Final Exam #10

I do feel like I learned something this semester. I learned a ton of things about Ancient History that were very cool and exciting, ranging from Alexander the Great to Saladin and Richard in the Third Crusade. Many of the things that I learned helped me get a better understanding of what history is all about and what it really means. Some of the topics were kind of boring but others were very exciting. I especially liked the video about Alexander the Great with Michael wood because he went to places that I have never even seen pictures of. I had fun working with the other students in the class and I liked working in groups. I have now left this class with a huge bag of knowledge about Ancient History that I will not forget.

Final Exam #9

I think Leonardo da Vinci best represents the ideal of a Renaissance Man because he was probably knew everything that was needed to be known in his time. Not only was da Vinci an artist, he was also an inventor where he made and designed weapons and he also studied many different subjects ranging from construction to math to nature. He knew a wide variety of subjects and he put them all in his mind to think about. Leonardo was the man who knew everything about the world around him.

Final Exam #8

The structures of Romanesque cathedral differed from the structure of Gothic cathedrals. Romanesque cathedrals were very tall with thick walls that supported the building as a whole. They almost looked like castles in the medieval times. This shows that protection was extremely important during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries that people needed a place for safety. This also shows that there were continuous attacks, so people of a village needed this big structure to protect them from harsh attackers. Gothic cathedrals focused more on religious theology. The walls on these cathedrals were less thick and the columns were much thinner too. The walls of Gothic cathedrals has to be light and thin enough to let the light of God shine directly into the interior for people to feel. Protection was not very important with Gothic cathedrals as letting the light of God in really explained the structure of these cathedrals.

Final Exam #7

1. The Black Death started because of the influences of the objects in the sky or by God because of the mortals living on Earth that did many evil things. Its spread meant a terrible plague for all of Europe where tons of people were going to die from this disastrous disease. Its spread also meant a time for Europe to try and take precautionary measurements to make sure this plague did not spread any farther than it already did.

2. The Black death looks like a deadly storm that is about to engulf a community.

Final Exam #6

1. http://richardthelionheartedcrusade.wikispaces.com/

2. Dear Editors.
   
   I Saladin think that Richard and his crusaders are crazy and that they are unjust in their actions. They would slaughter innocent people just to gain control of the Jerusalem. Getting what you want is not the way the Jerusalem issue should be handled. There needs to be talking and negotiations before you can resort to violence. If there was more talking and less violence, maybe something could get done around here.

   The Jerusalem problem should be handles in a mature way, not through childish antics. Jerusalem is a city that me and Richard want but it has to be settled immediately.

Final Exam #5

The Roman Empire and the United States are two very strong civilizations that possess many different characteristics. They each had their own culture and their different ways of living. The leaders are different and the governments are also different. The traditions in each are also different and the people themselves are also different. Many more aspects between the United States and The Roman Empire are different. The United States is not the modern day equivalent of the Roman Empire since they each have characteristics that make them each different.

In each the United States and the Roman Empire, the head of government is different. In the U.S., the head of government is the President and in the Roman Empire, the leader is the Emperor. The President has a specific amount of terms while an Emperor has no specific amount of terms and can rule for however long they want. "Obama: No Fear of 2nd Recession" (Crusinger & Rugaber, 2011). The President did

Final Exam #4

Herodotus and Thucydides each had their own way of viewing history. Herodotus writes everything that he sees down but he does not get the best information and gets general information. Meanwhile, Thucydides only scarcely wrote things down but his information was much more specific and at the end, much better. While each man viewed history a different way, none was better than the other.

Article about Herodotus: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/opinion/10iht-edcohen10.html?ref=sept112001

Final Exam #3

For an Afterlife, the Egyptians and the Greeks each had a different view on it that differed in each culture. The soul was used differently by what each culture believed. The Greeks believed that "at the moment of death thepsyche, or spirit of the dead, left the body as a little breath or puff of wind." (Death, Burial, and the Afterlife in Ancient Greece, 2011). The Egyptians believed that the soul continued to live after your death and the soul would be trapped in the tomb after you were mummified. Then the soul would go to heaven where it would be judged by the God Horus. In a process involving a feather, if the soul was lighter than a feather, you were allowed to proceed to the afterlife. So in the end, the Greeks and the Egyptians had very different view about their afterlife.

