Roman Rule Caesars Flavians Golden Age 1. Roman Engineering A. Roman aqueducts: fresh water, crucial element of a Roman city, extraordinary feats of engineering B. Roman roads: dependable transportation linking cities and transporting troops (but the dangers and immorality of local inns made hospitality to travelers an important virtue in early Christianity) C. Roman concrete: discovered lime + volcanic ash, combined with simplicity of architectural arch 2. Roman Architecture A. Roman baths: daily afternoon ritual functioning as the ancient social networking B. Roman arenas 1. Theaters: semicircular into hillsides for acoustics for dramas, performances, meetings 2. Hippodromes: elongated, narrow track (circus) for chariot racing (Rome: Circus Maximus ) 3. Amphitheaters: enclosed oval for blood sports, fighting wild animals, gladiator galas Gladiator Imagery Luke 22:44: And being in agony he was praying fervently, and his sweat became as drops of blood falling down on the ground. 1 Cor. 15:32: If with merely human hopes I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what would I have gained?
Arena Reality Herod the Great: Herod condemned criminals to wild beasts in the amphitheater in Jerusalem (Josephus Ant. 15.18.1). Jewish Captives: Captives from the first Jewish War were condemned to death by wild beasts by Vespasian (Josephus War 7.3.1). A. Inclusive attitude 1. Ancient numen worship (impersonal power) coporate, legal, community well-being two main early characteristics: religio (awe of the divine) piatas (doing one s obligations) 2. Hellenization changes absorbing Greek gods (Romanized names) priority always welfare of Rome B. Prevailing features 1. Inclusive, syncretistic 2. Impersonalized deities (more like virtues) 3. Non-moral C. Ruler cult 1. Origins eastern: divine royal traditions (Egypt) Greek: divinizing outstanding men civic cults: transfer patronage ruler to city C. Ruler cult 2. Three historical stages Alexander the Great: point source Hellenistic kings: absorbed, developed Roman emperors: obligation to requirement
Rise of emperor worship: 1. Augustus: allowed, not encouraged 2. Caligula: Jerusalem temple episode 3. Nero: emperor cult in Rome only 4. Domitian: persecution in Asia Minor 5. Trajan: persecution official state policy 6. Hadrian: Roman temple in Jerusalem D. Cults and Mystery Religions 1. Two main oriental cults Isis and Serapis: from Egypt, very popular Artemis (Cybele): Asia Minor 2. Healing cult Asklepios: Athens and Pergamum Luke: the beloved physician (Col. 4:14) D. Cults and Mystery Religions 3. Mystery religions Dionysian: private fellowships Mithraism: favorite among Roman soldiers, with taurobolium rite (bull sacrifice) D. Fate, Astrology, Magic 1. Magic: issues of control examples in Acts: Simon (8:9 24), Elymas (13:6 11), Ephesus (19:19) incantations, exorcisms (Acts 16:16 18; 19:13 17) 2. Auguries: issues of fate and destiny dreams, oracles, omens, prodigies haurspex: destiny in sacrificial entrails 3. Power versus power (Col. 2:15)
Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, This man is the power of God that is called Great. (Acts 8:9 10) 1. Plato (429 347 B.C.) famous cave myth body, soul dichotomy 2. Aristotle (384 322 B.C.) foundation of natural science great influence on church fathers 3. Stoicism: Zeno (335 263 B.C.) virtue as goal of life, the rational (logos) famous followers: Chrysippus (popularized Zeno) Aratus (quoted by Paul, Acts 17:28) Seneca (advisor to Nero) Marcus Aurelius ( Gladiator movie) 3. Stoicism: Zeno (335 263 B.C.) Christian similarities: similar terminology (Spirit, conscience, logos, virtue, self-sufficiency, reasonable) similar natural theology (Wis. Sol. 13 14; Rom. 1 2; Acts 17) similar human situation (persistent evil, need for self-examination, inner freedom)
3. Stoicism: Zeno (335 263 B.C.) Christian similarities: similar ethics (house codes, vice lists) Christian distinctions: depth, perverseness of sin problem motivation for ethics B. Gnosticism 1. Salvation by knowledge based on narrative of human predicament first principle generates successive aeons divine fall generates all matter world, humans created of evil matter divine spark entrapped in material body redeemer descends, reveals knowledge (gnosis) enabling return through pleroma B. Gnosticism 1. Salvation by knowledge basic beliefs dualistic: metaphysical, anthropological cosmology: pleroma of successive aeons problem: ignorance of origins solution: revealed secret knowledge eschatology: realized now, pneumatic ethics: either libertine or ascetic B. Gnosticism 2. New Testament impact terminology: incipient gnosticism (fertile soil); proto-gnostic (early sprout) possible texts: Colossians (angelic mediators, etc.) Pastorals ( gnosis falsely so-called 1 Tim. 6:20) 1 3 John (knowledge, deny incarnation) 1 Corinthians (resurrection problems)
Contributions: 1. Empire infrastructure 2. Roman way of life 3. Institutional violence 4. Rich versus poor dichotomies 5. Syncretistic religious tendencies 6. Established Western philosophy