Ms. Carmelitano
Numina: Powerful spirits or divine forces worshiped by the earliest Romans Believed to live in everything Lares: Guardian spirits of each family Names were given to them and honored through rituals Early Religion
Romans adopted the Greek Gods and Goddesses Changed the names Religion was linked to the government Deities were symbols of the state Later Gods and Goddesses
As the empire grew, so did a new religion Christianity It was born out of Judaism (Abrahamic Religion) Roman power spread to Judea, where the Jews were living in 63 BCE 6 CE Judea became a province The Jews believed that they would again be enslaved under a non-Jewish king Rise of Christianity
66 CE a group of Hebrews rebelled against Rome 70 CE Romans destroyed the temple complex All that was left was the Western Wall – which is the holiest place for Jewish followes to worship today Half a million Jews were killed in the rebellion until the Romans won in 73 CE 132 CE Another rebellion, half a million again were killed Many Jews were driven from their homeland in the Diaspora: The time when Jews were driven into exile from their homeland This facilitated a further spread of the religion Jewish Rebellion
Estimate birth 6-4 BCE Born in Bethlehem, Judea There is little historic information about his life The majority of information about his life is found in: The Bible and the Gospels (Holy Book of Christianity) The first four books of the New Testament of the Christian Bible Jesus was raised in Nazareth in Northern Judea He became a carpenter Jesus of Nazareth
By age 30 he began public ministry He preached for 3 years He began preaching a new Monotheistic religion: Christianity The Ten Commandments: religious law Belief: good people would live in an eternal kingdom after death, wicked would be punished for their sins Jesus’ Teachings Rise out of Judaism
29 CE Jesus visited Jerusalem People called him the Messiah or king the one who would rescue the Jews Roman governor, Pontius Pilate accused Jesus of defying the authority of Rome He was not the Roman King He was sentenced to crucifixion a common punishment for opponents to Rome His body was placed in a tomb Gospels preach that three days later his body was gone, and a newly living Jesus was appearing to his followers Death of Jesus
Gospels were written by disciples 12 men, later called Apostles These people helped to spread the message of Christianity They traveled, teaching of Jesus, and the Monotheistic Religion Example: the Apostle Paul Never met Jesus At first and enemy to Christianity Believed he had vision of Jesus Spread the word of his teachings Pax Romana allowed the religion to spread quickly and easily Safe roads and trade The Movement Grows
Three million Christians by the third century CE People converted because Christianity: Embraced all people – men and women, enslaved, poor, nobles Gave hope to powerless Appealed to those who disliked the extravagance of Rome Offered personal relationship with God Promised eternal life after death Becoming a world Religion
Roman Emperor 312 CE He Reported seeing an image of a cross before a battle symbol of Christianity Put symbol on shields Troops won at the battle of Milvian Bridge 313 CE legalized Christianity EDICT OF MILAN 380 CE Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of empire Constantine
Old Testament: The Jewish Torah – first part of the Christian Bible DIFFERENCE: Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah, Jews do not. New Testament : Second part of the Christian Bible Four Gospels believed to have been written by the apostles 325 CE Constantine wrote the Nicene Creed defining basic beliefs Holy Book: Bible
Roman hierarchy Priest: lead congregation Bishop: priest who supervised many churches Peter was first Bishop of Rome Pope: leader of the whole church Peter was the first Pope Bishop of Rome was leader of church Early Church