Paris and London

Medieval City Life

The life of all the classes was dominated by the feudal system. The daily life for of a noble lord, a knight, a noblewoman, a peasant and, a peasant woman was very hard. The jobs and occupations showed the quality of life during the Middle Ages. People in the Middle Ages enjoyed various types of music and dance. The Music of Middle Ages providing information about the music, and musical instruments.

Medieval peasants were either classified as free menor those who owed heavy labor service to a lord. They were bound to the land, and subject to feudal life. Village life was busy for both classes. Much of this harsh life was lived outdoors, wearing simple dress. Village life would change from outside influences with market pressures and new landlords. The lives of men during the Middle Ages was difficult. They had to care for their land, serve as head of their household, and had to be almost entirely self-sufficient. It was necessary to repair their own tools and furniture, build their own homes, and plow fields. The woman's work was toilsome as well. They had to tend crops and gardens, work in fields, and take care of the farm animals. Taking care of their children was also another top priority.

The manor was the place where most people lived during the Middle Ages. Feudalism bound most people to the land of a lord. But in return the lord provided protection for them. The manor house and land, crops and livestock were located on the home farm. Most times peasants were often serfs who were unable to leave the estate without the lord’s permission. Some peasants were freemen who had more rights and fewer responsibilities to the lord. But both needed the lord’s protection and had to serve the lord.

In the medieval cities waste chamber pots were emptied into the streets< which would cause lots of problems. With mud streets this presented a messy problem also. When a heavy rain would come, the waste products left on the ground would wash to the river. This caused a health problem, with drinking water and polluted springs. Disease was viewed as punishment. Smallpox was endemic, leprosy was common and the people in medieval cities were effected by this.

Tudor Dynasty

The Tudor Dynasty was a royal family that ruled England from 1485 to 1603. The founder of the dynasty was Owen Tudor. He was from a Welsh family, who was a squire at the court of Henry V and who married that king's widow, Catherine. The Tudor dynasty was an English royal dynasty that lasted 118 years. The founder was Henry Tudor, a descendent of an illegitimate son of John of Gaunt, the first Duke of Lancaster, the third son of Edward III. Henry VII was also a descendent of Edward I through his great-grandmother, Margaret Holland.

During the reign of the Tudors the country was divided between the Catholics and the Protestants. The foundation of national religion was set. The Bible was translated into many languages and became aware of the facts in religion. People began to gather courage and strength to talk about the deeds of the Pope and Church. The most famous of the tudor dynasty were Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward IV, Mary I, Elizabeth I. Henry VIII is the most famous for having many wives and Elizabeth is famous for her lack of husbands. The Tudor dynasty has captivated history for hundreds and hundreds of years. This is because of the colorful characters, political and personal personality attached to each person.

The Tudors first came to power in 1485 when Henry defeated Richard III. He then became the first Tudor King to rule. The father of Henry VIII, was troubled during his reign but he also brought about unification within the country. Later on England had been divided between the Houses of Lancaster and York. Until Henry VII’s marriage to the daughter of Edward IV, who united the two houses back together.

The throne of England was inherited by Edwar , Mary I, known as 'Bloody Mary' for her burning of Protestants and Elizabeth 1. She survived a tough childhood and she lead England to victory over the Spanish, the greatest power of the age. The Tudor dynasty became extinct on the death of Elizabeth without a heir to take over in 1603. The crown of England was then passed to Henry VII's great-grandson, James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England.

The history of Christmas

Christmas is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for coming together with family and friends. But mostly, Christmas is for love, the love for which Jesus came to this world and sacrificed his life. Christmas is a celebration of love symbolized by the Nativity and Santa. It is all that brings the family and friends the spirit of love and life. This spirit is what makes Christmas so popular throughout the world.

St. Nicholas was a Christian priest, who later became a bishop. He did not like to be seen when he gave away presents, so the children of the day were told to go to sleep quickly or he would not come. Still today this has not changed and Santa Claus will not arrive during any Christmas unless children go to sleep early. There is a famous story about St. Nicholas, that is about a poor man who had no money to give to his three daughters on their wedding day and then he dropped bags of gold into the stockings which the girls had left to dry by the fire. They found the gold and ever since, children have hung up stockings on Christmas Eve hoping that they will be filled with presents by Christmas morning.

Santa was then portrayed by dozens of artists in a wide variety of styles, sizes, and colors. He appeared in magazines, on billboards, and shop counters, encouraging Americans to see Coke as the solution to "a thirst for all seasons." By the 1950s Santa was turning up everywhere. This commercial success led to the North American Santa Claus being exported around the world where he threatens to overcome the European St. Nicholas, who has retained his identity as a Christian bishop and saint.

The Christmas tree, one of the most famous symbols of the modern Christmas celebration. By the 19Th century the Christmas tree had become very popular in America. Early Christmas trees were decorated with apples, nuts and candles. But today they are decorated with electrical lights, tinsels, ornaments and a large star is usually placed on the top of the tree. Because of his kindness Nicholas was made a Saint. St. Nicholas is also the saint of sailors. One story tells of him helping some sailors that were caught in a storm. All the men were scared that their ship would sink. They prayed to St. Nicholas to help them and how the legend goes is that he was standing on the deck before them. Nicholas ordered the sea to calm down, the storm died away.

Christmas is the most looked forward to holiday for most Christian children. Many people often think only of gifts, and not about the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is many times celebrated by people who do not believe in Jesus. The real cause is to remember the birth of Jesus. The modern day Christmas includes gifts, church celebrations, and the many decorations. Like the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus has become the main focus of Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of St. Nicholas. (bookrags) (Online source)

online book: Bookrags:http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2003/12/24/184125/97
online source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Salah al Din

Saladin was born into a prominent Kurdish family, and it is said that on the night of his birth, his father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub, gathered his family and moved to Aleppo. He grew up in Damascus, where he apparently had an undistinguished youth, with a greater taste for religious studies than military training. Historians believe he was a short man with a neat beard and in some ways frail. Salah al-Din founded the Ayyubid dynasty of Egypt and Syria. He was born in 1138 in Tikrit. He was a Kurdish warrior, who became the Sultan of Egypt. Salah al Din became a legend in the East and West for his role in clearing the Crusaders from Jerusalem.

