 Octavian Augustus Caesar

succeeded his father/uncle in 31 BCE

as the sole leader of the Roman
Republic. However by 27 BCE with
the defeat of Mark Anthony, he
appointed himself consul for life and
that marked the genesis of the
Roman Empire.
 He enlarged the senate packing it with
loyal supporters.
 Reorganized the army professional
used in the engineering works to build
roads to:
 Cut the army size by half
 Maintained direct control of key military
post
 Appointed the prestigious praetorian
guard of 10 000
 He kept the republican institution intact.
He gave the façade that the senate was
still the sovereign power while the
consul was merely the agent: not so in
reality. Augustus had the final word in
every decision through his control of the
military and the senate.
 He reformed social policy. Recognizing
the problems of the property tens and
improvised urban poor, he provided
them with basic food ratios from the
state treasury as well as he granted gifts
from his personal funds.
 He gave annual dole of grain and oil:
this gesture increased his popularity
and controlled public opinion.
 He instituted public works programs:
 To provide employment : bridges,
aqueducts, roads, buildings, etc.
 To glorify his empire
 He discouraged the influx of slaves
which he felt represented Italian
luxury and threatened traditional
lifestyle.
 Foreign Policy: over 60 million
people in employed.
 Imperial outpost such as Spain,
Mesopotamia and Egypt were put
directly under his control as imperial
provinces or given over to local
rulers who were faithful satellites.
 Provinces supervised by pro-consuls
or governors.
 Under Augustus Rome experienced a
long period peace (Pax Romana- the
Roman peace). During this time
trade flourished as well as culture
and art.
 Credited with the development of a system of
law with the flexibility to meet the needs of
an empire with a number of subject peoples.
 Principles of the Roman legal system:
 The notion of president as coequal to the
letter of the law.
 The belief that equity or fairness was the goal
of the law.
 The importance of interpretation in applying
the law to individual case.
 Jus Gentium (laws of peoples): the rights of
citizens and non-citizens worthy of protection.
 Natural law: all human beings have
inalienable rights.
 Augustus rule - 27-BCE
 Pax Romana - 31 BCE – 180
BCE
 Julio-Claudian Emperors - 14CE – 69
CE
 Flavian Emperors - 69 CE – 96
CE
 Marcus Aurelius
 235 – 284 – Barracks Emperors 20
 Policies of Diocletian
 He restructured the empire by dividing it into
East and West; occupying the Eastern section
and in so doing made it his seat of
government. The West ruled by Maximian.
They both appointed two assistants who would
became their successors. This rule of four was
known as the Tetrachy.
 He attempted to revive the economy by
lowering inflation.
 Placed a price ceiling on goods: failed
 Increased tax burden.
 He was a great persecutor of the Christians. He
also ordered that all their property be
confiscated.
 Theorigin of Christianity in Rome is
not known. But, the history of
Christianity in Rome is fairly well
documented. The Bible includes an
epistle written by the Apostle Paul to
the Christians in Rome. The book of
Acts records that Paul, though
Jewish, was a Roman citizen by birth.
 When the Jews accused Paul of
bringing Gentiles into their
synagogue, Paul made an appeal for
Caesar to hear his case. Paul's fate
while in Rome is not known. Some
historians believe that he was
beheaded under orders of the
Roman emperor, Nero.
 The influence of the Apostles Paul and
Peter, throughout the early church,
undoubtedly impacted the history of
Christianity of Rome. The Apostle Peter
is known to have established his
headquarters in the city, following his
thirty-year ministry in the East. The
Apostle Peter was martyred in Rome.
 In its infancy, the Church was scattered
throughout the Roman Empire. Keeping the
Christian community unified was a major
concern of the church leaders. The
structure and organization of the Roman
Empire influenced the character of the
early church.
 Because there was so many cities scattered
throughout the empire, Christianity spread
within the urban centers, which were
populated by slaves and the poorer
members of society. Christianity soon
became known as "a religion of slaves."
 During the first century, Roman authorities
used the Christians who resided in their city as
political scapegoats. Christians received the
blame, and punishment, for everything from
plagues and economic inflation to hostile
invasions by barbarians.
 Under the Emperor Nero, the public execution
of Christians became "sports" events in which
the early believers were torched, fastened to
crosses and torn to pieces by dogs. As was
mentioned above Diocletian was also a great
persecutor of the early Christians.
 Afterfacing nearly three centuries of
hostility by Roman emperors, the
persecution and martyrdom of
Christians in Rome ended with the
reforms of the Emperor Constantine (r.
306-337). Constantine was responsible
for legalizing Christianity throughout the
Roman Empire. Christian sources have
recorded that at the Milvian Bridge
Constantine had a dramatic experience.
 According to the account just before he
went into battle he looked up at the sun
and saw a cross of light with the Greek
words which when translated meant
“By this conquer!” He commanded his
troops to adorn their shields with the
Christian symbol Chi-Rho. The Milvian
Bridge collapsed and killed
Constantine’s opponent and his army. It
is this event that caused Constantine to
turn his attention towards Christianity.
 He became a patron and protector of the
church. He was the first Emperor of Rome
to profess Christianity. He established the
new capital of Rome at the old Greek town
of Byzantium which he renamed New
Rome. People came to call his new capital
Constantinople. It would become the
capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine)
Empire (modern day Istanbul). The city
has Christian architecture, contained
Churches and no pagan temples.
 In313, under the Edict of Milan,
Constantine raised Christianity to the
status of a permitted religion. He
announced that Christians as well as
followers of other religions should be
permitted to worship as they saw fit. He
also took a direct interest in doctrinal
matters setting a precedent for those who
would follow him. He called the first
Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church
at Nicaea.
. He restored to Christians the property
they lost under the persecution of his
predecessors, particularly Diocletian, and
even promoted and favoured Christians in
government jobs. He also gave the
Church land and other forms of wealth. In
fact under the reign of Constantine the
Great he made it advantageous to be a
Christian.
 Even his laws reflected Christian reforms
such as: crucifixion was abolished and
replaced with hanging and Sunday was
declared the official day of rest.
 In 380, Flavius Theodosius (r. 379-395)
made Christianity the official religion of
Rome. At the close of the fourth
century, the majority of Roman citizens
had converted to Christianity. The
separation between Church and state
was all but extinguished.
 When the political power of the
emperors collapsed with the fall of the
Roman Empire, in 410, the Church and
its leaders endured as the dominant
influence in Roman culture and politics.