Lesson 75: Writing Assignment

1) In what ways did Christianity represent a departure from the ideals and practices of ancient Greece and Rome?

2) Discuss the relationship between Rome and the Visigoths.

1. Christianity was definitely very different, in the aspect of charity and good deeds. The Greeks and Romans thought that if one took the time to do something extra for another person, they should be commended publicly for it. It was shocking to them that that the Christians were generous and giving of themselves, without expecting anything in return for it. But the Christians created whole organizations for the purpose of supporting widows, orphans, and the homeless. They sacrificed their time and energy selflessly, to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and share the gospel. The Greeks and Romans, on the other hand, would only take up these actions if they had to, as a mere duty. They would never consider it the norm to act in this manner all the time. 

Also, Christians valued human life more preciously than the pagans. For example, the Stoic religion justified committing suicide and the Romans practiced the killing of weak infants. The Stoics would say that you should have complete control over your life, even having the liberty to choose when it should end. This was their sick and twisted way of even making the horrendous act of suicide acceptable. Christians would never believe that these awful practices were okay or excusable whatsoever. 

2.The Visigoths were a Germanic tribe, that was trying to escape the wrath of the vicious Huns tribe. In the year 376 B.C., the Roman emperor Valen permitted them to enter the city, if they gave up their weapons and their youths as hostages. The Romans did not treat them well, forcing them to live in awful conditions and starving them. This eventually led to their revolt and a war that they won  against Rome,in Adrionople. The year 392 brought the reign of a new emperor, Theodosius I. He attempted to make up for the severe mistreatment of the Visgoths, by granting them money. Yet upon his death, the emperor Arcades took away these subsidies.
Furious, the Visigoth leader, Alaric attacked Italy, taking a ton of loot with him. Rome had no choice but to leave the area of the river Rhine. Other Germanic tribes then proceeded to move into the region. There was plenty of chaos caused by these tribes for ten years, until they left for Spain and Gaul.  At last they were content to stay in these cities, and didn't come back to Rome for well over 200 years.