Pax Romana and Early Christianity Pax Romana 14

Pax Romana and Early Christianity

Pax Romana (14 BCE – 180 CE) “The Peace of Rome” ● ● ● Romans tolerate diversity of culture, religion & political organization Provincials serve in imperial government Oikoumene “inhabited land” – west is Romanized, east is Hellenic ● Gauls, Easterners & Africans can be senators ● By Hadrian’s time, ½ of Senate is provincial in origin ● By 212, nearly all free inhabitants are citizens ● Exceptions to unity: Judaea (below) and Egypt

Government of Roman Empire ● Taxes collected locally, supervised by Rome ● Justice in local hands ● Emperor controls military ● Professional bureaucracy ● Social welfare: food for poor, schools libraries

Roman Law ● Governs entire empire ● Civil law governs property relations ● Codified under Hadrian ● Criminal law – More arbitrary, in hands of “imperial functionaries” – penalties start to differ by class

Solidification of Borders ● ● Army Romanizes provinces: recruitment, building of roads, camps, canals Few new conquests, : Britain Borders static, some walled Danube Frontier

Trade and Industry ● No real advances in technology ● Grain fleets from Alexandria & Africa to Rome ● Roman roads / Silk Road to China, India, Central Asia ● Cities grow – Roman education provides highest literacy of ancient world

Science ● ● ● Ptolomy of Alexandria (active 121 -151) Earth as the center of the universe / astronomy / geography Galen (129 -199 CE) Last doctor to dissect. medical standard until 1800. Pliny the Elder (23 -79) Natural History. Asphyxiated by Vesuvius

Thinkers ● ● Plutarch (46 -120 CE) Greek and Roman biographies Stoics– Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius (left) (Meditations) Seneca – (5 -65) Tutor of Nero – compassionate, opposed to gladiatorial games, believer in divine spark, pessimistic Suetonius (biographer) Tacitus (bitter historian)

Cultural Transformation ● ● ● No connection between cultured and uncultured No great new philosophical system Expression is free Individualistic: People don’t feel significant in their community New Religions: Isis / The Great Mother / Mithras (left)

Judaism during Roman Times ● ● ● Diaspora from Judea to Alexandria and throughout Aegean Post-Babylonian exile – codification of Tanakh Septuagint written – scripture in Greek Talmud Philo attempts to integrate Judaism and Platonism

Politics in Judaea ● Maccabbee Revolt (167) -- Political independence from Seleucids – a theocracy with the Temple working together with kings – Hasmonean Dynasty ● Pompey conquers Judea 63 BCE ● Roman rule for 7 centuries ● ● Kings like Herod are “client kings”: Ruling power is less and less Jewish, more and more Roman 6 CE: Direct Roman Rule – governors (“procurator”) – control priests – collaborate with Sanhedrin

Issues in Judaism ● ● ● Divisions: Accommodate with Rome? Fight for independence? Hellenize? Stay true to Jewish roots? Sadducees: priestly, upper classes, mix with Gentiles Pharisees: Lower classes - popular education in the Law, inner life of personal consecration (Rabbi Hillel d. 10 CE – adhered to this school – huge input into Talmud) Essenes: Extreme asceticism, emotional, apocalyptic Zealots: Romans must be expelled from the land, since the land belongs to God Sicarrii: Terrorists who attack Romans and upper class Jews who collaborate with them

Civil Disruptions ● ● ● Large landowners take over small farmers – urbanization People pay tithes to temple and tribute to Rome Revolts in Galilee: lestai attack landlords and Roman tax farmers 37 BCE – Senate declares Herod “King of Jews” to defeat Hezikiah (messiah & revolt leader) 4 BCE Herod dies Poor lose work (building projects) revolt – messiahs Simon & Athronges

