May 13, 2014

I wasn't in class today because I was home sick.

May 9, 2014

Today in class.. Actually I don't remember what we did in class given the fact that we had Western Civ first mod. I think we got out tests back and went over the tests and took down a couple notes and that was really it.. (forgive me if I'm wrong!)

Quote of the Day: "I'd like to thank, not only God, but Jesus." -Justin Bieber

May 8, 2014

Today in class, we took notes off of a pae in the book. I don't have my computer because I sorta kinda broke it, so I had to write my notes by hand. Then, we went over our notes and that was all we did in class.

Quote of the Day: "You just gotta get up and try." -P!NK

May 7, 2014

Today in class, we took a test. I felt confident about it UNTIL I came to the last part of it. I didn't study that part enough, and I don;t think I did so hot on that part of the test. BUT, the multiple choice questions.. I think (hope) I aced that part. I am hoping for a C on it, but you never know. It could be better than that, or it could be worse that that. Knowing my luck, it will probably be worse. Whenever I think I do good on something, I usually fail it or go below my standards. It really sucks.

Quote of the Day: "The tests of life are not made to break you, but to make you." -Norman Vince Peale

May 6, 2014 (THE DAY BEFORE THE TEST)

Who was the first emperor? Caesar Augustus

Caligula (good start)

• In addition to being Germanicus' son, he was Tiberius' adopted grandson and great-nephew - putting him next in line for emperor.

Caligula (bad finish)

• 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)

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
• He 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

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" purpose 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

Quote of the Day: "Sometimes the only way to stay sane is to go a little crazy." -Angelina Jolie as Susana Kaysen in "Girl Interrupted"

May 2, 2014

Pg. 101  "Assassination and Another Caesar"

• He was voted to be dictator for life
• He never ruled with terror but was a Greek style tyrant
• Senators struck him down with daggers in 44 B.C
• Caesar’s death led to more warlords
• His adopted son Octavian formed a triumvirate with 2 other war lords and together they defeated Caesar’s murders and declared Caesar as a divine being
• Octavian was based in Rome and pushed the other warlord out of power
• The remaining warlord and he went to war in 31 B.C.
• Octavian won was the supreme warlord of Rome

Pg. 103-107  LO1 The Rule of the Emperors

• The era of the Roman Peace was one of massive social, religious, and cultural changes that would form a new pattern of western civilization
• Augustus's new system kept many features of the Republic, allowed subject people some self-rule, and brought Rome's expansion to a halt.  
• Roman achievements in literature, art, philosophy and law, architecture and engineering were inspired by Greek models, but surpassed those of Greeks.
• Rome became a model to other civilizations as Greece was to it.
• Octavian soon took the name Augustus "revered one"
• "Augustan settlement" emerged by 27 B.C.------the end of the Republic and the beginning of the rule of the Roman empire
• Augustus proclaimed to be restoring the republic
• He refused the offer of a long-term dictatorship and referred to himself as princeps (first citizen)
• The only office he held continently was a tribune of the people
• In 27 B.C. he was confirmed by the senate as commander and chief of the army
• He let the Senate supervise Italy and Rome but he controlled the military and army
• He put to death many of the opposing senators and replaced them with friends do he could consult them and give the senate power
• The people's assembly lost all power but that's okay
• People trusted Augustus to rule in their interest as they trusted Caesar
• Augustus allowed himself to be the center of a religious worship
• People worshiped him and the divine city of Rome
• Shrines of Rome and Augustus were set up throughout the empire
• When he died the Senate declared him a Divine Being, like Caesar
• Livia, his wife, was also declared deified
• Augustus was the founder of the new system of monarchy
• He keep control over the affairs of Rome itself but let providence's deal with day to day stuff
• There was still corrupt government but not nearly as much as the Republic had
• He had 600,000 men in the army so he cut half of them and paid them off
• By the end of his rule, all his soldiers were volunteers, serving 25 years in permanent units.
• It was stable because all men served by own choice and knew when he would be discharged and paid
• Auxiliary soldiers were not offered money at the end but sometimes offered Roman citizenship.
• Every solider swore obedience to the princeps
• Augustus had created the first ever standing pro army
• Part of his army was in Rome for protection but most on the frontiers of the empire
• At his death he turned against further expansion
• He wanted to settle on someone to replace him
• He wanted him to come from his own family to continue the line from Caesar
• He settled on Tiberius, Livia's son from another marriage, and adopted him as his own
• He was already trusted by the army
• Augustus died in A.D. 41 and Tiberius took over
• Caesar's last descendant, Nero was overthrown and the line of adopted kids stopped
• After a civil war for power, Vespasian won and founded a new dynasty----the Flavian dynasty
• It ended when his blood son was killed
• Then Nerva was appointed (member of the Senate)
• He adopted the general Trajan to avoid another war
• Adopted son who was to become emperor- Caesar
• When he had become emperor- Augustus
• Adoption and designation was the pattern and it was good :Trajan, Hadrian, Antonius, and Marcus Aurelius
• Then Marcus had a blood son who took over and was murdered from a terrible ruling
• The Setimius Severus took over and his male descendants took over well into the 3rd century
• Augustus's governing structure ended until the 3rd century
• He brought 200 years of stability and prosperity that is known as the Pax Romana, Then Roman Peace

Quote of the Day: "Life is to short to make stupid mistakes."

May 1, 2014

Today in class, I was there for like 15 minutes then I left for softball. All we did when I was there was watch scary, bloody videos and I didn't like them.

Quote of the Day: "Stay Strong." -Demi Lovato