Final Exam #2

1. The agricultural revolution was important to the development of cities because more people could now plant their own crops in their own homes without having to go out and hunt for food. This helped people settle down and stay in one place and not be like nomads. Then, these crops that people grew themselves could be traded with other people in a central place. So with more people in the mix, a city was developed so people could gather and buy, sell, and trade crops with each other. Many people started to settle in one place with the production of crops and a city was needed to house all of the people and their crops. Cities made for an important development in the early period of history.

2.
View Agricultural Revolution in a larger map


3. agricultural Revolution has Collapsed!
The agricultural system has just collapsed, we got wording today. No one can grow any crops and no one can plnat any crops. Money on these crops are going down the drain

Final Exam #1

http://todaysmeet.com/hutton

The Worst Job To Have

I think the worst job that I would want to have was the job as a fuller. The fuller had to tread for long hours, probably 7-10 hours, in human urine. The purpose of this was to soften the cloth and to soak out the grease to make coats and other clothing worn by knights and kings. I couldn't even imagine stomping in urine for that long. The worst part about it is inhaling that awful smell of the urine for that long. That would make me vomit and really get me sick. Treading in urine to me would be a horrible job with the awful smell and I would get very tired from running for a long time. What if you fell asleep on the job and you fell into the tub of urine. That would be so disgusting! The smell of your feet after the job would make me throw up and then you would have to go out the next day and do the job again. Your feet would never be cleansed from the smell of urine.

This job to me would also be very boring. Doing the same thing for up to 10 hours would completely bore me and it would make me want to do something else. But I guess the best way of making the cloth thicker in the Middle Ages was to tread countless hours in urine. Then the urine mixed with the grease in the tub you would stand in would make me sick. Treading in urine to me sounds like the worst job to ever have, with a putrid smell of urine rising up to your nose and with the smell of urine never leaving your feet until you bathe. This is why  I think the job as a fuller is the worst job to ever have.

The History of Adam's First Year

During Adam's first year at John Carroll, many things happened to him that made him another person. Over the course of this year, Adam got very good grades and got to experience a new world different from middle school. Experiencing 800 kids is way more than at his old school, which only had about 200 kids. Adam also made new friends that are better than all of his friends at his old school. Adam has also got to experience walking around the school to get to class, and sometimes he has had to walk very far. John Carroll has also given Adam way too much homework in his eyes. Adam has had some kind of homework every night, which is hard to complete when he has to play baseball outside of John Carroll three nights a week.

Adam has had fun hanging out with his new friends and has done a lot to improve his personality during is first year at John Carroll. He has became more patient with other students and has become more responsible ever since day 1 of this year. John Carroll has been challenging for Adam, but it has also been rewarding for him. Adam was nervous at first, especially on the first day, but ever since, he has adjusted to this new life in a new school. Adam has improved as a student as well as an athlete over the course of this year. The several tornado warnings that the school had us prepare for made Adam happy that we got to miss class, but also him mad because he had to stay after school for the last one until 3:30. Adam heard that these tornado warnings were the first the John Carroll had to prepare for since the 1970s! But overall, Adam's first year has been challenging, but fun at the same time and it has helped him experience a new world of people around him.

Weekly #9 Final Draft

             Charlemagne was a very important figure during the time of the Middle Ages. Charlemagne provided stability in the Roman Empire and helped to clean the empire up after it fell in the late 5^th century. Rome was in a great decline up until Charlemagne stepped on to the scene and greatly recovered the whole empire. Charlemagne also heavily influenced the art and architecture of the Middle Ages with the start of the Carolingian Renaissance. Charlemagne was also a great military leader who conquered many civilizations during his reign in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne was well respected in the Roman Empire and he kicked off the Middle Ages with a fast and furious start. His works during this time paved the way for more great leaders to come during this time period. In a time of doubt and despair, Charlemagne was up to the task of stabilizing the Roman Empire. Charlemagne formed the basis of what all of Europe should abide by in order to prosper and he formed the foundation of the future for Europe. Charlemagne meant nothing to the Middle Ages and was not a part of the progress of Europe during this time period.

            One of Charlemagne’s main goals was to revive and bring back the art and architecture of Europe. “He promoted education and encouraged the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of renewed emphasis on scholarship and culture” (The History Channel, 2011). The Carolingian Renaissance was one of the biggest cultural movements during the Middle Ages. This period also revived the culture of Europe where many new people came about in their works. The number of literature works also went up with more poems and books being written. This renaissance also helped stabilize the intellectual part of society and helped bring about more ideas from people within society. Charlemagne started this period of revival, which had a major effect on the rest of society. Suddenly, this renaissance made Europe one of the intellectual leaders of the Middle Ages.

