Charlemagne and the first Europe

I find it very fascinating that while Christianity spread the Empire struggled with divisions and wars. Yet out of this we find a french king who through his long life and just handling of his conquered lands is crowned Emperor. Not only is he crowned Emperor but the glory of Rome is forever tied to the Christian faith from his rule forward. The Pope becomes the one to crown the Emperor much to Charlemagne's dismay. Yet when Charlemagne helped with the disagreements in Rome it proved that he was a respected king not only in his lands but through out the west. Charlemagne left a legacy that he may not have even realized. His grandsons set the stage for modern Europe. They created the regions that still exist today in much of the same areas. France, Germany and the Neutral states of the central European region all can trace their roots to that of Charlemagne. I find the idea of a man who was uneducated but loved to have edducation around him incredible for the time frame. Charlemagne helped establish the preservation of the classics, he encourage the scholary professions and is responsible for the script we use as our basics today. Much was lost of the early documents and histories but from Charlemagne forward very little is lost. The preservation of history was his greatest sucess but all he was aware of was unifing and ruling his people. Several years ago I watched a special on history channel that showed the possibility of our King Arthur legends being link to Charlemagne. While these were british legends as you read about the man you can see that many of the sucesses of Arthurs are parallel to those of Charlemagne. He may not have been the man the stories were based on but the way he handled his people and lands was passed on to influence these great medival stories.

Pagan to Christian

We know from our studies that the Greek and Roman Cultures were Pagan. Not only were they pagan but they were Polytheist in nature. Each have a group of gods who are tied together in a Pantheon. This was a prevelent practice not only in Greece and Rome but through out the Ancient world. Yet over the course of 250 years of Roman Rule the World became Christian. However it took several hundred more years for the beliefs of Christians to spread through the world. This marked a major change in thinking. We may think that the religious persecution of the time was pagan vs christian but much of the persecutions came from within the Christian world. Many sects were already forming. You think we have a divided religious culture now. The divisions of the late antiquity era were small yet prominate. Rome ruled these changes so the Roman Catholic sect thought they were the best. Ulitmately the Arian Catholics disapeared and the Greek Catholics took there half and continued on through history. We also had our first contact with Islam during this period. We may think that the religous based wars we have now are new or that they can be resolved yet these wars go back Thousands of years and even though in history we only see this from the change of common era these wars can be traced back to early Isreal and Babylon. The fights may be on a much bigger scale and but the issues remain the same. Pagans are trying to keep their corner of the world alive. Christians are trying to fight for their causes and the Islamic people feel that the old ways are the best and the modern world is corrupt. There is no way to say which is right or which is wrong. We have seen each group in power and the things that were done to each group. First the Pagans resisted the Christian ideas and the Christians had to meet in secret to avoid detection. Then the Christians took over they took the holidays and other days important to the Pagans to make them feel welcomed. Yet they were killed, hunted and tortured for their beliefs. And this did not end in the medival ages. Even as recent as early American history do we see these events take place.

I feel that be discovering the history of religions we learn the things that help us understand the state of our world. After all how many people realize that it took until the 7th century for Christianity to really take off. Yes Constantinbe coverted in 312 and gained the church a protected status but the persections on both sides continued and do continue. How many of us have learned from this history and can have an open mind about peoples beliefs. In my home town we have many Mosque, Severl major Synagogues, Catholic parishes and Convents, and LDS Temple, several Buddist Temples, Covens and Groves of different Pagan Traditions and many other major religious centers of note. Yet on any particular day of the week one religion is picketing another, or slinging persecution from their pulpit. You would think a city with so many religions of note would be more tolerant and understanding but even for a liberal and open area the persecutions and hatreds that date back to the change of religion in Rome are abundent everyday of the week.

a studious link

I find it very interesting that the Romans valued the Greeks enough to teach their children with a core of greek education. We do know that lituature was the core of this education and that the readings included Homer, Hesiods, Plato, Aristotle, Herdotus and Thucydides. As We grew up in school our education included the works of these writers. I was only 10 the first time my father and I read about Jason and the Argonauts. When I was in middle school my parents encouraged me to read books and history. On my own i discovered Homer, Herodotus and many others. I read these works several times before my education included them. We hear how education has declined in american schools and yet when speaking with my friends their children have no knowledge of these great works. Obviously they have been key to the education of the young since before the modern era. The stories and philosophies of these men were key in the daily lifes of the Romans and even today we can learn much from them. Man of the things we know about come from these men. Not only were these works key in the education of Roman children but they shaped the writings of this time. After all we read that Aeneid is written as a Roman version of Homer's Odyssey. Because of the great value placed on greek litature we see many libraries not only in households but in the cities of the empire.

