirit of capitalism from Greece (Parker).During the time of the Empire, public deposits gradually ceased to be held in temples, and instead were held in private depositories. The earliest recorded evidence showing banking...
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...The Roman Empire deteriorated in the year 476 C.E. after suffering several invasions, poverty, different leaders, and political instability which lead to the split of the empire (Western and Eastern). The Eastern Empire was lead to be known as the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire, even though it became its own independent empire after the Roman fell, it can be considered a partial continuation of Rome. The Byzantine Empire kept most of the characteristics of the Roman Empire’s government with some slight modifications. It had a system of aristocracy (few people hold power) and bureaucracy (state officials that make important decisions, they aren’t elected). At the head of the government was the Emperor, just like in the Roman Empire, and beneath him were a multitude of officials and court officers. They helped the emperor administrate the vast empire. In addition, the emperor...
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...for the next thirty years of his reign Constantine elevated Christianity and the Church within the Roman Empire. By the time of his death in 337 A.D. he had changed the landscape of both the Church and Roman society. Constantine had increased the Church leaders duties and responsibilities. Before the end of century, Constantine outlawed traditional sacrifices and the state cults were forbidden. The Impact of the Fall of the Western Empire on the Church A better question is: How big was the impact of the fall of the Western Empire of Rome on the Church? Constantine’s edict legitimized Christianity and additionally the duties and responsibilities given to Church leaders. As the Western Empire began to deteriorate the people began to look towards the Church and the Bishop of Rome. The Church began to grow, collecting money, land, and power; these resources and authority of the Bishop offered the people of Rome security that the Empire of Rome could no longer provide. As the Empire lost it’s ability to protect and defend the Western Empire from bandits, marauders, and foreign invaders the people of the Empire began to flee causing an even greater impact on the financial state of the Empire and the overall health and well being of the land that once provided great resources and income for the Empire. All of the events that led to ultimate end of the Western Empire and gave birth to a New Empire; the...
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...Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a large empire throughout Europe during the Middle Ages and into the early Nineteenth Century. Its borders changed considerably throughout its history, but at times it spanned most of modern day Central Europe, with borders that covered modern day Germany, France, Austria, The Low Countries, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Northern Italy, and more. The empire also included areas of Southeastern Europe such as Croatia, Slovenia, and Hungary. Eventually, it declined into a loose federation of principalities before dissolving entirely. However, before that, it covered a vast amount of territory for almost an entire millennium, necessarily meaning the empire had a large influence on the history of the Western World. The beginning of the Holy Roman Empire is not clear, but it was usually traced back to crowning of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III in 800. Charlemagne was previously King of The Franks, a group of Germanic tribes in modern day France. Charlemagne’s coronation was supposed to shift the power in Europe back to the West centuries after the power of the Roman Empire shifted east to Constantinople, modern day Istanbul (Kagan). In fact, the early name of the Holy Roman Empire was simply the Roman Empire as it was supposed to be seen as the continuation of the original. After the death of Charlemagne, his succession was disputed for generations until the Holy Roman Empire definitively formed. Otto I, a German who took control in...
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...LUO By Dana Peebles August 2, 2015 Introduction During the 6th century, the rise of the Roman Catholic Church increased in power. With the leadership of the papacy, this endured up until the 9th century. While there were both positive and negative ramifications of this reality, the biggest is the influence of papal authority and the effect that it had over Christianity. The collapse of the Roman Empire brought order to not only orthodoxy, but also the government. Throughout this essay, it is my desire to touch on these areas. In addition, I will also discuss some of the contributing factors to the dominion of Western Europe and what happened up until the Reformation. The effect of the barbarian invasion and the continuation of Western Civilization during the Middle Ages, is truly a time within history that impacts the church and its association with supremacy. The How And Why Of The Papacy And The Power It Had In understanding the significance of the papacy and the power it had, it only makes sense to begin with a good solid definition of it. “The term pappa, from which the word “pope” is derived, originated in ancient colloquial Greek as an endearing term for “father,’ and was then applied, beginning in the third century, to Eastern patriarchs, bishops, abbots, and eventually parish priests.” [1]. Throughout Rome and the Western part of the Empire, this term “became reserved for the bishop of Rome,” and later became “official in the eleventh century...
