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Late Roman empireMoral decline and cultural relativismHistorical overview
Rise of Christianitythe elements of Christianitythe rise of Christianity
1. Christianity triumphed because of its moral superiority over the pagan values of the decadent Roman empire.
2. With the arrival of Christianity the pursuit of reason (science, philosophy) and the freedoms typical of a secular society (freedom of thought and speech, pleasures of life, admiration for the human body) gave way to the (irrational) promise of messianic deliverance and eternal life.
Moral decline The moral decline of Rome
is denounced by Roman writers as early as the 3rd century BCE.
Examples: Julius Caesar, Sallust, Livy, Augustus’ moral legislation…
It is a constant topic in every culture.
It is retrospective and frequently used to justify the need of reform or the moral superiority of the reformer.
Staunch moralists: Seneca
Unsurpassed physicians: Galen
Wise emperors: Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian.
Foreign emperors: Trajan, Hadrian, Diocletian.
Urbanism, architecture and civil administration.
Trajan’s market
Volubilis (Morocco), Roman mosaic.
Christianity arises in the Roman province of Judea in the first century AD.
At first Christianity appears as a reform of Judaism: followers are Jews.
Over the course of the 1st century Christianity becomes open to non-Jews.
Diocletian divides the empire (284-305): Eastern Roman empire: Byzantium Western Roman empire: Rome
He persecutes Christians (303 CE)
Constantine (315-330 CE) converts to Christianity (Constantinople).
Theodosius (379-395 CE) closes all the pagan cults and outlaws the practice of other religions:
Concludes the celebration of the Olympic gamesCloses the oracle of DelphiExtinguishes the sacred fire of the Vestal Virgins in
Rome.
Christianity coexists with and is informed by other monotheistic and salvation religions
JudaismMystery cults
Let’s explore the religious atmosphere surrounding the rise of Christianity.
MonotheismGod who speaks through sacred textsInsistence on moral behavior (ethical
monotheism)Messiah (divine savior)Sabbath (Sunday), Passover (Easter)Dichotomies: good/evil
A dying and reborn god.Promise of immortality through sacrifice of a
savior: Osiris, Dionysus, Orpheus, Mithra (Sunday, Dec, 25th)
Dichotomies: body/ soul, sin/reward, good/evilRituals of initiation: baptism, communal mealIsis, Cybele (mother goddesses): Virgin MaryWorship of an intercessor in the final
judgment: Dionysus, Isis, Mithra.
Christianity arises among other similar and competing religions.
Why did it prevail over others?
ProselytismInfrastructure of the
Roman empire Relative freedom from
class distinctionsMutual aid to
members
Ideas of monotheism and salvation
Assimilation of elements of Greek and Hellenistic philosophy
What does it mean?How and why did it
help?
To whom would this be appealing?
Were monotheism and salvation popular ideas in other religions?
How did this contribute to the consolidation of Christianity?
Proselytism: conscious effort to spread the faith (Paul)
Infrastructure of the Roman empire: easy communications, common languages (Greek, Latin)
Relative freedom from class distinctions: appeal to women and slaves.
Greek and Hellenistic philosophy created the theological pillars of Christianity making it intelligible to educated minds.
A common religious landscape:National identity is no longer defined in
religious terms (Athens/ Athena)Preoccupation for individual salvation rather
than national prosperity. (Pharaoh: fertility of Egypt)
A common religious language:Shared by mystery cults, Jewish sects and
Christianity: immortality of the human soul, divinity-intercessor in the final judgment, rebirth, initiation, dogma, sin/ reward…
Was Christianity tolerated by the Roman emperors?
Why were Christians persecuted? Were members of other religions persecuted
too?
Firstly Christians gained the enmity of Jews, who considered them heretic.
They were perceived as a secretive and sectarian group by the Roman establishment, because they chose NOT to participate in the state politics or religion.
They refused to worship the state gods and therefore were perceived as a threat to civil order.
Not only Christians but also Jews were persecuted (destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, 70 CE).
Clandestine and iconoclastic at first.
Funerary art with subliminal messages of salvation.
Funerary art: paintings in the catacombs and sculpted sarcophagi.
It utilizes the forms of the Greco-Roman tradition to convey religious meanings.
Highly symbolic.
Common motifs: Jesus as the Good
Shepherd.Leader of the flock
and sacrificial lamb.
Common motifs: scenes from the Old and New testaments
individuals praying
Last remainders of imperial monumentsArch of Constantine- last in tradition of Roman
triumphal monuments.
Development of new Christian churches with the support of the emperors.Use of the basilica design