            Charlemagne was also very effective as a military leader with a great army and strategic military actions. “Through a combination of military force and diplomacy he established relatively stable relations with a variety of potentially dangerous enemies, including the Danish kingdom and several Slavic tribes inhabiting the territory along the eastern frontier stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Balkans” (Biography.com, 2010). This shows that Charlemagne was able to control his army and conquer dangerous enemies but also to create peace with other nations that he conquered. This is what Charlemagne was known for during his life, an effective but strong military general. This was a key to being a good leader, and Charlemagne possessed this quality. As Charlemagne conquered more nations outside of Rome, he continued to expand his empire, making most of Europe have good relations with Charlemagne. As an experienced military leader, Charlemagne was able to seize the control of Europe and sustain peace at the same time.

            Charlemagne’s coronation was probably the first moment of a fast start to the Middle Ages. “As a token of thanks, Leo crowned Charlemagne on Christmas Day that year, declaring him emperor of the Romans. Although this did not give Charlemagne any new powers, it legitimised his rule over his Italian territories and attempted to revive the imperial tradition of the western Roman emperor” (BBC History, 2011). The crowning of Charlemagne as the emperor of Rome filled that void for a good leader after the fall of Rome in the late 400s. Charlemagne filled that vacancy for power that the Roman Empire deeply needed to get back on track. Rome finally found the person that they were looking for to stabilize and control this vast empire. Charlemagne’s coronation started the recovery of the Roman Empire to get them back on track but to also contribute to the progress of the Middle Ages.  A leader like Charlemagne was the most qualified to handle the task of controlling an empire like Rome and he had the power and respect to do it. Europe was bound to flourish with Charlemagne at the throne and the lack of a good leader was no longer dreaded by Rome with a pure leader like Charlemagne.

            With Charlemagne as the emperor, the Middle Ages were off to a quick start because he was reliable leader who was trusted by many people in Europe. Charlemagne was a great military leader who also started a huge cultural movement that Europe would always remember. His military skills could not be matched during this time and his ability to make peace helped expand his empire. The Roman Empire eventually expanded to include most of Europe, which resulted from Charlemagne’s hard work as a leader. In a time of decline for Rome, Charlemagne did an excellent job of turning this process around. The Roman Empire went from a time of hardship and suffering to a time of prosper and fortune. Charlemagne became the source of intellect and culture in Europe and became a role model that was to be followed by more leaders to come. Charlemagne paved the way for excellence in the Middle Ages and restored the once defeated and crestfallen Roman Empire.

APA Bibliography

Sullivan, R. E. (2010). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www.biography.com/articles/Charlemagne-37817?part=3

BBC History, (2011). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/charlemagne.shtml

The History Channel, (2011). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from 

            http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne

Weekly #9 Rough Draft

             Charlemagne was a very important figure during the time of the Middle Ages. Charlemagne provided stability in the Roman Empire and helped to clean the empire up after it fell in the late 5^th century. Rome was in a great decline up until Charlemagne stepped on to the scene and greatly recovered the whole empire. Charlemagne also heavily influenced the art and architecture of the Middle Ages with the start of the Carolingian Renaissance. Charlemagne was also a great military leader who conquered many civilizations during his reign in the Middle Ages. Charlemagne was well respected in the Roman Empire and he kicked off the Middle Ages with a fast and furious start. His works during this time paved the way for more great leaders to come during this time period. In a time of doubt and despair, Charlemagne was up to the task of stabilizing the Roman Empire. Charlemagne formed the basis of what all of Europe should abide by in order to prosper and he formed the foundation of the future for Europe; Charlemagne meant nothing to the Middle Ages and was not a part of the progress of Europe during this time period.

            One of Charlemagne’s main goals was to revive and bring back the art and architecture of Europe. “He promoted education and encouraged the Carolingian Renaissance, a period of renewed emphasis on scholarship and culture” (The History Channel, 2011). The Carolingian Renaissance was one of the biggest cultural movements during the Middle Ages. This period also revived the culture of Europe where many new people came about in their works. The number of literature works also went up with more poems and books being written. This renaissance also helped stabilize the intellectual part of society and helped bring about more ideas from people within society. Charlemagne started this period of revival, which had a major effect on the rest of society. Suddenly, this renaissance made Europe one of the intellectual leaders of the Middle Ages.