A dynasty of three

The Flavian Dynasty as it is referred to was just a rule of three family members who promoted much change in thinking in Rome. After all with Vespasian (70-79) we see a man who was older, and had a strong background in the empire. He was well traveled and while he was not Roman himself became an example of the path to becoming emperor. He was not the most brilliant of men but he was a strong firm leader who honored the traditions of the time. Vespasian greatest legacy has stood to modern times. The Colosseum was commissioned under his rule.
He raised his sons with this same manner and while his two sons were very different men they too influenced Rome. Titus was the first son to follow in dad's footsteps. Titus ruled from 79-81. Titus was experienced in Palestine and had been left by his father to command the legions during the sack of Jerusalem. During the two brief years that Titus ruled he was faced by the eruption of Vesuvius and the opening of the Colosseum. Titus was a well loved emperor. His untimely death was a hard transition for Rome to undergo. Upon the death of his brother Domitian became the next Flavian to rule Rome. The empire was struck with a great change in thinking regarding the emperor. Domitian wanted his subject to see him as a god. This was the first instance of this thinking in Roman tradition. Domitian was an efficent and effect ruler. He did his own thing and made sure the senate knew they were not needed. He threatened the checks and balances that had been placed on the emperor. He was ruthless in his efforts and taxed with out any sort of mercy or remorse. Domitian's rule became so fierce that the senate played a major part in his assassination.

While these events only spanned 26years we see a great amount of influence from this rule of three. The father set the example for his sons. One sone followed in his stead and kept the peace. The other sought his own riches and power. It strikes me that the history of these three men sounds very much like the roots of the parable of the prodical son. Wether you are familiar with the story or not the basic of the story is that one son stayed with his father and did is he should while the other ventured out and caused great heart ache. Yet when the latter son returned home the father welcomed him with open arms. I find it fascinating that in this respect the son who followed their father the closest had the shortest life and the prodical son was the one of the three who ruled Rome the longest and was hated the most by his people. This small dynasty gave us one of the greatest historical treasures and examples of architecture. The Colosseum is known by recognition through out the world and is the starting point for the designs of all stadiums. When we sit at a football game or a theater we are joined through history to these three men. So while in the grand scale of Roman history these men only platy a small brief part I think we owe them much.

The Fall of Carthage

We all know the stories of Hannibal and Carthage...But it is the time and the hows that make these accounts legendary. Prior to 264 Rome and Carthage lived basically as neighbors with no real quarrels. All it took was a small city called Messana to mess that all up. Granted it took over 100 years from this little quarrel to the actual fall of Carthage but the dominoes were tipped and the eventual end of the great city of Carthage was soon to be seen. In 218 Hannibal got his greatest wish and the opportunity to deal with Rome came. Hannibal first fell into legend with his trek across the alps with his war elephants. The cost of this trek was never as well known as the fact that he made it. When he arrived in Italy he only have 2 dozen elephants. But what most don't realize is that Hannibal was not the only one to make this trek. His brother Hasdrubal made this same trek in 208 to come to the aid of his brother who was suffering greatly in southern Italy. The true defeat of Carthage came after Hasdrual was defeated in 207. It took five years for Hannibal to leave Italy after his brothers death but he did return home to help his beloved city face Scipio Africanus who had been in Africa causing problems for Carthage since 204. The True fall of Carthage took place when Carthage was defeated at Zama using the same tactics Hannibal had developed in Italy. It was not long after Hannibal's return that he lost this battle. Even though Hannibal left Carthage and the city continued to trade Rome was not free of the influence of Hannibal. Even after his death the men of Rome feared that they would loose their influence in the African City. The fall of Carthage took place in 202 but Rome spend another 64 years fearing it. In 146 Rome destroyed the city by burning it to the ground. Leaving no habitable location for the people. All of the Carthaginians were sold into Roman slavery and the Roman empire slept easy at night.