Saladin learned his military lessons and began to stand out among Nur ed-Din's forces. In several campaigns between the years of 1164 and 1169 he had made many lasting impressions on people. In just two years Saladin united Egypt with the Abbasid Caliphate. When Nur ed-Din died in 1174, Saladin began his expansion of the territories. After a three-month battle he captured Jerusalem in 1187.

Saladin achieved a great reputation in Europe as a chivalrous knight. His relationship with King Richard I of England, was one of mutual respect as well as military rivalry. When Richard was wounded, Saladin even offered the services of his personal physician. Saladin brought an entirely different concept of a city to Cairo after the Fatimids, because he wanted a unified, thriving, fortified place, protected by strong walls.

By the end of 1185 Saladin had imposed his authority in northern Syria and Mesopotamia. He was ready to turn his full attention to the crusading kingdom. The jihad was declared in the beginning of 1187. Saladin set a trap for the crusaders; they marched into it and were surprised and slaughtered. (Cantor)

The kings of western Europe responded to the fall of Jerusalem by taking the cross and then by gathering their knights and this was known as the Third Crusade. King Richard I defeated Saladin. In February 1193, Saladin rode out from Damascus to welcome pilgrims returning from Mecca. His greatest ambition had been to make the pilgrimage to Mecca but he had never found the time. It was a very cold day and that evening Saladin had to go to bed with a fever. As days passed his condition worsened and he became unconscious and died on March 3rd. (bookrags)

Bookrags:http://www.bookrags.com/biography/saladin/ (Online book)
Cantor, F, Norman. The civilization of the Middle Ages. New York. 1993. Harpercollins publishers, Inc.

The Popes of the Crusades

There were many popes during the time of the crusades. The main ones were Pope Gregory the seventh, Pope Urban the second, Pope Eugenius the third, Pope Gregory the eighth, Pope Innocent the third, and Pope Nicholas the fourth. These were the most important and most remembered popes of the time. The ones that I find most interesting are Gregory the seventh, Pope Urban the second, pope Innocent the third and Pope Gregory the eighth .

Gregory the seventh was born in Sovana, Italy in 1020. He was the son of Bunicus. Gregory came to Rome at an early age for his education. He is considered the most important of the popes. In Cologne he was wanted to pursue his studies; he had an interest in the elevation of the Church. Gregory become pope and helped the church out and created a stronger church.

Pope Urban the second was born around 1035 to a noble family in northern France. He was educated at a school associated with the Reims cathedral. Urban worked in Germany as a papal legate, who supported for Pope Gregory VII in the struggle with the Holy Roman Emperor. After the death of Gregory, Urban was elected pope on March 12, 1088, but was in exile at the time. Urban was a member of a reform movement that wanted the clergy to be more removed and from this it brought him closer to life in a monastery.

Pope Innocent was one of the greatest popes of the Middle Ages. He was the son of Count Trasimund and was born 1160 or 1161 at Anagni. Innocent had an his early education at Rome, in which he studied theology at Paris, and became a theologian and one of the greatest jurists of that time. Innocent had tried to improve the church discipline and to root out all corruption don to the local level. He was very concerned about the unprofessional behaviour in the clergy. The necessary foundation of all achievements according to Innocent was the reconstruction of the administration of the church. (Cantor Norman 419 and 501)

Pope Gregory was born in Albert de Mora and was the Pope from October 25, 1187 until his death. He was a well-educated noble who became a monk at a very young age. Pope Gregory the eighth was also known as Gregory the Great. he was nit only a pope but also a apostle of English. He is considered one of the most important popes and influential writers of the Middle Ages. He was the son of a Roman senator and entered the service of the State at a very young age. In 573 he sold most of his properties and founded six monasteries in Sicily and the seventh in Rome. Gregory did not live to see the third crusade because he died of fever that same year. (Bookrags)

Cantor, F, Norman. The civilization of the Middle Ages. New York. 1993. Harpercollins publishers, Inc.
Online Book: Bookrags: http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Pope_Gregory_VIII

The Reign of Justianian!!!

The Emperor Justinian ruled from 527 to 65. He expanded an extensive area of territory and military for the Byzantine Empire. Justinian started one of the most aggressive and greatest military programs in Medieval history. His reign is known for the record of architectural and artistic production. During Justinian's reign, the Hagia Sophia was being rebuilt in Constantinople from 532 to 537. Around 480 a young peasant boy was born in the northern region of the Roman Empire known as Thracia. His name was Petrus, but he would be known by historians as Justinian. His uncle Justin, assured Justinian that he would have a successful career in the military.

The reign of Justinian was a significant period because it marked the final end of the Roman empire and the establishment of the new Byzantine empire. Although much is told about Justinian's reign, there is a great deal more to be known about Theodora, his wife. Justinian's armies invaded the Vandal, Ostrogoth, and Visigoth kingdoms and this led to a series of bitter wars. He reconquered much of the Mediterranean lands of the West and it almost seemed as if he had no choice in the matter. During the wars, Justinian had bought peace with the Persians through regular payments of gold.

Justinian succeeded his uncle, Justin, in 527 AD. Before becoming emperor, he married Theodora. In 532 AD, Justinian made peace with the Sassanids which then had made it possible for him to send Roman troops to reconquer, Italy from the Ostrogoths, Africa from the Vandals, and Spain from the Visigoths. This time in history is called the Byzantine Reconquest. In 542 AD, there was a terrible plague that had broke out throughout the Empire, which some historians believe may be the first appearance of the bubonic plague. Justinian had made a law or code for the people of that time to follow. Out of his code would eventually grow the legal systems of modern Europe. The Byzantine Empire reached its greatest expansion under Justinian's rule. He wanted to retake all the Roman territory that had been lost in the previous years. Justinian is known has one of the most successful rulers of the Early Middle Ages. Though a lot of this success was from what he did, a lot of his success was because of his wife Theodora. (Corrick, James 80 & 81)

In the final years of Justinian's reign, misfortune came to the empire. In 556 there was another Samaritan revolt and the next year, a great earthquake shook Constantinople and caused damage. Then the following year, the dome of the new Hagia Sophia collapsed, and had to be rebuilt with a entire new design and around the same time, the plague returned to Constantinople. Another problem that occurred was street violence and there were bread shortages and water shortages. And in late 562, there was a conspiracy which almost succeeded in killing Justinian.