            Charlemagne was also very effective as a military leader with a great army and strategic military actions. “Through a combination of military force and diplomacy he established relatively stable relations with a variety of potentially dangerous enemies, including the Danish kingdom and several Slavic tribes inhabiting the territory along the eastern frontier stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Balkans” (Biography.com, 2010). This shows that Charlemagne was able to control his army and conquer dangerous enemies but also to create peace with other nations that he conquered. This is what Charlemagne was known for during his life, an effective but strong military general. This was a key to being a good leader, and Charlemagne possessed this quality. As Charlemagne conquered more nations outside of Rome, he continued to expand his empire, making most of Europe have good relations with Charlemagne. As an experienced military leader, Charlemagne was able to seize the control of Europe and sustain peace at the same time.

            Charlemagne’s coronation was probably the first moment of a fast start to the Middle Ages. “As a token of thanks, Leo crowned Charlemagne on Christmas Day that year, declaring him emperor of the Romans. Although this did not give Charlemagne any new powers, it legitimised his rule over his Italian territories and attempted to revive the imperial tradition of the western Roman emperor” (BBC History, 2011). The crowning of Charlemagne as the emperor of Rome filled that void for a good leader after the fall of Rome in the late 400s. Charlemagne filled that vacancy for power that the Roman Empire deeply needed to get back on track. Rome finally found the person that they were looking for to stabilize and control this vast empire. Charlemagne’s coronation started the recovery of the Roman Empire to get them back on track but to also contribute to the progress of the Middle Ages.  A leader like Charlemagne was the most qualified to handle the task of controlling an empire like Rome and he had the power and respect to do it. Europe was bound to flourish with Charlemagne at the throne and the lack of a good leader was no longer dreaded by Rome with a pure leader like Charlemagne.

            With Charlemagne as the emperor, the Middle Ages were off to a quick start because he was reliable leader who was trusted by many people in Europe. Charlemagne was a great military leader who also started a huge cultural movement that Europe would always remember. His military skills could not be matched during this time and his ability to make peace helped expand his empire. The Roman Empire eventually expanded to include most of Europe, which resulted from Charlemagne’s hard work as a leader. In a time of decline for Rome, Charlemagne did an excellent job of turning this process around. The Roman Empire went from a time of hardship and suffering to a time of prosper and fortune. Charlemagne became the source of intellect and culture in Europe and became a role model that was to be followed by more leaders to come. Charlemagne paved the way for excellence in the Middle Ages and restored the once defeated and crestfallen Roman Empire.

APA Bibliography

Sullivan, R. E. (2010). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www.biography.com/articles/Charlemagne-37817?part=3

BBC History, (2011). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/charlemagne.shtml

The History Channel, (2011). Retrieved May 3, 2011, from

            http://www.history.com/topics/charlemagne

Weekly #8 Final Draft

Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals each had their own meaning of depicting theology in religious terms. Romanesque cathedrals focused more on protection from incoming attacks. Romanesque cathedrals were the main spot for safety for the people of a village because of their thick and supportive walls. However, Gothic cathedrals focused on implanting the light of God in the cathedral itself. This was done with huge stain-glassed windows that allowed for the the light of God to be on the inside for everyone to see. There was a big difference in the theology behind these two styles of architecture. The theology of Romanesque cathedrals was expressed by Judgment Day and by protection and defense whereas Gothic cathedrals had large windows that allowed the light of God to shine among all of the people on the inside of the church. The architecture of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals did not express anything about theology.

The structures of Romanesque cathedral differed from the structure of Gothic cathedrals. Romanesque cathedrals were very tall with thick walls that supported the building as a whole (Figure 1). They almost looked like castles in the medieval times. This shows that protection was extremely important during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries that people needed a place for safety. This also shows that there were continuous attacks, so people of a village needed this big structure to protect them from harsh attackers.  Gothic cathedrals focused more on religious theology. The walls on these cathedrals were less thick and the columns were much thinner too (Figure 2). The walls of Gothic cathedrals has to be light and thin enough to let the light of God shine directly into the interior for people to feel. Protection was not very important with Gothic cathedrals as letting the light of God in really explained the structure of these cathedrals.

Another big difference between Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals is the windows. The Romanesque cathedral has many windows all around the exterior, but they are very small (Figure 3). The windows are small on Romanesque cathedrals for a reason. Since these cathedrals were used for protection for incoming attacks, the windows had to be small so attackers would not be able to break in to the cathedral through the windows. This forced enemies to try to break through the cathedral, which often failed because of the thick walls. In Gothic cathedrals, windows played an important role in expressing theology.  The big stained-glass window towards the top is there to let the light of God in (Figure 4). Then, the people on the inside can be shined with the light of God. The big stained-glass window in Gothic cathedrals formed the basis of religious theology through the light of God.

