Roman Emperors
This emperor legalized Christianity in 313 CE
Constantine
Before Constantine, Christians often faced this for their beliefs.
Persecution
The year the Western Roman Empire officially fell.
476
This 200-year golden age of peace helped Rome flourish.
The Byzantine Empire was the continuation of this empire.
The Eastern Roman Empire
He made Christianity the only legal religion in Rome.
Who is Theodosius?
The result of Constantine’s Edict of Milan.
Christianity became Legal
A major military reason for the fall was that Rome relied heavily on these non-Roman soldiers
What are Mercenaries
Romans used these large public events to entertain and unify people.
What are gladiator games / circus games / public spectacles?
The capital of the Byzantine Empire.
Constantinople
This emperor divided the empire into East and West to make it easier to govern.
Who is Diocletian?
Theodosius’s actions caused conflict because they banned this entire group of Roman practices.
Roman Religion
Name one economic problem that weakened Rome.
High taxation, weakened trade due to lack of safety, poor roads, plague.
These large engineering structures brought water into Roman cities.
What are aqueducts?
This language replaced Latin in the Byzantine Empire.
Greek
This emperor is known for expanding Rome to its greatest size.
Trajan
One major reason Christianity spread was its message appealing to this group of people.
Everyone, common classes.
This term refers to educated Romans leaving the empire for safer, more stable places.
Brain Drain
One result of Christianity replacing old Roman festivals was the decline of this:
What are social bonds/community unity? (or shared traditions)
This famous emperor of Byzantium created a unified law code.
His poor leadership and instability contributed to the beginning of Rome’s decline and the end of the Pax Romana; he ruled after Marcus Aurelius.
Commodus
Explain why making Christianity the ONLY legal religion caused internal unrest in Rome.
What is: it upset traditional Romans, created divisions, caused cultural decline, and contributed to a “brain drain”?
Name three causes of the fall of Rome.
Political instability, economic trouble, military decline, religious division, corruption, invasions, etc.
Explain how losing shared cultural practices contributed to Rome’s decline.
What is: fewer shared values, less unity, more conflict, people identifying less with Rome?
Explain why the Byzantine Empire lasted almost 1,000 years longer than the West.
What is: stronger economy, better defenses, strategic location, stable leadership, preserved knowledge, etc.?