The emperors after Justinian never had the strength to reconstruct the Roman Empire. After him the Byzantine Empire just drifted farther and farther away from the European culture to one of its own. The Justinian code is the last written product of the Byzantine letters to be written in Latin. Justinian was the greatest emperor since Constantine. Justinian's code is known to maybe be the most outstanding accomplishment in history. The law consists of legal life of a great world empire over many years. (Norman Cantor 125 & 131)

Cantor, F, Norman. The civilization of the Middle Ages. New York. 1993. Harpercollins publishers, Inc.
Corrick, A, James. "The Early Middle Ages. San Diego. 1995. Lucent Books, Inc.

William the conqueror

William was the son of Robert the Duke of Normandy, and Herleva of Falaise. He was born in 1027. In 1035, Robert went on a pilgrimage, but before he settled out on his he forced his lords to swear to protect William. It is said that William was illegitimate, and though he was, he was the only living son of Robert. Robert of Normandy died in 1035 on his way to pilgrimage. Robert had left him several Norman guardians to watch over him. Many Normans did not want an illegitimate son as their leader and in 1040 some people made an attempt to kill William. The plan failed but they did manage to kill his guardians. Shortly after, William was forced to accept Ralph of Wacy as his guardian and leader of his armed forces. He was not happy with this because Ralph had been involved in the plot against him.

In 1047, the same people rebelled against William again. They, once again failed but these two situations taught him to trust no one. William believed that if someone betrayed him, then he should show no mercy to them in return. William is well known as a violent leader. When William had taken over a town, he ordered that those who had abused him should have their hands and feet cut off. Sometimes it was worse then this. In 1051, William met Edward the Confessor, the King of England. William had claimed that Edward promised him the throne of England. But at the meeting of Edward's death there were no witnesses at the meeting.

In 1053, William married Matilda of Flanders, the daughter of Count Baldwin of Flanders. They had nine children. During the reign of William, his power in Normandy was constantly under threat. William and Matilda eventually married, and they seemed to have been quite happy together. They had at least four sons and five daughters. The pope didn't agree with the marriage because William and Matilda were distant cousins. The King of England promised to make William king after he had died. He also promised to marry William's daughter Agatha. But King Harold broke both of these promises, which would start the Norman invasion of England.

One feature of William’s reign as king was his reorganization of the feudal and administrative systems. He introduced the Continental system of feudalism, also establishing that a vassal’s loyalty to the king was far more greater then his loyalty to his lord. William also did another outstanding accomplishment which was the economic survey undertaken and incorporated in 1086. William and his sons had great financial resources not only because of England's wealth but because money was needed to support the king and his family, and everything else. William set up a taxation inauguration which became the important key to the political history of the Middle Ages. (Norman Cantor)

Though he is well known as one of the greatest rulers of the middle ages, William's later years were sad, hard ones. He lost his wife, Matilda in 1083 and grew so very fat that while on a military campaign in the year 1087,he fell of his horse and injured his stomach on his saddle horn. The wound never healed and this led to an illness from which he never recovered from. On September 9, 1087, William died. His body had become so bloated and big from the swelling that the people had a hard time fitting him into the tomb. While they struggled to wedge it in, his body burst open, and puss squeezed out everywhere. The whole church had filled with the smell of the rotting body. (book rags)

Online book: http://www.bookrags.com/research/william-the-conqueror-scit-0212345/
Cantor, F, Norman. The civilization of the Middle Ages. New York. 1993. Harpercollins publishers, inc.

NO BLOG THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!

King Charlemagne

Charlemagne was born in April 747 and died on January 28, 814. The place where Charlemagne was born is unknown historians. He was best known as the Frankish king and the Holy Roman Emperor. He was the Frankish king who conquered most of Europe and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800. Charlemagne united most of Europe and created a period of order during the Middle Ages. He was the first Germanic ruler to get the title of emperor. Charlemagne left his mark on the newly rising civilization of the West. He was the son of Pepin the Short and the grandson of Charles Martel. From 768 to 771, Charlemagne shared the kingdom with his brother, Carloman. When Carloman died, He became the main ruler.

Charlemagne became a giant figure in the western world especially in Europe during all his reign and even after his death, he would never be forgotten. Though Charlemagne's empire was very great, it did not replace the lost government of Rome. He contributed to the Early Middle Ages because of his concern with law. His main goal was to reform the legal system in the Frankish empire. He had eventually strengthened the feudal, political, and economic systems. Charlemagne appeared to be both a Christian and barbarian leader and emperor. Though it was said, that he was a Christian emperor, he was very brutal and violent. Though he was a Christian, he had no ideal of what Christianity was really about. ( Middle Ages 171, 172 & The Early Middle Ages 56, 57)

Charlemagne married the daughter of the Lombard king Desiderius in 770 in order to maintan an alliance with each other. When his brother dies, he sent his wife back to the Lombard king and began to expand his empire by attacking the Lombards. By the year 774, He had defeated his father-in-law and had gained control of northern Italy. Charlemagne had one of the best intelligence networks of the time, he sent out spies and scouts to determine locations of his enemies. He often divided his army into two columns and reunited them at the minute of the attack. Charlemagne's army were almost always successful because of their number and individual abilities.


Charlemagne was the most powerful ruler of Western Europe and the realm he had conquered covered what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and The Netherlands. Charlemagne restored much of the unity of the old Roman Empire and brought much of the development to modern Europe. On Christmas Day in 800, while Charlemagne knelt in prayer in Saint Peter's in Rome, was crowned King. The church shouted, " great and pacific emperor, long life and victory." He is considered the first Holy Roman emperor , and got the title Charles the Great, though he did not use it.

In 811, Charlemagne began the march to Verden to meet Godefrid, the king of the Norsemen. Before Charlemagne and Godefrid could meet for battle, Godefrid was murdered. Charlemagne was now seventy years old and when he heard news of what had happened, began the trip back home. This would be his last expedition. In 813, his health became very bad, so he gave his power and empire to his son Louis and less than a year later, he was dead.

Cantor, Norman. The Civilization of the Middle Ages. New York: HarpersCollins Publishers Inc. 1963
Corrick, James. The Early Middle Ages. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc. 1995

Thanks for letting me turn this in late Mr lockwood!!!!!!!