Also, the art of Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals differed on the inside of these two types of cathedrals. In Romanesque cathedrals, there were big murals about Judgment Day with a huge painting of Christ on a throne ready to judge on one of the walls. Romanesque cathedrals also contained beautiful paintings that depicted religious scenes from the Gospel (Figure 5). Also, many of the columns and domes were lined with religious sculpture figures. But in Gothic Cathedrals, the big stained-glass window, or the rose window, was the focus on the whole cathedral. Many religious images would be stained on to these glass windows, providing a great dimension of light and color in to the cathedral (Figure 6). The interior of these cathedrals were often spaced out to allow the light to shine throughout the inside to show the presence of God. Mosaics are often popular on the inside of Gothic Cathedrals, making for a fantastic sight.

As a whole, Romanesque and Gothic churches both explain religious theology in their own unique ways. Romanesque cathedrals were all about protection and the Judgment Day. Thick walls and small windows helped influence this protection for people when they were attacked. Gothic cathedrals though were about letting the light of God shine through the interior from large, colorful stained-glass windows. These stained-glass windows allowed for the presence of God to be felt. Overall, art, structure, and windows greatly influenced the basis for each of these types of cathedrals. But most importantly, Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals express important ideas about religious theology.  

Appendix

Figure 1

Dom St. Peter Cathedral, exterior, 10^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Dom_St._Peter%2C_Trier.jpg, photograph taken in 2001

Figure 2

Our Lady of Sablon Church, façade, 13^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Bruxelles_Notre-Dame_du_Sablon.jpg., photograph taken in 2009

Figure 3

Mainzer Dom Cathedral, exterior, 9^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Mainzer_Dom_von_Nordosten.jpg, photograph taken in 2007

Figure 4

Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral, interior, 14^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Reims_Cathedrale_Notre_Dame_interior_002.JPG, photograph taken in 2008

Figure 5

Canterbury Cathedral, wall painting, 12^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Canterbury_Fresko.jpg, photograph taken in 2008

Figure 6

Bourges cathedral, stained-glass window, 13^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Bourges-cathedrale-vitrail-femme.jpg, photograph taken in 2010

Weekly #8 Rough Draft

Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals each had their own meaning of depicting theology in religious terms. Romanesque cathedrals focused more on protection from incoming attacks. Romanesque cathedrals were the main spot for safety for the people of a village because of their thick and supportive walls. However, Gothic cathedrals focused on implanting the light of God in the cathedral itself. This was done with huge stain-glassed windows that allowed for the the light of God to be on the inside for everyone to see. There was a big difference in the theology behind these two styles of architecture. The theology of Romanesque cathedrals was expressed by Judgment Day and by protection and defense whereas Gothic cathedrals had large windows that allowed the light of God to shine among all of the people on the inside of the church. The architecture of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals did not express anything about theology.

The structures of Romanesque cathedral differed from the structure of Gothic cathedrals. Romanesque cathedrals were very tall with thick walls that supported the building as a whole (Figure 1). They almost looked like castles in the medieval times. This shows that protection was extremely important during the ninth, tenth, and eleventh centuries that people needed a place for safety. This also shows that there were continuous attacks, so people of a village needed this big structure to protect them from harsh attackers.  Gothic cathedrals focused more on religious theology. The walls on these cathedrals were less thick and the columns were much thinner too (Figure 2). The walls of Gothic cathedrals has to be light and thin enough to let the light of God shine directly into the interior for people to feel. Protection was not very important with Gothic cathedrals as letting the light of God in really explained the structure of these cathedrals.

Another big difference between Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals is the windows. The Romanesque cathedral has many windows all around the exterior, but they are very small (Figure 3). The windows are small on Romanesque cathedrals for a reason. Since these cathedrals were used for protection for incoming attacks, the windows had to be small so attackers would not be able to break in to the cathedral through the windows. This forced enemies to try to break through the cathedral, which often failed because of the thick walls. In Gothic cathedrals, windows played an important role in expressing theology.  The big stained-glass window towards the top is there to let the light of God in (Figure 4). Then, the people on the inside can be shined with the light of God. The big stained-glass window in Gothic cathedrals formed the basis of religious theology through the light of God.