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...Christianity was one of the most important moments in world history. Moving the government of the Roman Empire to Constantinople and founding New Rome was one of the most significant decisions made by a Roman ruler. This is just one indication of his importance in history and the honor in which he was held by his people. Constantine was born in Naissus, a town in Serbia, on February 27 probably sometime in the 270’s CE. His mother was named Helena who would later become a Christian. Because of her good works, she was made a Christian saint after her death. Constantine’s father was a career military officer named Constantius. Constantine was married at least twice and had four sons Crispus, Constantine II, Constantius, Constans. Constantius, his father, was in charge of the Roman Province of Britannia. When Constantius died Constantine, was immediately proclaimed emperor by the army. However, it took many years of political struggle and actual civil war before he could consolidate his power. Constantine finally became the ruler of the Roman Empire in 323 CE. Constantine’s major accomplishments, the most important were his recognition of the Christianity. In 313 CE, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which allowed full freedom for Christians to practice their faith. The edict made Christianity equal to the religion of the Roman Empire. The Edict of Milan also ordered the return of all church and personal property that had been taken during past persecutions of Christians. Constantine...
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...Constantine’s Importance in the Reign of the Church Emperor Constantine was the ruler of the Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. The reign of Constantine left a lasting impact on Christianity. Constantine began the process of making Christianity the religious foundation of Europe. (James Carroll, 2001, pg. 58-67), also known as Constantine the Great, was credited with converting the Roman Empire to Christianity. He was also the first Roman Empire to adopt Christianity. During the time of his rule Constantine was able to end the persecution of Christians and eventually converted to Christianity. “Constantine signed the Edict of Milan, which ensured religious tolerance for Christians. This edict returned all confiscated property back to the Christians; it also gave them the right to create dedicated churches.” (Herbermann) Another perk of The Edict of Milan was that it granted the freedom for all to worship whichever deity they pleased, as well as ending the Age of the Martyrs, which was when Christians were subject to empire-wide persecution. Constantine saw it as his duty to ensure that God was properly worshipped during his empire. After he brought a stop to the persecution of Christians in the empire, he was instrumental in their integration into both Roman society and government (Freeman, 2002, pg. 152). The Edict of Milan was not solely a victory for the Christians, but for Constantine as well. After Rome was unified Constantine rebuilt his seat of power, and renamed the town...
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...IN ROME Church History 301 April 20, 2014 Ramifications of the Papacy’s Power in Rome The papacy – the office held by the pope as head of the Catholic Church - gained great power from the sixth through eighth centuries, and there are several reasons for this surge in influence. Starting around 590, Pope Gregory I sought to convert Teutonic invaders to Christianity. Islam was also in play, as it had taken over most of Asia and Africa. According to Earl Cairns, by trying to win Teutonic tribes to Christianity, the medieval church “…further centralized its organization under papal supremacy and developed the sacramental-hierarchical system characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church.” In addition, the church had started with Christ, who made Peter the first Pope in Rome. Hence, it was evident that this would be fitting for the location of the papacy. Jesus had given Peter the keys to the kingdom, asserting that Peter was the rock on which he would build his church (Matthew 16:18-19). Basing the Church in Rome enabled close coordination of political and ecclesiastical leadership, especially since it was still under Roman rule. Another factor, which gave the Roman church its authority, was Damascus I (366-384), who called the church in Rome the apostolic see and named himself pontifex maximus, a name once held by the emperor of Rome. This elevated the authority of the church in the minds of Christians, and it elevated the political power of the church, making the...
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...in the battle of the Rubicon River. ………6. Tiberius wanted to limit the Latifundia and to awards to the farmers. ………7. Julius Caesar defeated Sulta in a civil war. ………8. The reign of Octavian as emperor in 27 BCE was the end of the Roman Republic. ……….9. Julius Caesar failed to conquer Gaul. ………10. The owners of the land claimed the fields left by the soldiers and this expanded their control over the lands called latifundia. B. Identify what is being described in the following items. Choose your answer in the box. Write the letter of the correct answer in the blank. Aqeuduct Pax Romana Colloseum Circus Maximus Danube River Rome Gladiator Latin Augustus Caesar Nero Trajan Latin Livy Cicero Virgil Pliny 1. ………….Period of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire. 2. ………….Largest Ampitheater. 3. ………….Served as passage of water from the river toward the city. 4. ………… The place of a chariot racing. 5. ………….Most Progressive city in the Empire. 6. ………….Language of the Romans. 7. ………….Demarcation of the empire in the north. 8. ………….Warriors in the battle Arena. 9. ………….Reached the largest territory of the...