The Middle Ages: The black death

The Middle Ages have many interesting parts to it. The one I found most interesting was the time during the Black death. The Black Death reached the shores of Italy in 1348, unleashing a huge percent of death across Europe. By the end of the three year period, 25% to 50% of people had been affected or killed by the plague. The plague was spread by fleas that attached themselves to rats who then attached themselves to humans which caused the time of the black death.

The plague was in three forms. The bubonic variant which was the most common of them was the swellings that appeared on a person's neck, armpits, or groin. These tumors ranged in size from the size an egg to the size of an apple. Some survived the painful time but usually the person had a life expectancy of up to a week. Infected fleas that attached themselves to rats and then to humans spread this bubonic type of the plague. The second type was the pneumonic plague, it attacked the respiratory system and could be spread just by breathing the exhaled air of a sick person. It was much more life threatening, a person only lived up to one to two days. And the last one was the septicemic version of the disease which affected the blood system. The population decreased because of the plague and this eventually led to an economic depression. Merchants and tradesmen had less and less people to whom they could sell their items too. The economic hardship spread throughout the community and made a huge effect on all of the people. The only ones who could avoid the disease and hardship were those who were wealthy and could travel and leave the city for the country.

I think this time, during the middle ages is so interesting because it shows me what the people had to deal with and go through. Its also interesting because, it goes to show me that I should be thankful for the technology we have and for the medical system we have today. There were many effects from the plague. One was that art was greatly affected by the plague. During the time of panic and fear, artists were inspired to draw and their drawings reflected what they were going through. Therefore the plague benefited art. Another thing that was effected was the way people looked at children after this. After this time children were not considered important and not worth the trouble. It took Europe four hundred years to regain the same population before the Black death.

I think the black death was interesting because i found out that scientists think the plague and HiV are similar. I also learned that though many people died from this disease, some survived. For a disease to infect a human body there must be a gateway through which the disease enters into human cells. The plague works by attacking the white blood cells sent to fight it off. It then travels inside the white blood cells to the lymph nodes. From there the bacteria breaks out and attacks the immune system. It is said that maybe, CCR5 gene or delta 32, may have prevented the disease from being able to enter a person's white blood cells. This topic really held my interest and showed me things from the past can be linked to things in the present time.

There were many reasons to why the plague was worse than it might have been. Europe was too overcrowded, the cities were crowded with people living in unsanitary conditions. Their bedding was made from straw which provided a perfect nesting place for rats and the fleas. In general conditions of health were very poor.Also the food supply could not keep pace with the population growth. The result of this was a series of devastating famines that had left Europeans weak and vulnerable to a any kind of diseases. The plague did not entirely disappear but instead had occasional local outbreaks, especially in central Asia. When it did return it create a widespread of panic in populations. Social order was weakened under the stress, and the hungry and exhausted people became more vulnerable to this plague or any plague for that matter. ( bookrag and online book/ encyclopedia)

Online book: http://www.bookrags.com/history/black-death-hf/sub6.html
online book/ encyclopedia: http://www.deathreference.com/Bl-Ce/Black-Death.html

My overall impression of the class

My overall impressions of the class was that this year was my favorite year being in your class Mr. Lockwood. I have learned so much in your class, though it may seem I haven't, I really have. I definitely understood a lot more this year then some of the past years. All the different civilizations and ways of life we learned about really kept me very interested. I really appreciated how you went through all the chapters with us and also how once in a while you had given us what was going to be on the quiz.

History class this year, I think really was beneficial to me cause everything we learned made sense and I learned so much. The topics were very interesting and I think the overall outcome of this year was for the most part very organized and educational. I liked how we read the book together and how we had discussions about it. Also how we watched movies to give us even more information on the subject was also very helpful too. Some of my favorite movies were about the gladiators and Pompeii. Both kept me really interested and I really enjoyed watching them.

Something I think that could be improved or fixed was the quiz and test dates. They were set for a certain date but then when that day, we didn't end up taking it. It was kinda frustrating studying for the quizzes and tests and then not taking it that same day and having to restudy it again. Other than this everything went smoothly. I found that towards the middle of the year that my quiz and tests scores were a lot better when you told us what was gonna be on it. From you doing this I now feel like I know what to expect on the quizzes and tests.

As for the blogs I think these were very helpful as well, they gave us another source to the topic we were on. Concerning the blogs I would say that maybe we could have them every other week instead of each week. But I do prefer doing these over a huge report every semester. I also think that maybe if we couldn't have them every other week, then perhaps they could be due on Sunday at like 2:00 pm. But other then that I have enjoyed doing the blogs.

This year was overall very productive and educational. I'm definitely looking forward to next year and In hope it is just as good. I would say my overall impression of this class was that it was an awesome year. I'm looking forward to another great year being in your class. The material we learned this year wasn't just history to me, I really enjoyed learning about it.

Islam and Christianity

Islam and Christianity both are considered monotheistic religions because both believe in one God. Both Islam and Christianity recognize that there God as the Creator of the world. Another similarity is that God is omnipotent and immanent within His creation yet he is transcendent. Christianity and Islam believe in many of the same things, but they do have differences within each one. The main difference between Islam and Christianity is that Muhammad isn't considered divine but Jesus is. Within Islam, Jesus is considered a prophet but not the son of God. They believe that Muhammad was the last prophet or messenger of God. Another main difference is that Muslims see no separation between their religion and political authority but Christianity sees this situation completely different. (Discussion/Movie notes)

Christianity believes that there is only one true God and that people are to worship him only. This is the same within Islam. It is said that both believe that Jesus died on the cross but that the Muslims don't believe he rose from the dead. Within that situation, the people of Islam believed that Allah tricked them and put another man in his place. Christians believe in the Bible and the Muslims believe in the Koran. Christianity believes that God gave and presented his word in the Bible. Islam however, believes that Allah has given his eternal, uncreated Koran or Quran to the Muslim people.