Also, the art of Romanesque and Gothic Cathedrals differed on the inside of these two types of cathedrals. In Romanesque cathedrals, there were big murals about Judgment Day with a huge painting of Christ on a throne ready to judge on one of the walls. Romanesque cathedrals also contained beautiful paintings that depicted religious scenes from the Gospel (Figure 5). Also, many of the columns and domes were lined with religious sculpture figures. But in Gothic Cathedrals, the big stained-glass window, or the rose window, was the focus on the whole cathedral. Many religious images would be stained on to these glass windows, providing a great dimension of light and color in to the cathedral (Figure 6). The interior of these cathedrals were often spaced out to allow the light to shine throughout the inside to show the presence of God. Mosaics are often popular on the inside of Gothic Cathedrals, making for a fantastic sight.

As a whole, Romanesque and Gothic churches both explain religious theology in their own unique ways. Romanesque cathedrals were all about protection and the Judgment Day. Thick walls and small windows helped influence this protection for people when they were attacked. Gothic cathedrals though were about letting the light of God shine through the interior from large, colorful stained-glass windows. These stained-glass windows allowed for the presence of God to be felt. Overall, art, structure, and windows greatly influenced the basis for each of these types of cathedrals. But most importantly, Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals express important ideas about religious theology.

Appendix

Figure 1

Dom St. Peter Cathedral, exterior, 10^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Dom_St._Peter%2C_Trier.jpg, photograph taken in 2001

Figure 2

Our Lady of Sablon Church, façade, 13^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Bruxelles_Notre-Dame_du_Sablon.jpg., photograph taken in 2009

Figure 3

Mainzer Dom Cathedral, exterior, 9^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Mainzer_Dom_von_Nordosten.jpg, photograph taken in 2007

Figure 4

Notre Dame de Reims Cathedral, interior, 14^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Reims_Cathedrale_Notre_Dame_interior_002.JPG, photograph taken in 2008

Figure 5

Canterbury Cathedral, wall painting, 12^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Canterbury_Fresko.jpg, photograph taken in 2008

Figure 6

Bourges cathedral, stained-glass window, 13^th century, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Bourges-cathedrale-vitrail-femme.jpg, photograph taken in 2010

Weekly 7 Final Draft

The Roman Empire had reigned for many years and was one of the greatest and powerful empires to ever come about. This great empire ruled all of present day Europe and even stretched into North Africa and parts of the Middle East. They had strong warriors and a stretch of natural-born emperors that led Rome in their glory days. But then came the decline. The emperors after the Julio-Claudian Dynasty did a poor job of seizing control in the empire and this lead to much conflict within the empire. Numerous fights began to break out within the empire and the tension was building throughout. The future was not looking bright for the empire as a whole. The Roman Empire itself fell from a lack of a great leader and the glory days of Rome were long-lost memories, making the empire collapse in the end.

The Roman Empire practically came to an end when they were threatened by Attila and his Huns along with the Germanic tribe. “Attila and his brutal Huns invaded Gaul and Italy around 450, further shaking the foundations of the empire. In September 476, a Germanic prince named Odovacar won control of the Roman army in Italy” (History Channel Website, 2011). The once great empire of Rome closed on a bad note as they were invaded by Attila and his ferocious Huns army. The empire by this time was now on its last legs and they were taken over by ferocious warriors that the army of Rome could not handle. To make it worse, Rome was then finally taken over when the Germanic tribes, under the leader of Odovacar, won control of the whole Roman Empire situated in Italy. This marked the final ending for the Romans, for they had no opportunity to rebuild for the future.

Rome’s fall can also be blamed from several attacks from barbaric tribes that surrounded the Roman Empire. “Financial pressures, urban decline, underpaid troops and consequently overstretched frontiers - all of these finally caused the collapse of the western empire under waves of barbarian incursions in the early fifth century AD” (The British Museum, 2010). After Rome was divided into the Eastern Empire and the Western empire, the Western side started to collapse. Many soldiers and troops in the Western Empire were not getting paid enough and the line separating the western side from the rest of the world was going too far for this financially corrupted half to handle. These issues caused hardship for the Western Empire and then the barbaric attacks from the outside completely demolished this side as a whole. While the Eastern Empire survived and overcame these attacks, the Western side was practically gone from already past effects that chipped away at the glory of this empire.

Rome’s collapse can be credited towards the several emperors who did a very minimal job at sustaining control for the whole empire. “During the third century Rome suffered from a cycle of near-constant conflict. A total of 22 emperors took the throne, many of them meeting violent ends at the hands of the same soldiers who had propelled them to power” (History Channel Website, 2011). This quote mentions that over 20 emperors served as leader during the 200s, meaning that many terms that these emperors ruled for were very short. This shows that these emperors were very inconsistent and they were often booted out of office in a very short amount of time. Also, many of the fights and wars that came about can be credited towards the emperors and their soldiers fighting violently. During this time, many emperors showed violence towards their armies, causing fights that had long-lasting effects on the future for leaders of Rome.

