The Decline of the Roman Empire

• Jesus spent 3 years preaching, is killed by the Roman Leaders

• Saul (the persecutor) becomes Paul, spreading Jesus' message- monotheistic

• Christianity evolves from the cult status to established official structure

• Priests, bishops, pope, (Bishop of Rome) 
• Christians and Jews were monotheistic
• believing in one God
• this conflicted the Romans belief
• persecution was common
• Christians appealed to the poor, their numbers grew 
• Some Rome leaders embraced Christianity 
• AD 313- Constantine has a battlefield conversion 
• Prays to Christian God and paints crosses 
• wins the battle 
• He issues the Edict of Milan
• a law was passed that you could not persecute Christians
• No persecution, but approval of Christianity, making it the official religion
• The Roman Empire and Christianity are now linked it power and influence
•  Decline of the Roman Empire
• AD 180: Rome has problems 
• Economic (trade became risky, taxes were too high; food supply was dropping) 
• military (frontiers were hard to patrol: Roman Generals fought for control; soldiers loyalty declined and mercenaries appeared 
• Diocletian divided the empire into two 
• Greek speaking east (had more resources)  
• Latin speaking west  (Rome, tradition) 
• AD 324- Constantine becomes emperor over both halves of the Empire 
• Moves the capital from Rome to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople) 
• After his death, empire is divided further
• this time, Barbarian invaders overrun the empire's frontiers
• That's it for the Roman Empire (AD 476) 
• last Rome emperor was a 13 year old boy (Romulus)