Christianity and Islam both, believe that Satan exists, as well as evil spirits and that they are known as enemies to mankind. Another main difference is that Islam does not believe in the trinity but Christianity does. The Islamic people believe Jesus and Muhammad both were a Prophet and a servant of God but that Muhammad was the last Prophet sent by God to guide the people. Prayer was one of the most important things to Christians and Muslims. They believe prayer is a way of communicating with God and how God hears our prayers and sometimes grants what we ask of him. Something I found quite interesting was that not only does Christianity believe in faith without works is dead but so does Islam. My question is how could two religions who believe in the same God, have totally different ways of life? The majority of rituals and beliefs within each religion are quite different from each other. The main theological differences between Christianity and Islam were that both had different beliefs within the religion, different views of God, and different views of Creation. (bookrags)

The people of Islam believe that when we die we will go to barzakh, an interim afterlife, where we will wait until Judgment Day. But Christians believe that when we die, we are immediately judged and sent to Heaven or Hell, this is based on whether we excepted Christ or not. As I already had said, that Christians believe in the trinity, the Muslims believe in indivisible. It is mandatory for Muslims to face Mecca and prayer five times every day but as for Christians we have no such obligation of this.

From doing this blog I have learned that there is far more similarties between Islam and Christianity but at the same time there are many differences. Though there are a few similarities between Islam and Christianity, Muslims do not believe in that Jesus was the son of God, though they believe him to have been a prophet, they are missing the main purpose of who he is. F Muslims do not hold to any assurance of salvation and therefore they do not feel that it is necessary for Jesus to pay for their sins. Instead Muslims believe that every man must pay for his or her own sins; and that for Jesus to be punished for our sins would be unjust. Christians however, believe that man had no ability to pay for his sins alone because without God's grace we cannot be saved.
Movie/ Discussion notes
Bookrags: online book:http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2004/5/11/18575/1149

The Muslim conquest of Byzantium

Byzantium is the name for both the state and the culture of the Eastern Roman Empire during the middle ages. The Byzantium Empire's capital city was Constantinople. The Byzantine civilization did once constitute a major world culture. Constantinople, had been founded as the capital of Rome by the Emperor Constantine.

Almost all of Byzantine energy would be focused on Islam during the next few centuries to come. The Muslims very quickly conquered Byzantine territory in Syria and Egypt mainly because of disaffected populations of Christians and Jews who had been persecuted for such a long time. They easily conquered all the Persian territories, but they could never all together conquer the heart of Byzantium itself. In 670, the Muslims attempted this conquest with a huge fleet, but failed. Then in 717, they tried again with a land and sea operation against the city.

By the end of Muhammad's time, the Muslims were raiding into Byzantine territory in Syria and were beginning to conquer the Persian territories. The first conquests took place under the caliph Abu Bakr. The very first conquest took place in 633-634. The general Yazid defeated the Byzantine commander Sergios at Gaza and from here on the Muslims took over places within the Byzantine Empire. It is important to know that when we speak about the fall of the Byzantine Empire, that we understand that the western side fell not the eastern. The 2nd great civilization was that of the rise of Islam and the Islamic civilization which was religious and had developed from the teachings of the prophet Muhammad. The Muslims quite quickly then moved to Egypt and defeated the Egyptians there and took it over.

The spread of Islam began to grow after the death of Muhammad in 632. The Islamic conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the later led to the decline of the Zoroastrian religion. The achievements of the Persian civilizations were not completely lost, but were absorbed basically by the new Islamic religion. Islam was a religion that spread like a wildfire through out the known world. The new growing religion began to pull in many followers who then became very dedicated to their new faith. The religion Islam spread into one of the world's greatest empires, which was the Byzantine Empire. Byzantium was known was a Roman city that was basically made up of Christians and Jews. I believe why Byzantium fell was because the Islamic religion was so powerful and the fact that the empire had already began to weaken, made it easier for any outside force to attack it. ( Movie/ Discussion notes)

Syria was conquered by Muslim forces. Jerusalem falls to invading Muslim forces. And later in Egypt, Islam also spread. This goes to show us that Islam was a very dangerous religion. Since it was such a new growing religion it catch people eye. The Muslims when they moved in to attack a different area would give the people like the Christians or jews a choice to convert or pay a tax. Many chose to just pay a tax, but as the money roled in, new problems arose. The problems were that everybody wanted their own share of the money and this led to more problems. Finally in 714, the French stopped The muslims . (Online book)

Movie/ Discussion)
Online source: http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/christian/blchron_xian_crusades01.htm

The two main sects of Islam

The Muslim world is divided into two main sects the: Shite and Sunni. Though both follow the same belief, they differ by two points, one is the succession to the Prophet Muhammad, and the other is religious authority in Islam after him. Most of the Muslims belong to the Sunni. The biggest difference between the two is the Caliph of each one.

The Shi'ites split with the Sunni over the issue of the successor to Muhammad. The split occurred after the assassination of the fourth caliph in 661. Shi'ites believe that the successor to Muhammad should have been Ali, his son in law. They believe that they alone are right in their understanding of Islam. They call themselves al-Muminun, or the "true believers."They do not believe in the six correct books but instead have five of their own. Shiites are huge in Iran, where they have deposed the Shah and installed the Ayatollah Khomeini. They have also enforced Islamic law as the rule of the government.

The Islamic religion has many sects and branches. But the largest one is the Sunni. The Sunnis Muslims believe that after Muhammad's death when the confusion ensued from not having a person to head the community, led to the election of Abu Bakr, the Prophet's father-in-law, who became the first Caliph. The Sunni and Shiites did slit but even within the Sunni there is problems. There are some liberal and more secular movements in Sunni Islam that say that Shari'a is interpreted on a basis. They reject any religious edict by religious Muslim authority figures. The Sunni is the dominant form of Islam, captivating over 90% of Muslims worldwide then and today. The Sunni and Shi’a both believe in the oneness of God, the revelations of Mohammad, and resurrection of the day or judgment. But other then that, they totally believe in opposite ways of life. Shi’a believe the leadership of Islam must come from descendants of Mohammad, and grant their spiritual leaders,more power than Sunni sects.

The difference between those both sects is that within Islam initially stemmed not from spiritual differences, but political ones. The word Sunni comes from a Arabic word meaning "one who follows the traditions of the Prophet." The Sunni Muslims focus a lot on the Prophet Muhammad and the Shiites focus less on the Prophet. The word "Shia" in Arabic means a group or supportive party of people. I think that if both sects hadn't split then we may have not been here today. The Sunni Islam is also referred as Sunnism. They represent the branch of Islam that accepted the caliphate of Abu Bakr due to him being chosen by Shurah. Shurah is the first distinguishing factor of Sunni Islam. (Bookrags)

Muhammad died in 632, then Abu Bakr, who was a close companion of the Prophet, became his successor, or caliph. Muslims agree that the most able of the Prophet's followers should be his caliphs. Their followers would come to be known as the orthodox branch of Islam or later on the Sunnis. Sunnis accept the first four Caliphs, which included Ali, who were the rightful followers of Muhammad. But the Shiites believe imams are descendants of the Prophet. This is another way each sect differs from each other. (Source)
Online book: Bookrags: http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Sunni_Islam
Online book/ source:http://middleeast.about.com/od/religionsectarianism/a/me070907sunnis.htm

The 5 pillars of Islam

There are over a billion people who believe in Islam. One out of every five people believe in it. The whole Islamic religion focuses on on the Kabba in Mecca. Mecca is the birth place of Islam. The five pillars of the Islamic religion are the Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Sawm, and the Hajj. The five pillars of Islam are formal acts of worship to the god Allah. The Muslims don't believe that Jesus was the last prophet, they believe Muhammad was. These five pillars are exercises of the faith. ( Islam

The first pillar of Islam is Shahadah which means the declaration of faith that there is one god and that Muhammad was the last messenger of the god Allah. It is the Muslim faith in there one and only god Allah. The Shahadah says in Arabic, "La ilaha ill'Allah, Muhammad rasul Allah", which means that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger. The first pillar is the worship of Allah alone.

The second pillar of Islam is Salah. This pillar required a true Muslim to pray five times a day facing Mecca. The person bows, kneels, and then places his or her head on the ground. Before they begin to pray one must purify there body with water or sand. The prayer usually starts like this, "Praise be to God, Lord of the Universe!, The compassionate, the Merciful, King of the Day of Judgment!. You alone we worship, and to you alone we turn for help. Guide us to the straight path, The path of those whom You have favored, Not of those who have incurred Your wrath, Nor of those who have gone astray".

The third pillar of Islam is Zakah which was that a Muslim was to give to the poor and give regularly to charity. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God. The word zakat means "purification." This pillar says that you must give a average amount of money to those who are poor and to charity. Though if someone could not give money, it was considered okay. Zakah helped keep money flowing within the society.

The fourth pillar of Islam was Sawm or fasting. Every year in the month of Ramada-n, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, fasting from food, drink, and sexual relations with people. If those who were sick, on a journey, elderly or women who were pregnant were permitted to break the fast and make up the number of days later in the year when they were healthy or able. This fasting time was not only for purification but it was also there health.

The fifth pillar was the Hajj which was the pilgrimage to Mecca or in other words the trip to Mecca. To go to Mecca you must be a Muslim, for it was the holy time to worship Allah. Usually Muslims who traveled to Mecca went in a group of people. Muslims have been going to Mecca for many years now and each one is required to go there at least on or twice in his or her lifetime. The journey made to Mecca is mandatory for all who are able to go. Without going to Mecca, Muslims do not fulfill all the five pillars.

Movie notes: Islam people, culture, and conflict
Online book: http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Hajj

How Rome fell and Gibbons explanations

There were many reasons to why the Roman empire fell. The most common one that is known is that the fall of Rome was because of Christianity. The reason why so many blame Christianity as the fall of Rome is because the religion caused the Roman citizens to become Pacifists which made it more difficult to defend the empire against attacks. Crime started to break out in the streets, especially violence which made the bigger cities in Rome unsafe which weakened the empire. Another reason why Rome fell was their public health. The Colosseum was a place where entertainment and games were held but from the blood and death, disease spread. Those that lived on the streets were more vulnerable to get the disease because of the widespread of diseases that swept through the streets. Another reason that caused Rome to fall was the difficulty of choosing another emperor. During a 100 year period, Rome had about 37 emperors and 25 of them were removed by assassination. This caused the overall weakness of the empire.

It didn't take the Goths and Germans very long to realize that Rome was becoming weak. They also realized that he new emperors were weak and so they knew then was the time to attack. Many Roman generals saw this and began to revolt. The Visigoths marched into Rome and took over the city. They sacked the city and took what they wanted. Anyone who crossed them, they killed. The results of this made the Romans wonder how could this happen to us and they began to wonder if the gods were angry with them. The Visigoths didn't stay in Rome for very long instead they moved on toward Italy.

The late economic collapse resulted in hyper-inflation. And from this various problems aroused from from the raising of taxation. The emperors lived luxuries lives and from this it resulted in that the government had no money. When the emperors wanted something they increased taxation. Gibbon said that the only reason why Rome fell was because of Christianity corrupting it. He said it weakened the bonds that held the Roman Empire together. But what Gibbon failed to realize was that there were many causes that weakened the empire which then led to the fall of Rome. I don't agree with Gibbon's explanation because wouldn't Christianity help the Roman society and wouldn't it benefit to it. When the empire fell, bad things came of it, the sacking of Rome, the destruction of art, the withering of great cities, the design of the system of roads, and much more. But because of the fall of Rome, it led to the abolition of slavery in Europe.

The date that most historians believe to be the day Rome fell was on September 4 476. Some historians believe that Rome could have survived if the circumstances were different. But it is said that Rome brought the decline among themselves. Edward Gibbon wrote," If a man were called upon to fix the period in the history of the world when the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous, he would, without hesitation, name that which elapsed from the death of Domitian to the accession of Commodus." Yes this was a time where the Romans prospered and had great stability but still in the end it led to the fall of it. Rome had many reason to why it fell, so by Gibbon only giving one explanation to why it fell doesn't give us the complete look of what happened. (Bookrags)

Another reason to why Rome fell was because of the unity that was lost between the Romans. Every Roman wanted power and wanted to be remembered after they died. Half the time the Roman army would be fighting against each other to gain power rather then defending the empire. Rome came to a point when it was spending so much that they couldn't even afford it. This led to economic problems. This sounds so familiar to our society today, buying so much that we can't afford. It is said that our society today is following in the foot steps of Rome. All these things weakened the empire to the point in which it fell. The reason to why I believe Gibbon thought Christianity was the main reason to why Rome fell was because the church was spending so much of Rome's money. And he believed that it made the Romans stop caring about each other and it put Rome in a position of confusion. He thought that the money spent on the church could be used for the empire instead. (Barnett 77 & 79)

Online book: "Bookrags" http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Decline_of_the_Roman_Empire
Barnett, Mary. "Gods and Myths of the Romans": The Archaeology and Mythology of Ancient Peoples. Smithmark Publishers. New York, 1996

Thank you again Mr. Lockwood for allowing me to turn this in late. I saw you already graded it but I wasn't finished but now I am.

The purpose of Roman roads

It was often said that all roads to lead to Rome and they once did. The building of the Roman roads was one of the greatest engineering accomplishments during that time. The roads were originally built as a path for the soldiers but they also were used for the people of Rome. The ancient Roman roads were also used to transport trade since though they were excellent at sea transportation. The Roman roads were built in a straight path even over steep hills. The surface of the road was made of large slabs of hard stone, rested on a bed of smaller stones and cemented down about 3 ft thick. The Roman roads were usually hard and rough and many people usually walked or road on horses. The Romans build one of the first roads ever made.

The Roman roads was a system of highways that led to Rome with its most distant provinces. The roads were not built only once, they had to be rebuilt several times. The main purpose was for the military but they were used for many other things. The roads went in many different directions in Italy. The importance of the roads were that it brought a new way of transportation. Since the Romans loved exotic things, the roads made it an easier and faster way to travel. Cement was very important to the Romans, it provided many ways of building things, like the roads.

The engineers of Ancient Rome built a network of roads in the ancient world, that are still known today. About 50,000 miles of roads expanded the Roman Empire which spreaded its legions, culture and caused a major influence throughout the world. The more people that came to Rome caused the expansion of land, which then lead to roads being built. The Romans had one tool that made the roads easier to travel on, that was cement. The cement they laid down on the roads kept down the mud and made it possible for people to travel during the rainy season. The roads provided not only a way of trading but communication. The Romans were able to go and visit friends and family in different cities.

The Roman roads were vital to the Roman society because without them, it made it more complicated for the military to travel. The Roman roads were built in many different areas and they led to several different places within the Roman Empire. The roads were a major investment for Rome which helped built the Roman society. The first road ever built was the Via Appia, that was started by Appius Claudius Caecus in 312 BC. The Via Appia ran southwest out of Rome. The Generals were expected to provide the money to build the roads or had to use the money out of their own pockets. The heaviest traveled roads went from inland to local ports in the cities and from ports to Rome in Italy. These roads were the ones that had to be rebuilt over time because of people traveling on them so much.

The Roman roads were called long highways. And these highways were very important in maintaining the stability and expansion of the empire. Without the roads, the Roman Empire would have suffered and would have been less powerful. The Roman roads were designed to organize resistance against the Empire and the roads had about 372 links for traveling. The Roman roads were essential for the growth and survival of the Roman empire. Before their was roads people wouldn't be able to travel when it was raining because the dirt road would be muddy. But when the roads were made it made it so much easier to travel. The Roman roads brought great power to the Roman Empire. (Book rags) and (Adkins)

Adkins, Lesly and Roy A. Adkins. "Handbook to the Life in Ancient Rome." New York. 1994.
Online Book: http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Roman_road

Essay on living in Rome

Rome has always been known as the beautiful city with Colosseum, sport arenas, basilicas,Roman baths and many more amazing sites and buildings. So many people picture Rome as an amazing place, what they don't realize is that it hasn't always been so beautiful. Roman buildings were built out of wood and stone, and the streets of Rome were disgusting dirty. Rome went through a time period where they had famines, flooding of rivers, fires, and this really put Rome in a bad place. Just like when someone says New York and people say I would love to live there, it's the same for Rome. People do not look at the details of Rome but instead only at the name, which in itself means so much.

Rome isn't all ugly, it does have amazing sites. It was preferable to live with in Rome rather than elsewhere because of its amazing sites and building though some were quite dumpy. It didn't really matter where you lived in Rome, whether it was nice or not it just was the thought of living there. A fitting place to start, for anyone at all interested in Roman history, would be in Rome. It may not be the prettiest place to visit, but there is a lot of history behind it. Just to be there and experience Rome, is a dream well known for. It's like brand name clothes, you got to have them, and when we hear of Rome we imagine how great it would be to live there. I think why it's a dream of many people is because it's a whole new culture and lifestyle.

Here in America we have everything handed to us but there people have to work to get somewhere. There was and still is the middle class and the upper class. Where you were born in a family depended on which class you were from. Life in Rome was a struggle to get to the top or be the best. The middle class and upper class both competed to be the best. But the upper class always had more privileges and rights. The only way you could move to a higher class was to be adopted into a family of an upper class. In Rome if you wanted if you wanted to make a change or difference you had to make a statement and let the people hear what you had to say.

To be able to fathom the understanding of living in Rome is not possible to figure out. Just to breath in the air, to be there gives you a whole new perspective on Rome. I hope that when I am a senior and I go to Rome that I will have an experience like that. Living in Rome was wasn't ever all fun in games, there was the threat of diseases, earthquakes, ad famines. Life in Rome wasn't easy. The boys went to school every day and the girls stayed home and took on the job of a mother. Women in the Roman minds weren't treated as well as the men were. Men excelled in Rome while women were left with the chores around the house. The boys had to be prepared for life and the challenges ahead of them.

How the Romans lived there lives depended on their class. The more upper class you were the more there was for you to do. The upper class was basically handed everything and the lower and middle classes had to work more to get what they wanted. Many people lived in Rome because that's where everyone was, it was the main part of Rome, the city. The Romans lived a similar life like us just in a different time in history. Something that really effected Rome was their emperors. Each time a different emperor came to rule, it would change Rome's society. Each emperor either helped Rome out or caused major damage. All in all to live in Rome would be a dream though it was never outstandingly beautiful. Most times beauty isn't important, it's what you make of life and what you do to make a difference. In conclusion Rome just was the best place to live, just like many other places today, it's not about where you live it's about what you do to make the best out of it.

Roman architectural and artistic development

The Romans were best known for their architecture and art. The Romans brought a lot of new ideas to architecture. The three most important were the arch, the baked brick, and the use of cement and concrete. Brick and cement were used for arches to build a new forum with a big column in it. This technique also helped elaborate market building that is the source of modern shopping malls. Roman architecture is more reflected in the development of engineering skills and secular monuments than the ideas of gods then that of the Greek architecture. They introduced new ways to construct a more efficient building and also a entirely different purpose for the building to be built. They build their temples more as for the public and they believed their was a purpose behind architecture.

