Roman Empire

I. The Image of Augustus--what an emperor looks like

1I. Secret of the Good Life: mastery of the material world

           A. Keys to mastering the material world

1. mastery of force

2. mastery of government (law)

3. mastery of nature and space

  
       B. The Colosseum exemplary of all four elements 
           
           

                        1. power of life and death (gladiators and spectators)           

2. shows are entertainment and good government (example of Caesar) 
           

                        3. Colosseum itself is a triumph of engineering 
  


III. Achievements of the Empire in Law, Architecture and Engineering

A. Law

1. natural and universal law

2. universal citizenship (212)

3. legal profession

B. Engineering 
           

                        1. roads, aqueducts, plumbing, concrete, etc.

           C.  Architecture

1. creation of interior space 
  

--Markets of Trajan                     

--Pantheon 
                       

--Baths of Diocletian

IV. Troubles of the late Roman Empire

A. decline of Italy

1. end of conquest and slave supply

2. reliance of taxes rather than trade

                        3. population decline

4. relative prosperity of provinces

           B. Dilution of Roman identity

                     1. reliance on non-Italians for military

                     2. weakened sense of citizenship

           C. Political turmoil and foreign attacks

                     1.emperorship by assassination

D. Rise of Christianity

1. centered in economically dynamic, Greek-speaking East

2. receptivity of Greeks to the Christian message

III. The Christian Empire

            A. Diocletian and Constantine impose a new order

                        1. organization from the top down

                        2. emperor cult to maintain loyalty and unity

            B. Constantine ties the Empire to Christianity

                     1. Constantine's recognition of the new faith

                     2. founding of Constantinople the new Roman capital

                     3. Church becomes a separate institution under imperial leadership

                               a. theological state: autonomous church under imperial patronage

                               b. Council of Nicea establishes official doctrine of church

                     4. Convergence of Christianity with Roman art

                               a. Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus