Holy Helena, Rome's Catacomb Chronicles, Constantine's Betrayal

Allison Brown Western World Civilization I Dr. Logan 14 October, 2020 Homework #3 1.) From the documentary: What important role did Helena play in the foundation of the Christian faith? Helena, who would later come to be known as Saint Helena, was fundamental in the establishment of the Christian faith and could even be credited with its legality to be granted by her son Constatine I in Rome. After the violence/tragedy that took Constatine’s family (his wife and son), Helena made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and was crucial in the construction of churches over Nativity sites. Helena would then make the (highly debated) discovery of the “true cross”, the cross that was used to crucify Jesus. This would be contested over the years and still continues to be. Helena was fundamental in the Christian faith also because many speculate that Constatine legalized Christianity in Rome because of his mother and their close relationship. 2.) From the documentary: Why are the catacombs of Rome important to history? The catacombs that run underneath Rome are some of the first known to be built of their style and have been dated back to the first century. The bodies in these catacombs are predominantly Chrsitan (a religion that was still illegal at this point) with some Jewish and Roman pagan burials as well. These catacombs were constructed because at the time burials were outlawed within the Roman city limits, because of sanitation. Pagans and some other groups in Rome cremated their bodies but Chrisitans, because of their beliefs in needing their bodies intact for the resurrection that they believed would come. The catacombs construction was started by a handful of well-off Christian families and then expanded to include other Christians in Rome. The catacombs are important to history because in the tunnels there are frescos and sculptures that depict this period of Judaism and the earlier-beginnings of Christianity. Information and art like that found in the catacombs is difficult to find elsewhere and has provided invaluable insight into these two religions in Rome during this early period. 3.) From the additional information/files: What act of betrayal ended Constantine’s plans for succession? Constantine planned for hereditary succession, so that his son Crispus would fill his leadership role when he died in order to keep the family line in rule. Constantine favored Crispus as a son and heir to his position, however, this was all turned over when Fausta accused Crispus of attack and sexual assault. Constatine then orders the arrest, trial, and execution with no hesitation. He then comes to the realization that Faussta had led Cirspus to commit those acts in order for her own son to be favored in Constatine’s eyes and become heir. This leads to Constantine retailing and killing Fausta, which then leads Constantine to presumably feel as though he had ruined his family and plans for succession. Constantine would not marry again. 4.) From the additional information/files: What evidence exists that suggests Justinian’s plague was not as severe as the “Black Death?” Lee Mordechai, an environmental historian at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, along with other historians and researchers, came to the conclusion through their study that Justinian’s plague was nowhere near as severe as the “Black Death”. Their study found that some of the “ancient pollen data” from that time did not suggest any lack in field workers which is a piece of evidence that the plague was not as severe as believed. Another sign came from an economic angle, archaeologists found that coin circulation and currency values remained stable throughout the outbreak, which is not indicative of a massive loss of population. And that group burials, which is defined in the article as more than five people, were not found in abundance with the time of Justinian’s plague, unlike that of the “Black Death”. 5.) From the documentary: What was the importance of the Ka’aba before the birth of Muhammad the prophet? The Ka’aba before Muhammad the prophet was a sort of sanctuary for religous gatherings before his birth. It is believed by Muslims that Abraham (known as Ibrahim in Islam) and son son Ismail constructed the Ka’aba. Traditionally the Ka’aba is an unroofed, rectangular structure. Before the birth of Muhammad though, Ka’aba housed the “Black Stone” and other statues of pagan gods. Mudhammad “cleansed” the Ka’aba of idols when he returned victorious to Mecca, and returned the shrine to its montehstic state.