It amazes me how one man who had so little when he came to Italy built a reputation that caused Rome to destroy a who city almost 2 full generations after his death. The Roman military learned much from the battles with Hannibal and I think what frightened them most was the fact that Hannibal did everything before them. The Punic Army was a tactical for that is still studied to this day. And I find it funny that the Elephants were so feared that the 2 dozen became hundreds as the legend grew yet Rome came up with an expectational way to defeat them when the numbers were really in the hundreds.

Analysis #1 Week 3

Wikipedia Analysis #1 Article title 'Greek mythology'

The stories and traditions used by the Greeks to describe nature and everyday occurrences have come to be referred to ask Greek Mythology. It is believed that the oldest record of these myths is found in the epic poems Iliad and Oddessy which focus on the era of the Trojan War. Many archaeological finds have added depth and understanding to the cults, rituals, and beliefs that are included in this mythology. Many literary classics are based on stories of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes from the different regions of Greece. Stories written by Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, Theocritus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Arnobius are just a few of the poets and playwrights that have passed these stories on to us. These writers also show us that the mythology and beliefs were ever changing and developing while sticking to the main stories and traditions. We see in the Greek Myth of creation the battle between father and son for the ability to rule. This is a parallel to many stories in Greek History. We are also shown that while the Greeks celebrated and worshipped the Olympian Gods they also recognized many local spirits that were found in trees, rivers, and the sea. Within Greek Mythology there are many different eras of thought these include the age of the gods, the age of gods and humans, and the age of heroes. Each age shows different aspects and stories. The age of the gods deals with the events that effect the gods and not man, such as the creation story. The age of gods and humans shows times in which the gods interacted with man either for punishment or for love. The Heroic age is the stories of the mortal men who are extraordinary in talent and their exploits. The main themes are of military nature including the Trojan war and the Argonauts. With the rise of philosophy the fate of Greek mythology can be seen in many different lights. Some feel that the beliefs just vanished while there is much evidence of local cults staying very popular. Many modern philosophers and have studied the mythology of the Greeks to find explanations for the behavior of man. These men included Freud, Jung, Segal, and Kerenyi. We know little of the origins of these stories but they have fascinated modern man enough to be depicted in some the greatest works of heart in our history.

• This article is sixteen printed pages long with four pages of notes and contains 9,012 words
• The search term used was 'Greek Mythology' and the provided article was the main search return titled 'Greek mythology'
• Wikipedia does not supply any Disambiguation links at the top of this page.
• The discussion page for this article includes some requests for audio track, suggestions regarding a list of the Greek Gods, and several posts regarding inaccuracies on the page.
• This page was has a revision listed for 15 February 2002 and a current revision listed for 5 September 2008 with two hundred and ninety two edits listed during this time frame.
• This article provides four external links, seventy nine references and nine Further Reading entries.

This article is full of wonderful information however to a reader that may not be familiar with the subject matter their is too much information provided and not enough support for each area. It is a very daunting article and while it provides information that even I was not familiar with it is very hard to follow and extremely difficult to understand. I can see why this article has under gone so many revisions over the last few years. It would be much better to have a basic article that explains the premis of Greek Mythology and provide links to other sources for people who are interested in more information or support. I think that seperate pages are needed to discuss the different eras of mythology as well as the modern effects of these stories. The article does a great job in providing a full picture of Greek Mythology but it is missing key elements and references that even young children in school learn regarding Greek Mythology. I think this article can be laid out in a better format and much of the deatils turned into seperate pages. I would recommend this page only to individuals who have extensive knowledge of the stories of this mythology for historical information as opposed to an individual who may have no contact with these stories.

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

Slavery In Ancient Rome

Manyof our insights into slavery in Rome come from the arts. Many playrights have taken the opportunity to pass this information through history to us. We see in various ways how slavery was similar yet different based on the time, the governement and the type of slave.

