Church and State in the Roman Empire Essay - 555 Words

Church and State in the Roman Empire As most of the civilizations studied so far in Western Civilization – the Romans were a religious people. From the rise of the Roman Empire to the fall of its institutions, there was always a backdrop of religious involvement in the affairs of the state and people. Polytheism seems to reign throughout the majority of the Empire. Although the book states very little about the religious affairs of the people, one can conclude that this society was totally influenced by their beliefs that the gods had a hand in all the affairs of the State and of the people. When looking at how long the Roman Empire lasted one has to ask how. How did the Romans rise to become such a great empire? How did†¦show more content†¦(Can you imagine a general going to the tent of a bunch of psychics to get his battle plan approved.)? By doing this the Romans made sure they would succeed in all their endeavors. If the augurs read the signs that the battle forthcoming was not approved of it did not happen. The gods obviously approved of most battle plans brought before them. This religious aspect of the roman civilizations helped make Rome on e of the great empires in early history. The most interesting about the history augurs reading signs is that the people believed. What the augers said was as good as gold. Imagine a general of one Rome’s greatest armies about to overtake a new rich territory. All he has to do is wipeout the last small standing army the territory. The general knows he his to be victorious. But wait just minute†¦ the first officer has just returned from the tent of the augurs. The augurs have read the horse dung in the field and dung told them the battle is not to be won. They go on to say the army should retreat and head back for their own safe territory. One can assume there were many situations such as this although not as extreme for which the historian or student cam marvel at the faith of the people had in their beliefs. The religious beliefs of the government obviously carried over to the home front in ancient Rome. Families were like a state within a state. They practiced worshipping and paying homage to the gods just as the rulers did. SlightlyShow MoreRelatedHistory And Advances Of The Christian Church Essay1003 Words   |  5 PagesChristian Church. As students, we analyze cultural texts and describe meaningful events to develop an answer to â€Å"who,† â€Å"what,† and â€Å"why† there is a transcendent God. This composition will focus the historical-s ocial context, ecclesial context, and modifications to the Church that occurred from three critical events; Fall of the Roman Empire, World War II, and the Celebration of the Holy Year by Pope John Paul II. The selected episodes are key in the history of the development of the church and provideRead MoreWestern Civilization Of The Byzantine Empire1195 Words   |  5 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   11/16/17 The Byzantine Empire at its peak was the most advanced in its culture, economic structure and military.   With its many expanding and contracting moments during its period of growth it was centered around, and a major part of the Roman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  It was called the New Rome, and was influenced by Greeks, Romans, and the Roman Catholic Church.(Bauer, 11)   It mainly was the purpose of retrieving much of the old Roman Empire.   It was located there because it was surroundedRead MoreThe World Of Antiquity, The Roman Empire Essay1678 Words   |  7 PagesIn the world of antiquity, the Roman Empire (A.D. 117) was one of the roots of medieval Europe, where romans were at the top. They ruled this enormous amount of lands, the center being the city of Rome and the leader being the roman emperor. The empire’s extensive political, economic and social structure became vital to the heritage of the Ancient Civilization. The emergence of sustainable agriculture, primitive tec hnology, scholarly writing and reading, and metalworking had developed stability,Read MoreConstantine the Ruler of the Roman Empire1626 Words   |  7 Pages Constantine the ruler of the Roman Empire had been surrounded by many controversies during his reign (Cameron, 14). He was the son of a great warrior and he defeated Manutius a great ruler at Milia Bridge. He had gained much respect and admiration among the Romans as a fair ruler. He emerged as a ruler who supported Christianity and then became popular as a Christian ruler himself. His reign and victory over the Roman Empire is a significant event in the history of Christian religion. With theRead MoreThe Christian Church Of The Roman Empire931 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstand how the Christian church filled the vacuum left by the passing of the Roman Empire we must first determine two things; which Christian church filled the void and what were they filling? The Roman Empire provided law and order for the people to follow, this allowed for their economy to be built and their power to grow. Yet, despite its power and prestige the mighty empire fell to an onslaught of barbarians, a pe ople without a kingdom and mostly nomadic farms. Once the empire fell the kings of theseRead MoreThe Early Middle Ages And Early Medieval Period Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesclassical age and was characterized with significant changes in politics, culture and spirituality. Emperor Diocletian, in an attempt to overcome the faults and failures of the classical age, divided the empire into two empires: the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) and the Western Roman Empire. The transition into the late antiquity period was characterized by a sharp decline in population as a result of plagues, pandemics and war. Along with death comes spirituality; during this time there wasRead MoreTHE RISE OF THE PAPACY Essay examples1637 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Early in history, the Roman papacy consolidated its power. It became one of the most influential organizations in the medieval period. This rise to power resulted from the decline in the Western Empire, the leadership of Roman bishops, and special grants that gave the church land holdings. This rise to power caused some positive ramifications, such as the protection of the church from heresy. However, the absolute power of the pope also caused corruption and abuses, many of which wouldRead MoreThe Balkan Of World History1518 Words   |  7 Pagesinfrastructure, language roots, and religion of the Balkan area. The Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires were the ones that for diverse reasons left a more lasting impression in this area. To be more specific, by means of architecture, the province of Plovdiv, Bulgaria is the perfect example on how these three empires left their cultural mark. Considering this, the cultural layering observed in East Central Europe is the result of these t hree empires’ religious architectural and language legacy left due toRead MoreRoman Empire1559 Words   |  7 PagesGreek and Roman financiers: from the 4th century BC Banking activities in Greece are more varied and sophisticated than in any previous society. Private entrepreneurs, as well as temples and public bodies, now undertake financial transactions. They take deposits, make loans, change money from one currency to another and test coins for weight and purity. They even engage in book transactions. Moneylenders can be found who will accept payment in one Greek city and arrange for credit in anotherRead MoreSummary of People and Empires844 Words   |  3 PagesSummary of People and Empires. This book is a Short History, of western empires which explain how European civilization and includes chronology of key events are influenced by the empires that was formed in it, like the Roman empire. It starts with Alexander and his Greek army and ends with the EU. Major events between these two events are empires like the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, the Catholic Church as an Empire, the Spanish Empire, British Empire, and the European Colonial influence