The Roman Empire collapsed from many different reasons that all tied in together to summarize the fall of Rome. The inability to find a good leader was the most important, with each emperor showing the inability to win back the glory days of Rome and falling down the stretch. Money was also a big issue, with many soldiers being underpaid and eventually choosing to quit their duties of being fierce warriors in a once strong army. Rome also collapsed from violence and wars within the empire, which corrupted their society as a whole. This empire lost faith in its armies but especially their leaders. As a whole, the Roman Empire declined and completely fell in ranks as a great empire, from strongest to weakest.

APA Bibliography

Ancient Rome, (2011). Retrieved Apr. 12, 2011, from           

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome

The British Museum, (2010). Retrieved Apr. 12, 2011, from

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/r/the_roman_empire.aspx

Weekly 7 Rough Draft

The Roman Empire had reigned for many years and was one of the greatest and powerful empires to ever come about. This great empire ruled all of present day Europe and even stretched into North Africa and parts of the Middle East. They had strong warriors and a stretch of natural-born emperors that led Rome in their glory days. But then came the decline. The emperors after the Julio-Claudian Dynasty did a poor job of seizing control in the empire and this lead to much conflict within the empire. Numerous fights began to break out within the empire and the tension was building throughout. The future was not looking bright for the empire as a whole. The Roman Empire itself fell from a lack of a great leader and the glory days of Rome were long-lost memories, making the empire collapse in the end; Rome though did evolve into something new from disaster within the empire and they changed into a different kind of empire.

Rome’s collapse can be credited towards the several emperors who did a very minimal job at sustaining control for the whole empire. “During the third century Rome suffered from a cycle of near-constant conflict. A total of 22 emperors took the throne, many of them meeting violent ends at the hands of the same soldiers who had propelled them to power” (History Channel Website). This quote mentions that over 20 emperors served as leader during the 200s, meaning that many terms that these emperors ruled for were very short. This shows that these emperors were very inconsistent and they were often booted out of office in a very short amount of time. Also, many of the fights and wars that came about can be credited towards the emperors and their soldiers fighting violently. During this time, many emperors showed violence towards their armies, causing fights that had long-lasting effects on the future for leaders of Rome.

Rome’s fall can also be blamed from several attacks from barbaric tribes that surrounded the Roman Empire. “Financial pressures, urban decline, underpaid troops and consequently overstretched frontiers - all of these finally caused the collapse of the western empire under waves of barbarian incursions in the early fifth century AD” (The British Museum). After Rome was divided into the Eastern Empire and the Western empire, the Western side started to collapse. Many soldiers and troops in the Western Empire were not getting paid enough and the line separating the western side from the rest of the world was going too far for this financially corrupted half to handle. These issues caused hardship for the Western Empire and then the barbaric attacks from the outside completely demolished this side as a whole. While the Eastern Empire survived and overcame these attacks, the Western side was practically gone from already past effects that chipped away at the glory of this empire.

The Roman Empire practically came to an end when they were threatened by Attila and his Huns along with the Germanic tribe. “Attila and his brutal Huns invaded Gaul and Italy around 450, further shaking the foundations of the empire. In September 476, a Germanic prince named Odovacar won control of the Roman army in Italy” (History Channel Website). The once great empire of Rome closed on a bad note as they were invaded by Attila and his ferocious Huns army. The empire by this time was now on its last legs and they were taken over by ferocious warriors that the army of Rome could not handle. To make it worse, Rome was then finally taken over when the Germanic tribes, under the leader of Odovacar, won control of the whole Roman Empire situated in Italy. This marked the final ending for the Romans, for they had no opportunity to rebuild for the future.

The Roman Empire collapsed from many different reasons that all tied in together to summarize the fall of Rome. The inability to find a good leader was the most important, with each emperor showing the inability to win back the glory days of Rome and falling down the stretch. Money was also a big issue, with many soldiers being underpaid and eventually choosing to quit their duties of being fierce warriors in a once strong army. Rome also collapsed from violence and wars within the empire, which corrupted their society as a whole. This empire lost faith in its armies but especially their leaders. As a whole, the Roman Empire declined and completely fell in ranks as a great empire, from strongest to weakest. 