Big Civil Unrest ● ● ● Judas the Galilean – Zealot: No God but God / liberate land / apocalypse / I’m the messiah / strict Torah 4 BCE Attack on Sepphoris (near Nazareth) Jews of Sepphoris help / guerrilla warfare in Galilee Romans level Sepphoris, massacre people – rebuild Direct Roman Rule Herod Antipas (Claudius’s pal) is tetrach, but real power is in Rome

Jesus in History – this is hard! ● ● ● Nazareth c. 4 CE “tekton” Worked in Sepphoris – rich v. poor Brothers James, Simon, Judas (unnamed sisters) 26 CE – Pontius Pilate appointed governor – much hated – why? Joseph Caiphus high priest 28 CE John the Baptist active – Jesus disciple – executed 30 CE

Getting in trouble… ● ● ● 31 -32 ish Enters Jerusalem with followers, bearing symbols of kingship Assault on temple Probably no trial, either Roman or Sanhedrin – Barabbas story also has no historical basis Convicted of treason by Romans – meaning of titulus “King of the Jews” Crucifixion – for sedition and insurrection Golgotha – ‘place of skulls’

Teachings of Jesus ● Lives and dies a Jew – radically opposed to temple leadership, but not to the law and the Torah ● The kingdom of God ● “The son of man” – usually used in terms of King David ● In keeping with ideas of prophets: social justice – fulfilling the law of Moses, not abolishing it / concern for poor ● Sermon on the Mount: virtues of humility / charity / brotherly love ● Contrast to classical virtues (excellence (arête), honor (honestas) ● New stress on Final Judgment ● Social Revolutionary / Attitude to women

Birth of Christianity - sources ● “Q” material ● Paul’s epistles (57 CE) ● ● ● Synoptic Gospels: Mark (70 CE), Luke, Matthew (90100 CE) John (100 -120 CE) Uncannonized gospels (Thomas / Mary Magdalene, etc. ) Other sources – Josephus, Tacitus, complaint v. Pilate…

Paul of Tarsus versus James the Just ● ● ● James (bro) – leader of Jerusalem Assembly Law of Torah, reform temple, Jesus as messiah, radical support of poor – followers are Jews. Knew Jesus Jerusalem Assembly killed in 70 in seige Paul – didn’t know Jesus. He portrays “the Christ” rather than Jesus of Nazareth – denies Jewish nature of Jesus – portrays Jesus as divine becomes orthodoxy, in opposition to James Appeals to Gentiles – derides Torah – center to Rome Roman citizen - Founds Christian cells throughout empire

Great Jewish Revolt and New Diaspora ● ● ● Messiahs: the Samaritan (33 CE) / Samaritan (44) sons of Judas (46) Simon bar Giora (during revolt)… Inept Roman governors 66 Romans plunder Temple treasury for back taxes ● Rebels take Jerusalem until 70 ● Vespasian & Titus lay siege – famine ● ● Burn city and temple and massacre people Jews forbidden in Jerusalem – seen as “enemy religion” buy Rome End of Temple –start of synagogue, rabbinical Judaism Sicarii mass suicide on Masada

Church Organization ● ● Bishop – (initially elected!) Apostolic Succession – priests' powers : giving sacraments administer property of Church, care for poor No support of revolution Bishops make doctrine in council – Paul’s views become orthodoxy of empire at Nicaea in 325.

Early Christianity and the Roman State ● ● Seen as secretive & selfrighteous, strains family, Won’t sacrifice to emperor Nero (right) , Vespasian execute for church membership Other emperors(Trajan) milder Response of Christians: “The powers that be are ordained by God. ”

Early Christian Thought ● ● Leaders classically educated. Blame Jews, not Romans (why? ) – origins of Christian anti-Semitism Vulgate: (Latin) 2 nd century Energetic Thought – search for right way of life / salvation

Meanwhile, back in Judaea ● ● ● Double-click to add graphics Jewish Rebellion (66) against Rome Put down by Titus in 70 CE: Siege of Jerusalem Masada (left) – Romans take fortress, defenders commit suicide. ● Destruction of Temple ● Hadrian: “Palestine” not “Judea”