Essay of Sorts

Over the time span of 100 CE to 600 CE, Rome went through many changes. Political life changed when the empire was split into two halves. Cultural life changed as Christianity went from being outlawed to becoming the religion of the empire. Through all the changes however, the patriarchal system stayed in tact, leaving women with few rights. One significant change was the division of the Roman Empire into two separate states. When Rome was unified, the empire was huge with roads stretching from Spain to Syria. The empire was difficult for one man to rule due to it’s massive size. It was under the constant attack of barbarians from the West which hurt the economy and population of the empire. The emperor Diocletian decided the best way to rule the area was to split it in two in 284 CE. He ruled over the east where there was greater wealth and trade, and reformed the economic system. He gave Maximum, a military official, the West. The West continued to be under siege from barbarians and attackers whereas the East prospered. His plan worked because the empire probably would’ve fallen much sooner if it had not been divided. The split caused the East to advance and continue for much longer than it would have.

Another important change was the shift from Paganism to Christianity. Towards the beginning of the Roman empire, the people were pagans and believed in many different gods. Their culture revolved around the numerous Roman gods that they worshipped and built their lives around. The worship of emperors was common and practiced by everyone. However, after the decline of the Roman Empire, and the split between Diocletian and the Tetrarchy, Christianity began to become more popular especially among the lower class. Eventually its popularity grew to the point that Constantine legalized it as a religion in 313 when he converted. The people of Rome followed their leader and the culture changed with the religion. People’s lifestyles changed and along with them,