The Heirs of Rome
The city of God and the earthly city: Fallen Rome and its successors |
| Born 354; raised by his mother as a Christian |
| but became a Manichae as a young man |
| dualistic view of good and evil |
| trained in rhetoric and philosophy |
| Converted to Christianity during 380s, in two stages |
| 1. intellectual conversion via teachings of Plotinus |
| helped him accept the reality of the intelligible world |
| and the importance of spirit |
| teaching of privatio boni solved the problem of evil |
| making Manichaean dualism unnecessary |
| 2. emotional conversion portrayed in excerpt from his Confessions |
| a willingness to surrender himself completely to God |
| Became the greatest of the "Fathers of the Church" |
| became bishop of Hippo in North Africa in 396 |
| dominated Western thought until the 13th c |
| many writings against heresies |
| commentaries on the Bible |
| allegorical interpretation of Genesis |
| saw value in secular Latin literature |
| not a positive force; not created by God |
| evil is a product of the will of created beings |
| a turning away of the will from the infinite Good |
| evil "is that which turns away from its essence and tends to non-being" |
| written between 413 and 426, during the barbarian invasions of the western empire |
| set in opposition the "City of Jerusalem" and the "City of Babylon" |
| citizenship determined by character of our dominant love |
| those who love and prefer God to self, vs. |
| those who love and prefer self to God |
| Died in 430 while Hippo was besieged by the Vandals |
| With the fall of Rome, the City of God became the ideal of the west for a millenium |
| but all states, even Christian states, were regarded as belonging to the earthly city |
| 1. End of Pax Romana at end of second century |
| almost constant border warfare |
| Rome's strategy basically defensive |
| Germanic tribes to the north |
| Rise of Parthian empire to the east |
| 2. Army composed of mercenaries instead of citizens |
| increasing number of barbarian soldiers |
| 3. Increase in taxes due to rising cost of government |
| 5. Centralization of power |
| Growing reluctance of upper classes to hold public office |
| reduced agricultural production |
| What did Rome leave behind? |
| origin of the Romance languages |
| Latin the language of the church, learning and international communication for over a millenium |
| shaped canon law of the Church |
| influenced law codes of the emerging European kingdoms |
| A centralized, hierarchical church |
| only unifying force left in the west |
| A legacy of large estates |
| origin of the Medieval manor |
| essentially derived from the Greeks |
| extensive use of concrete |
| Muhammad: a prophet or messenger |
| born 570 in Mecca, Arabia |
| important center of trade and pagan religion |
| outside of Greco-Roman culture |
| worked in the caravan trade |
| withdrew to a cave for contemplation & prayer at age 40 |
| "Recite: In the name of God, the Merciful and |
| compassionate. Recite: And your lord is Most Generous. |
| He teaches by the pen, teaches men what he knew not." Surah 96. |
| saw himself as the last prophet of a continuous tradition |
| revelation had to be repeatedly renewed |
| Jews distorted God's message |
| Christians mistakenly deified Jesus (God's son, but not God) |
| revelation to Muhammad the last revelation |
| Illiterate when he first received revelation |
| teachings were first held in memory |
| all written down w/in 25 years of his death |
| 622 (year 1 in Islamic calendar) |
| preached against paganism and worship of the Ka'bah |
| antagonism of wealthy classes in Mecca |
| Ka'bah incorporated into Islam |
| Abraham regarded as first Muslim |
| Equal emphasis on belief and works |
| God is one, not a trinity |
| yet view Jesus as the Word of God |
| Creator and sustainer of the universe |
| divinity can only be grasped through wordless vision |
| Much of the Koran consists of laws |
| but they remained subordinate to male members of family |
| Islam was always tolerant of other religions of the book |
| offered refuge to Jews expelled from Christian countries |
| no depictions of humans or animals which might result in idol-worship |
| 1. A profession of faith: |
| "There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet." |
| 2. Prayer five times a day |
| 4. Fasting during month of Ramadan |
| 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca once during life |
| Muhammad left an Arabia united around his teachings |
| Syria, Mesopotamia, Palestine, Egypt and Persia conquered by 650 |
| North Africa and most of Spain by 740 |
| Empire remained united until 13th c |
| knowledge gained from Greek texts |
| and training in hospitals |
| transmitted the idea of zero and arabic numbers from India |
| translated early Greek philosophers |
| transmitted writings of Aristotle to medieval Europe |
Byzantium: The Eastern Empire |
| A Greek, Christian culture |
| Empire first divided by Diocletian (3rd c) |
| Constantinople founded by Constantine in 330 |
| bastion of western civilization |
| preserver of classical culture |
| Eastern Empire survived fall of the west |
| at times expanded to include parts of the west |
| lost most Asian and African provinces to Islamic expansion |
| converted peoples of Eastern Europe |
| schism with western Church in 11th c |
| Eastern church subordinate to the Emperor |
| marriage of priests and recognition of divorce in east |
| doctrinal (East: Bible and councils; West: Pope) |
| Iconoclastic controversy (7th and 8th c) |
| Contributions to the west |
| Summary and codification of Roman law |
| disputes settled in court |
| protection of individual rights |
| limits to the power of rulers |
| Roman law adopted by west in Medieval period |
| Prevented expansion of Islam into Eastern Europe until 15th c |
| Refuges from Byzantium in 15th c brought Greek texts and learning |
| stimulated revival of Classical learning |
| contributed to the development of the Renaissance |
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