3/15/10 Roman Empire Notes

• The Roman Empire is now coming to an end
• Septimius Severus was the first African emperoro of Rome
• He also has the title of being the last dynasty of Roman emperor
• Caracalla is assassinated because he is terrible
• The age of the soldier emperors is given this name because the Roman generals try to conquer Rome but end up either getting assassinated or taken over
• There are now five guys at a time trying to be the emperor
• Diocletian changes the government. He sets up the Tetrarchy which is Greek for the rule of four.
• War breaks out between the four and the two remaining are Maxentius and Constantine
• The battle of Milvian Bridge happens on October 28, 312 which was the battle between these two people
• Constantine wins the battle
• He had his soldiers paint Chi ro on his soldiers shields
• Christianity is now legal in Rome
• This paves the way for Christianity to be the dominant religion in Europe
• He moves the capitol of Rome to Constantinopale
• The empire falls in 476
• They use symbols like Icthus because Christianity was ilegal
• They met in the catacombs to have mass and what not
• You need to have both the Church and the army on your side to be a successful emperor