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...Roman Catholicism, Christian church that has been the decisive spiritual force in the history of Western civilization. Along with Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism, it is one of the three major branches of Christianity. The Roman Catholic Church traces its history to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Over the course of centuries it developed a highly sophisticated theology and an elaborate organizational structure headed by the papacy, the oldest continuing absolute monarchy in the world. The number of Roman Catholics in the world (nearly 1.1 billion) is greater than that of nearly all other religious traditions. There are more Roman Catholics than all other Christians combined and more Roman Catholics than all Buddhists or Hindus. Although there are more Muslims than Roman Catholics, the number of Roman Catholics is greater than that of the individual traditions of Shīʿite and Sunni Islam. These incontestable statistical and historical facts suggest that some understanding of Roman Catholicism—its history, its institutional structure, its beliefs and practices, and its place in the world—is an indispensable component of cultural literacy, regardless of how one may individually answer the ultimate questions of life and death and faith. Without a grasp of what Roman Catholicism is, it is difficult to make historical sense of the Middle Ages, intellectual sense of the works of Thomas Aquinas, literary sense of The Divine Comedy of Dante, artistic sense of the Gothic cathedrals...
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...and civilization, which came to Rome from Greek colonies to the south, provided the early Romans with way to build their own culture. From the Greeks they borrowed literacy and religion as well as the fundamentals of architecture. The Etruscans, to the north, provided a place for trade. Etruria was also well set for trade and the early Romans learned the skills of trade from by the Etruscans who were in the area around Rome. Early on, the Romans showed a talent for borrowing and improving upon the skills and concepts of other cultures. The Kingdom of Rome grew rapidly from a trading town to a prosperous city between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. The ruling class in Rome called themselves Optimates or “the best men” while the lower classes, were known as the Populares or “the people”. In general, the Optimates held with traditional political and social values which favored the power of the Senate of Rome and the superiority of the ruling class. The Populares, favored reform and democratic side of the Roman Republic. Early forms of the Roman religion believed that spirits were in everything around them, even people included. The first citizens of Rome also believed they were watched over by the spirits of their ancestors before them. Because of the Greek colonies, the Romans adopted many of the Greek gods as their own. Religion and myth merged and became one. Under Greek influence, the Roman gods became more human, with characteristics of jealousy, love, hate, etc. In Rome individual...
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...The Roman Period Timeline of Roman Period Early History * 1000 BC - Latins begin to settle in Italy. * 753 BC - The city is allegedly founded in this year by Romulus and Remus. * 750 BC - Tarpeia besieges cities, and hands it over to the Sabines * 700 BC - Near Rome, the Etruscan civilization more or less begins. * 659 BC - The enemy city of Alba Longa is destroyed by the Romans. * 616 BC - The first Etruscan king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus establishes a Forum and a Circus Maximus. * c.600 BC - Cloaca Maxima is probably first built around this year. * 578 BC - Servius Tullius becomes the next Etruscan king of Rome * 565 BC - Servian Walls are built. * 534 BC - King Servius is assassinated. * 510 BC - Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol is completed and consecrated. * 509 BC - Lucius Brutus founds the republic and expels the Etruscans and Tarquin the Proud from Rome. * 508 BC - A Treaty is made between Rome and Carthage. * 507 BC - The famous war against the Etruscans begins, featuring hero Horatio. Republic * 499 BC - A battle against foreign tribes commences, including the construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux. * 396 BC - The Etruscan city of Veio is defeated by the Romans * 390 BC - Rome is sacked by the Gauls after the Battle of the Allia * 380 BC - The once destroyed Servian Wall is reconstructed. * 312 BC - The Via Appia and Aqua Appia are constructed. * 264 - 241 BC - First Punic...
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...of God on Earth” (Stark, 1996). During the emergence of Christianity, the emperor of Rome was ruler of Judea. The Jewish population was not happy being under Roman rule because they felt as though it represented a historical oppression. During the beginning stages of Christianity, “the religion focused on cleansing the Jewish religion of stiff rituals and arrogant leaders and had little to do with the Roman culture” (Stark, 1996). Due to this, Jesus aroused suspicion among the upper classes and leaders of the Jewish religion. Roman governors were persuaded that Jesus was a dangerous activist and as a result, Jesus was put to death. On the third day of Jesus’ death, his followers believed that resurrected which led them to further believe he was the Son of God. With the resurrection of Jesus, the religion was spreading amongst Jewish communities within the Roman Empire and further beyond. Paul, whose real name Saul, converted into a Christian in A.D 35. It was through Paul that Christian missionaries began to migrate from the strict Jewish law. He proposed that the new standards of faith be universal and open to all members who wished to practice whether or not they were Jewish. Paul’s conversion to Christianity was vital for the development of the religion. Born a Greek, he was Jewish and had the knowledge of Greco-Roman culture. Paul taught the basic beliefs of Christianity in such a way that other supporters would be able to understand. Paul took it upon himself to preach...
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