Life was not easy for slaves but even into modern times that was the case. Slaves were told what to eat, when to eat and how much to eat. They were also given their clothes and many only 1 outfit to last 2 years. Even farm slaves had to take great care to make their clothing last the harsh temperment of their position. We know though many different writings that slaves handled everything in a Roman household. This included cooking, cleaning, dressing the master, taking care of all needs, and anything else the master required. Many were seriously abused and hurt when things did not run as they should. Even if the slave was not responsible for the error. Many slaves were born into slavery and to them the master was the end all. Whatever the master said was the truth even if it was wrong. This is why slaves lived in their nitch for so long.

Slavery and the poor where the foundations inwhich the rich lived all they cared about was the reputation that was seen by their peers. Even a middle classes man could make his reputation seem higher if his servants followed their roles. The Slaves resprentated the majority of Rome yet it was the Masters who ruled all.


***My apologizies for this assignment being a day late. I am currently fighting bronchitis but doing much better now***

Athens vs Sparta

During the Era of the Peloponnesian War Athens made many strides to unite all of Greece. At time the choices made could have resulted in the unification of Greece. Would that have been the best for Greece? or was Sparta right in working to preserve the Greek City-State? I think there are many things to be said for both attempts. A united Greece could have remained United and preserved for years to come and ultimately changed the the history of Alexander and later Rome. A United Greek may have held and expanded in much the same matter Rome did and ultimately would have changed the complete course of European history. However key changes may not have taken place. Much progress was made by Alexander and Rome that as a modern society we still value and reference. Under Sparta's plan Greece continued to function as a world of City-States allowing each area to develop politics, warfare, and culture that ultimately led to contribute to the expansion of the modern world.

Athens learned many great lessons in the battles of the Peloponnesian Wars and while the faced great losses and hardship many things worked towards their benefit once they loss to Sparta. Athens once again became the center of the arts while Sparta continued to be the center of the military. Athens was able to experience peace and growth under the treaty with Sparta. Sparta never wanted to rule all of Greece they specialized in training soldiers and time after time in Greek history these soliders defended and helped the ideals of Greece and her City-States to maintain untouched.

I believe that while much good may have come out of Athens uniting all of Greece. A greater cultural legacy was created by Sparta protecting the legacy of the City-State. Even though this legacy only lasted an additional 250 years the lessons of warfare learned in these battles were passed on through history.

Marathon and Thermopylae

It has always fascinated me how the Greeks stood up to the Persian's many times over yet and that the basics of these two main battles is known by most modern children.

Persia had become so confident of victory over Greece under Darius. They even had many reasons to be in taking the Asia Minor Colonies. At the Battle of Marathon Darius was so confident of victory that he did not see the strategy of Miletus until it was too late. Not only did the Greeks attack at dawn but they pulled the Persian army into a trap by allowing the Persians to believe their center weak and broken. Miletus placed his trust and strength in the flanks which ultimately won him this victory. However Miletus had planned ahead and knew that Darius would still try to take Athens no matter the outcome at Marathon. He made his plans and used the rouse that Athens was fully defended even with the Army absent. When the greek army returned home to Athens the Persians returned home licking their wounds. But Greece knew better and started planning for the eventual return of Persia.

When Xerxes returned to Greece with the intent to conquer and return honor to his father he was met by a well prepared Greece. However Xerxes used treachory and tactic to deafeat the strong hearted Greeks who met him at Thermoylae. While Xerxes Navy easily defeated the navy of Athens his men were met by a small but couragous army inland. While it took several days to defeat this force he ultimately did and created a legend that gave the rest of Greece the morale to defeat his navy and eventually his army. Thermopylae and the story of the 300 Spartans is still used as a story of courage and sacrifice for the greater good of man. However Greece lost more than the few thousand that stood at Thermopylae, they watched their beloved city of Athens burn as Xerxes pursued them across the Gulf of Cornith. As the Greek Navy lured the Persians into the waters near Salamis Xerxes and his navy fell to pride while the Greeks showed great skill in Naval tactics.

To me the greater story of these battles is not the minor losses incurred at Marathon or the Courage of the men at Thermopylae but the great skill used at Salamis. The beginning of of true naval warefare was shown in the tactics used by the Greeks and on more than one occassion Greece showed the world that with skill the few can defeat the many.