APA Bibliography

Ancient Rome, (2011). In Decline and Disintegration. Retrieved Apr. 12, 2011, from

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome

The British Museum, (2010). In The Roman Empire. Retrieved Apr. 12, 2011, from

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/r/the_roman_empire.aspx

           

Week 6: Daily #3

How does Early Christian and Byzantine portraiture represent both a continuation of and a break from the past? Look up the Fayum Portraits and the Ravenna Portrait of Justinian  as a starting point for your thinking.

The early portraiture from the early Christians and Byzantines show a continuation from the past in different ways. One way is that many of these early portraits that we see today often depicted a person in a different event. This shows that the past can be seen in early portraits where a specific person was influenced by the event. The Ravenna Portrait of Justinian is a good example of how you can see emperor Justinian and the Bishop of Ravenna with other soldiers around him. This portrait represents the Roman Empire in the time of Justinian, which continues the past. The past is also continued by when artists used some of the materials that were sacred in making portraits back then.  If there was a material that was important in making a portrait, we can see the material being used in the portrait, continuing the past materials used back then in today's world.

The early portraiture represents a break in the past in other ways, too. One way is that some of the portraits of early Christians and Byzantines were very abstract and focused more on the detail of the portrait. This shows that the detail in the painting often spoke louder than the meaning behind the portrait. Also, artwork at this time often was seen in great architectural buildings, so we can focus on the massive buildings of the time instead of the past events. So the artists at this time showed great detail in their portraits, but they also had a great story equal to the artwork depicted in the portrait. 

Daily #2: Stoicism Complete Essay

Adam Beard
4/5/11

Seneca was a man who was close to Nero and was trusted by Nero. Even though he was sentenced to death, Seneca showed a great deal of stoicism even in the face of death. Death fell upon Seneca, but he was unaffected by it.  Stoicism is the ability to endure pain and hardship while retaining the ability to control one’s emotions; Seneca at his death was a perfect example of a stoic.

One quote that defines stoicism is from the Death of Seneca. “Seneca, quite unmoved, asked for tablets on which to inscribe his will, and, on the centurion's refusal, turned to his friends, protesting that as he was forbidden to requite them, he bequeathed to them the only, but still the noblest possession yet remaining to him, the pattern of his life, which, if they remembered, they would win a name for moral worth and steadfast friendship” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote makes a good point about Seneca’s character. Even at the brink of death, Seneca held his emotions on the inside and showed that he did not care that death was coming. Seneca knew he was going to endure the pain of death, but he did not show that he cared at all. Seneca showed the ability to control his emotions on the inside while his friends and family didn’t see that Seneca even cared about death. Seneca was unaffected by the effect of death and death did not even matter to him.

Seneca can also be defined as a stoic by another quote from the Death of Seneca. This quote is, “Upon this the tribune asserted that he saw no signs of fear, and perceived no sadness in his words or in his looks” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote tells how Seneca was just sentenced to death but he showed no emotions from it. Seneca did not even show any tears and he was not even scared at the thought of death.  He was unaffected by Nero’s sentence of death to him. Seneca was going through a lot of suffering at the time but it did not seem to upset him. It is as if Seneca just dealt with the pain and didn’t even care his life would be coming to an end. This quote also shows that Seneca was stoical near his death.

Another quote also describes the stoicism shown by Seneca. The quote is, “He had no reason," he said, for "preferring the interest of any private citizen to his own safety, and he had no natural aptitude for flattery” (Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE). This quote shows that Seneca did not really show any interest in any one person. He also didn’t really say anything to the people he was close to or complement them for what they have done. Seneca just did not really show an interest in meeting other people or spending time with them. He kept his emotions on the inside and did not show enthusiasm in others. Seneca was more for himself than the wellness of other citizens.

These quotes show the significance of how Seneca represents a stoic. Seneca showed that he was a stoic by the way he reacted to death and by the reaction to others. The truth is that Seneca really did not react to death or other people. He kept all of his feelings and thoughts on the inside and did not show any emotions. Seneca did not show a tear and did not send out a cry of fear. Seneca just endured his hardship and controlled his emotions to a point where he didn’t even show any. Seneca was very quiet and subdued about a topic of death when many other people would cry and scream at the moment of death.  Seneca did not complain or whine; he persevered through feelings of pain. This made Seneca a great example of a stoic.

 Work Cited in APA Format

Tacitus, (1998). In Tacitus: The Death of Seneca, 65 CE. Retrieved Apr. 4, 2011, from http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/tacitus-ann15a.html