The development of Christianity

   Religion was very important to the Romans. Within the Roman Empire, Christianity was banned and Christians were punished for many years.
   A few decades before the revolt, a Jewish prophet named Jesus traveled and preached throughout Judaea and neigboring Galilee. Jesus believed that his mission was to complete the savation that the god had promised t Isreal throughout its history. He voiced the ethical concepts -- humility, charity, and love toward others -- that would later shape the value system of Western civilization.

   The message of Christianity was spread around the Roman Empire by St. Paul who founded Christian churches in Asia Minor and Greece. Eventually, he took his teachings to Rome itself.

  The early converts to Christianity in Ancient Rome faced many difficulties. The first converts were usually the poor and slaves as they had a great deal to gain from the Christians being successful. If they were caught, they faced death for failing to worship the emperor. It was not uncommon for emperors to turn the people against the Christians when Rome was faced with difficulties. In AD 64, part of Rome was burned down. The Emperor Nero blamed the Christians and the people turned on them. Arrests and executions followed.

"Nero punished a race of men who were hated for their evil practices. These men were called Christians. He got a number of people to confess. On their evidence a number of Christians were convicted and put to death with dreadful cruelty. Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts and left to be eaten by dogs. Others were nailed to the cross. Many were burned alive and set on fire to serve as torches at night." Tacitus

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/rome_and_christianity.htm

Roman Art

Roman art refers to the visual arts made in Ancient Rome and in the territories of the Roman Empire. Roman art includes architecture, painting, sculpture and mosaic work. Luxury objects in metal-work, gem engraving, ivory carvings, and glass, are sometimes considered in modern terms to be minor forms of Roman art, although this would not necessarily have been the case for contemporaries. Sculpture was perhaps considered as the highest form of art by Romans, but figure painting was also very highly regarded. The two forms have had very contrasting rates of survival, with a very large body of sculpture surviving from about the 1st century BC onwards, though very little from before, but very little painting at all remains, and probably nothing that a contemporary would have considered to be of the highest quality. Ancient Roman pottery was not a luxury product, but a vast production of "fine wares" in terra sigillata were decorated with reliefs that reflected the latest taste, and provided a large group in society with stylish objects at what was evidently an affordable price. Roman coins were an important means of propaganda, and have survived in enormous numbers. Other perishable forms of art have not survived at all.


Roman Statues: Look realistic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art

The Roman republic and the empire

Capital		Velzna- (Orvieto)
Languages		Etruscan language
Religion		Etruscan
Political structure		Confederation
Luchume
-	Unknown	Tyrrhenus
-	Unknown	Tarchon
Legislature		Etruscan League
Historical era		Ancient
-	Villanovan	768 BC
-	Roman conquest of Volsinii	264 BC

The Roman republic (Latin:  Res-publica Romanorum) was the period of the ancient Roman civilization when the government operated as a republic. It appeared from
753 to 509 B.C.. It was under the control of 7 kings and that two of the last three kings were Etruscans.
 
Republic: a form of government in which the leader is not monarch and certain citizens have the right to vote.

Etruscans : is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany, western Umbria, and northern Latium. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci.Their Roman name is the origin of the terms Tuscany, which refers to their heartland, and Etruria, which can refer to their wider region

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etruscan_civilization

Latins

Latins, who lived in the region of Latium. These people spoke Latin, like Greeks. Along with most European languages, Latin is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language (like Spanish and English). Although it is considered a dead language, many students, scholars, and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and it is still taught in some primary and secondary and many post-secondary educational institutions around the world.



Why did Latin died as a spoken language? Here are some reasons that might explain why.

• The fall of the Roman Empire. Didn't exactly kill it, but didn't do the future development of the language (as Latin, of course) many favors.
• The Protestant Reformation. The stake through the heart? The Protestants rebelled against much, including the use of Latin in church services, preferring the vernacular.
• The rise of other Lingua franca's (sp, again) such as French and English from the 17th-21 stcenturies.

                                                   http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546062

The rise of Rome

Ancient Rome is a civilization that started in Italian Peninsula in early 8 B.C. century. Located among the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city Rome. It's one of the biggest empire in the ancient world.

                                   Roman Republic

                                   Roman Empire

                                   Western Roman Empire

                                   Eastern Roman Empire

The location of the city of Rome was especially favorable to early settlers. Located about 18 miles (29 km) inland on the Tiber River, Rome had a way to the sea. However, it was far enough inland to be safe from pirates. Because it was built on seven hills, it was easily defended. In addition, it was situated where the Tiber could be easily crossed.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Rome