Assess the changing roles and responsibilities of the Senate during the reign of Tiberius. INTRODUCTION Although characterised as the reign of terror in the Tacitean tradition, Tiberius was very effective in maintaining the dyarchy with the Senate established by Augustus. Due to his conservative Claudian background, Tiberius wished to see the Senate act as an autonomous body and even extended its role to incorporate judicial and legislative functions whilst consulting it on matters regarding foreign policy. Ancient historians are generally negative in regards to Tiberius’ relationship with the senate due to their inherent political bias led by the Tacitean view. Modern historians however provide a more balanced perspective attributing the loss of the Senates power largely to their subservience rather than the tyrannical nature of the principate.
In doing this Diocletian had essentially given himself complete control over Eastern Rome. At the time of Diocletian’s rule Rome’s religious policy was to believe in whatever gods one wanted to, however it was required to throw incense on a shrine to reverence Diocletian. It is believed around 298 CE soothsayers consulted Diocletian saying that they could not read the livers of sacrifices because some of the officials present were Christian; with this
The second argument in support of the second date is the positive attitude towards Romans throughout Acts. It is argued that due to the author’s positive attitude towards the Romans throughout the Book of Acts it must have been written before the Roman’s began widespread persecution of the church. (AD64) As anytime after this date the apostles and disciples would have had a more hostile attitude towards them, rather than the acceptance and kindness shown in Acts. In addition to this, many believe that Acts focuses on issues that were dominant in the Church prior to AD70 (Jerusalem destroyed at this time), such the admission of gentiles into the church. This further strengthens the argument that Acts must have been written before this date, therefore suggesting the early date.
As you know one of the most important policy for merhantilism is to entire and dominate important ports, it is important strategy to colonize and to increase Roman power on freign trade. In addition by the agency of stable ports, they might monopolize markets. Second important example is that before 130 B.C. Rome had special deal with some tribes. For example; Transalpine, they were famous with cultuvation of wine and oil however Roman senate enforced them to refrain from the cultivation of wine and oil.
It is a possibility that Contantine had Christian family members with his half sister being called Anastasia, meaning resurrection and he would have encountered Christians within Diocletian's courts. Although Christianity was not marked as the official state religion, Contantine began to introduce various legislations after the Edict of Milan which not only benefited the Church numerically, but economically aswell. As Chadwick stated “the conversion of Constantine marks a turning point in the history of the Church”. The conversion of Constantine is greatly linked to the
Another factor that set him into the hall of fame was the precedent of “traditional borders” in the Roman empire. “After losing territory in Germany, Augustus decided to create new borders, which were stretched to the banks of the Rhine and Danube rivers.”- Augustus; by Garret G. Fagan. Although later emperors would try expanding beyond the Rhine and Danube, the lands behind the banks of those rivers would be considered truly Roman lands. The idea of “traditional” borders would last for a very long time, even in the Byzantne era. The final and most important factor that gives Augustus a place in the hall of fame was his appeal to the
When examining the life of Constantine, one must first consider his life before he professed any affinity or allegiance to the Christian faith or Church. Constantine was a military man who was battling for control of the Roman Empire. The empire was divided between Constantine and Maxentius. The latter was content in maintaining the persecution of Christians, as Diocletian had done before him, while the former hoped for more religious tolerance to both Pagans and Christians alike.1 In the fall of 312 A. D., Constantine began to look for guidance from the God above all others, the God whom his own father had believed in. As Eusebius later related, he looked to the sky and saw a vision of a trophy of the cross emanating from the light of the sun and the message “conquer by this”.
Describe the principle beliefs of Christianity Over the years, Christianity has organised its principle beliefs into a systematic theology. These principle beliefs have been discovered through scared text and writings and traditions of the Church. The principle beliefs include; Jesus as human and divine, Death and resurrection of Jesus, The nature of God and the Trinity, Revelation and Salvation. The divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ was easily understood in the time of the Roman Empire, as those could understand that a man could become a God. Athanasius suggested that Jesus was a God and also fully human at the same time and this theory was adopted as the correct teaching of the Church by the Roman Emperor Constantine.
“One of the strongest of the influences exerted by the Christian religion was the bond which it created among people of different races. The religions of the ancient world, with few exceptions, had been national in their character, and had strictly excluded outsiders from any part or benefit therein. Christianity, on the contrary, appealed to whoever would embrace it, of whatever race or nationality, and the line which it drew was not that between those of one race and those of another, but between those who accepted the belief and those who rejected it. The great influence of the medieval church, therefore, was thrown in support of the movement for a system of laws governing the relations between different nations.” (Putney, A. H.) “The Christian decision to
After Pepin's passing in 768, his son, Charlemagne, took over the throne. He was a very strong military leader and officially defeated the Lombards in 774; in return the pope gave him the title of Protector of the Papacy. At this time, the pope was growing more dependent on Charlemagne and also his instruction on how to rule the Papel States. Charlemagne can be remembered for his efforts in converting others through his militaristic ways. Essentially, it came down to him threatening to kill the conquered people if they were not to convert to Christianity.