Christianity Roman Empire Day 2

Page 141

Multiple Choice

What were the reasons for the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus according to the image?

• Jewish leaders felt challenged

• Romans feared rebellion

• He was a political threat

• He performed miracles

Multiple Choice

What role did the Apostle Paul play in the spread of Christianity?

• He spread teachings to other Jews

• He converted and preached to non-Jews

• He set up new churches only in Jerusalem

• He was one of the original disciples

Multiple Choice

Why were early Christians persecuted in the Roman Empire?

• They were punished for their involvement in political uprisings.
• They were persecuted for their refusal to pay taxes.
• Early Christians were seen as a threat to military power.
• They were persecuted for refusing to worship Roman gods and the emperor.

Multiple Select

What were the key reasons for the appeal of Christianity?

• Attractive to the wealthy

• Did not discriminate by class

• Women could participate

• Promise of salvation for all

Multiple Choice

What significant action did Constantine take in 313 A.D.?

• He banned Christianity

• He issued the Edict of Milan

• He started a new war

• He built a new city

Multiple Choice

What significant action did the Edict of Thessalonica take regarding religion in the Roman Empire?

• It established paganism as the state religion

• It made Christianity the state religion

• It allowed multiple religions to coexist

• It banned all religions

Multiple Choice

Why do you think Christianity was able to grow in Rome despite the persecution of early followers?

• Christianity thrived due to its political connections and wealth.
• Christianity grew due to the dedication of its followers.

• The religion spread because of military conquests and power.
• It gained followers through forced conversions and threats.

Multiple Choice

What were the main challenges faced by Christians during the Roman Empire?

• Persecution

• Acceptance

• Indifference

• Support

Multiple Choice

What do Jesus's followers believe happened after his death?

• He was resurrected three days later.

• His body was stolen from the grave.

• Most of his followers converted back to Judaism

Multiple Choice

What happened to Christians in 64 AD?

• They were given freedom to worship

• They were blamed for a massive fire in Rome

• They were sent to exile

• They were given positions in the government

Multiple Choice

Which of the following things did Jesus teach?

• His followers should love all people and care for the poor and sick.

• His followers should obey all of the Jewish religious ceremonies.

• His followers should overthrow the Roman emperor.

Multiple Choice

What was Paul of Tarsus responsible for?

• Spreading Christianity around Roman World

• Causing uprisings against Roman government

Page 142

1. Find evidence in the slide text to support the claim at the top of the Slide.

2. Evidence can be a name of a person, a phrase or a fact from the text.

3. Write this evidence in your notebook.

Directions

While Romans accepted and tolerated some religions, they persecuted others. Christianity began in the Roman Empire. The founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, was killed by Roman officials in the province of Judea after being charged with sedition. Soon after, Christ's followers began spreading Christ's message throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. They refused to participate in traditional Roman religious activities.

After a massive fire burned much of Rome in 64 CE, the Emperor Nero blamed the fire on the city's Christian community. Some claimed that Nero started the fire to clear room for a new palace. That is unproven, but Christians were an easy group to scapegoat. They were seen as outsiders by most traditional Romans. Many Christians were arrested and executed, and some were even thrown to the lions at the Colosseum.

The early Christians were persecuted because they were seen as outsiders and disliked by some of the Roman emperors.

Despite the widespread persecution of Christians, Christianity grew rapidly. The religion mostly appealed to the poor in Rome. Many were drawn to the religion’s belief in salvation and that if you lived a good life you would go to heaven.

Rome’s paganistic religion believed that heaven was only for gods and that everyone else would spend eternity in the underworld. People were also drawn to Christianity because the religion believed in equality, and that everyone was equal without hierarchy or caste.

Christianity appealed to some Romans because it offered an alternative to the Roman way of life.

Christianity's spread among the poor and soldiers was eventually tolerated. Under the emperor Trajan, Christians would no longer be prosecuted. Progress was slow and occurred in patches at various times during the empire. The Roman Empire became so vast that it grew to tolerate the different people who became part of it.

The Roman emperors began to tolerate Christianity because it had become widespread among the Roman people.

During one of his battles, Emperor Constantine had a vision of Christ and was directed to fight with Christian standards. The victory in this battle resulted in Constantine’s new faith in Christianity. He would convert to Christianity in 312 CE and declare that Christians and Pagans should be allowed to worship freely through the Edict of Milan in 313 CE.

In 380 CE Emperor Theodosius issued the Edict of Thessalonica. This made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

It would take over a hundred years before Christianity was adopted by emperors and protected. However, paganism remained and continued to pose a challenge to the rising Christian faith.

Rome officially accepted Christianity because one emperor had a personal experience with the religion.

Page 148

1. Read the primary souce about Gladiators

2. Answer the questions in your notebook.

Directions

To distract and control the people of Rome, the government held games and gladiator contests at the Colosseum. This massive arena could hold 50,000 people. Seneca the Younger was a Stoic philosopher, who here describes how gladiators engaged in combat with each other and with exotic animals, all for the entertainment of the crowd.

Gladiatorial Combat in Ancient Rome

"By chance I attended a mid-day exhibition, expecting some fun, wit, and relaxation—an exhibition at which men’s eyes have respite from the slaughter of their fellow-men. But it was quite the reverse. The previous combats were the essence of compassion; but now all the trifling is put aside and it is pure murder. The men have no defensive armor. They are exposed to blows at all points, and no one ever strikes in vain…

In the morning, they throw men to the lions and the bears; at noon, they throw them to the spectators. The spectators demand that the slayer shall face the man who is to slay him in his turn; and they always reserve the latest conqueror for another butchering. The outcome of every fight is death, and the means are fire and sword. This sort of thing goes on while the arena is empty.

Gladiatorial Combat in Ancient Rome

You may retort: “But he was a highway robber; he killed a man!” And what of it? Granted that, as a murderer, he deserved this punishment, what crime have you committed, poor fellow, that you should deserve to sit and see this show? In the morning, they cried “Kill him! Lash him! Burn him! Why does he meet the sword in so cowardly a way? Why does he strike so feebly? Why doesn’t he die game? Whip him to meet his wounds! Let them receive blow for blow, with chests bare and exposed to the stroke!” And when the games stop for the intermission, they announce: “A little throat-cutting in the meantime, so that there may still be something going on!”

From Seneca’s Moral Epistles VII

Gladiatorial Combat in Ancient Rome

Multiple Choice

How does Seneca characterize the gladiator combats?

• Seneca believes gladiator combats promote social unity.
• Seneca views gladiator combats as a reflection of moral decay and a source of violence.
• Seneca praises gladiator combats as a noble sport.
• Seneca describes gladiator combats as a form of entertainment.

Multiple Choice

How does it seem the audience justifies people being thrown to the animals?

• The audience justifies it as entertainment and a form of punishment.
• The audience views it as a way to honor the animals involved.
• The audience believes it serves as a lesson in bravery.
• The audience sees it as a necessary sacrifice for survival.

Multiple Choice

...what crime have you committed, poor fellow,

that you should deserve to sit and see this show?

What does Seneca mean by this quote?

• Seneca is praising the fairness of the legal system.
• Seneca is discussing the importance of entertainment in society.
• Seneca is advocating for harsher punishments for criminals.
• Seneca is critiquing the gladiator battles and the unfair nature of punishment.

Opinion

• What do you imagine the people were like in attendance?

  • Who do you think would attend the gladiator battles

  • How do you think the audience would act during the battles?

Opinion

• Would you attend a gladiator event at the Colosseum if you lived in Ancient Rome?

• Explain why or why not.