Octavian – AKA Caesar Augustus
Augustus - the first emperor – getting it done
Begins the Pax Romana – a period of peace and prosperity
Built roads, aqueducts (brought water to the cities)
Set up civil service to take care of roads, the grain supply, even a postal service
Augustus dies at age 76 in A.D. 14, and passes power to…
From Jesus to Christianity
Jesus was a Roman citizen and a practicing Jew
At 30, he began his ministry (A.D. 31 – 33), preaching to the poor (and there were lots of ‘em) in the empire, and reaching out to outsiders
Statements like “My kingdom is not of this world” made the Romans (and the Jews) nervous, and they began to plan his execution
The governor of the Roman province of Judaea, Pontius Pilate (prompted by Jewish high priests), sentences Jesus to death by crucifixion
A Wiki look at Jesus
Jesus the historical figure is explored in his Wikipedia entry
The first four paragraphs are particularly interesting
The word spreads about the risen Jesus
Paul is instrumental in telling the world about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and message
He travels far and wide: Cyprus, Anatolia, Athens, Corinth, Macedonia, Rome, Jerusalem, and maybe even Spain and Britain
He writes letters to many of those he spoke to – these epistles are a part of the New Testament
If not for the efforts of Paul, it is likely that Jesus remains an obscure preacher, instead of the central figure of the world’s largest religion
The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History
Muhammad
Sir Isaac Newton
Jesus
Buddha
Confucius
St. Paul of Tarsus
Tiberius
As Augustus’ stepson and adopted son, Tiberius succeeded Octavian
Although a great general, he was a dark, somber, reclusive, and reluctant emperor
He referred to the Senate as “men fit to be slaves”
Germanicus started out as Tiberius’ ally, since he quelled a legion mutiny, but when it looked like he would succeed Tiberius, he got paranoid and had Germanicus killed
Died in AD 37 at the age of 77, giving way to...
Caligula – good start…
In addition to being Germanicus’ son, he was Tiberius’ adopted grandson and great-nephew – putting him next in line for emperor
He started off well: granting bonuses to those in the military, declaring treason trials a thing of the past, and made government spending a matter of public record
All in all, the first seven months of Caligula’s reign were “completely blissful” (according to the historian Philo)… then…
…bad finish for Caligula
He began to fight with the Senate
He claimed to be a god, and had statues displayed in many places – including the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (sacrilege!)
Other examples of cruelty and insanity: he slept with other men’s wives and bragged about it, indulged in too much spending and sex, and even tried to make his horse a consul and a priest (at least that’s what his critics said)
Assassinated by his own aides, AD 41 (aged 28)
Next in line: Claudius
Ostracized by his family because of his disabilities (limp, slight deafness, possible speech impediment – thought to be cerebral palsy or polio), he was the last adult male in his family when Caligula was killed
He rose to the occasion: he conquered Britain; he built roads, canals, and aqueducts; he renovated the Circus Maximus
Had an awful marriage to Messalina, who was quite often unfaithful to him, even plotting to seize power for her lover Silius through a coup – so Claudius had them killed
Meanwhile – religious troubles
Christianity and Judaism: monotheistic
Romans had many gods, plus at times the emperor was viewed as a god
AD 66: a group of Jews called the Zealots tried to rebel, but Roman troops put them down and burned their temple (except for one wall)
The Western Wall today is the holiest of all Jewish shrines
Half a million Jews died in the rebellion
Persecution of Christians
Romans were harsh toward those who would not worship the emperor
Especially Christians, who were viewed as followers of a new, upstart religion (cult)
Often used for “entertainment” purposes in the Colosseum (thrown to the lions, etc.)
Despite the oppression, Christianity grew quickly – by AD 200, around 10 percent of the people in the Roman empire were Christians
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