The Romans learned much of their architectural techniques by the Greeks and the Etruscans. They used many natural materials to form plaster and brick to make their structures and buildings. Once Ancient Rome became a dominating world power their architecture began to grow. One of the architectural techniques that came into use was the arch and vault. These helped in the building of the amphitheater, monumental avenue, and public baths. Aqueducts were channels made of brick or stone that were designed to carry water to a location. Rome didn't have the first aqueduct of the world, but it was the only major city that was supplied with water and therefore they were most famous for them. Public baths were also an important part of Roman life. The baths generally had dressing room suites and bathing chambers with hot, warm, and cold water.

The Romans were very well known for their roads and bridges and no other society have done better. The Romans original intented to build roads for military use. As the Romans conquered new territories, roads were built to allow the soldiers to travel throughout the empire quickly. The roads were generally constructed in four layers. The top layer consisted of a pavement of flat, hard stones, concrete or pebbles that were set in mortar. These roads were usually constructed in straight lines but sometimes they were constructed in a curve. The bridges that the Romans constructed were just as remarkable as their roads. When the arch was developed it made bridges easier to build and many are still in use today.

Romans were also well known for their artistic abilities. They used designed many mosaics and sculptures. The Romans art consisted of many different cultures like the Etruscans, Greeks, and even the Egyptians. Mosaics were pictures made by an artist that was made out of stone and many other hard pieces of natural items. The rich families were usually the ones who had their houses decorated in sculptures and mosaics. The Romans used other cultures ideas and from there added on to them. They seemed as a very moderate society. (Adkins)

The Emperor Hadrian was responsible for the Pantheon which was one of the most influential buildings in western architecture. Hadrian transformed the traditional Roman temple into a structure employing architecture and concrete. It best exemplifies the importance of Roman architecture. Hadrian was strongly influenced by Greek culture and many of the temples were dedicated to the gods. Roman architecture was almost an exact copy of that of Greece. There were three types of designs that were used with concrete and they were the Doric, Corinthian, and the Ionic. The use of concrete allowed marble to be used and it made it easier to build temples and it was much better then using stone. The concrete that the Romans used is used today and is most relevant throughout our world today. (Bookrags)

ONLINE BOOK http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Roman_architecture (Bookrags)
Adkins, Lesley and Roy A. "Handbook to Life In Ancient Rome". Oxford University Press Inc. 1994. New York.
Mr. Lockwood the spell check isnt working again just letting you know

The government of Rome

The Roman government was a strange mix of a republic and democracy. An very interesting fact about the people of Rome is that they took many of their ideas of government from the Greeks. The Roman state was described as a republic with its consuls which continued to be appointed after the establishment of the one-man rule under the empire. The Roman government only lasted until the beginnings of the first century. Many Romans did not like how one man made all the rules. So they decided to balance the power of the government between three branches. They were the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.

The Romans viewed their empire as the instrument that brought law and justice to the rest of the world. They started out with the most powerful and largest empire in the world. They were considerated a military state and because of this they ruled a vast amount of land in subject countries. The Romans devoted much of their brilliance to military strategy, administartion, technology, and law. Ancient Rome in the earlier years was ruled by kings, but that changed in a very short amount of time, because the Romans hated it. When Rome began to grow and become more powerful, a government position became more and more attractive in Rome's society. This meant that more men got involved in goverment. These men believed that their empire and city would be ruled by one man. They called the one man rulers emperors.

The one man rule was not working for the Roman government so this started the first triumvirate. The first triumvirate was a time when three men ruled instead of one. These three men were Crassus, Pompey, and Julius Caesar. Pompey was killed in a battle and Crassus and Caesar were left. The only problem was that when there was only two men in charge each wanted the power so they fought for it. Crassus then died and Caesar had an affair with Cleopatra, this Cleopatra was claimed to be the most famous. This then leads up to Caesar's murder, because Rome did not want a king. Then in the year 146 B.C. the Roman government began to fall. The only important power left that they had was the Mediterranean Sea. From this they controlled almost all of its coastline. The Romans then realized that they could no longer depend and lean on the Senate. (Barnett 14-16)

The Second Triumvirate was basically the same as the first but different people and a different time.The three men were Octavian, Caesar's nephew, Ledipus, and Mark Antony. The story starts out with how Ledipus was pushed out of his powerful position. This caused Octavian and Mark Antony to go to war against each other. Then later on both Mark Antony and his wife Cleopatra comitted suicide and Octavian took control of Egypt and Alexandria. (Bookrags)

There are many reasons to why Rome fell. One reason was because of economics. The Western Roman Empire was much weaker than the Eastern Roman Empire. This meant that one part of the empire was holding the structure of Rome up but the other was vulnerable for attacks. From this the Western Roman Empire was attacked by nomadic peoples which caused the empire to become more weakened. Eventually the Western Empire fell completely to the outsiders. The trade between different areas was cut of by the new rulers of Western Rome. This then lead to all of Rome falling in 476 B.C.

Barnett, Mary. "Gods and Myths of the Romans". The Archaeology and Mythology of Ancient Peoples. Smithmark Publishers Inc. New York. 1996.
Online book: "http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Second_Triumvirate"
(Mr Lockwood the spell check wasnt working so I did my best)

Home's Odyssey and Virgil's Aneid

The Odyssey was written down by the Greek poet Homer around 700 BC. Although the story itself is probably older. It is the story of King Odysseus' who is trying to return from the Trojan War to his kingdom of Ithaca. It was a small island on the far side of Greece from Troy. Odysseus has trouble getting home because the gods are angry at him, because he did not respect them. Especially the god Poseidon was angry with him and he caused Odysseus time and made it take longer to get back to Ithaca.

The Odyssey starts out on Mount Olympus, where the gods are talking about the humans and their determination to blame things on the gods. Athena favored Odysseus and helped him when he was in time of need. Athena then goes to Telemachus disguised as Mentes, she advices him to call an assembly of the men of Ithaca, to complain of the behaviour of the suitors. Then Athena tells him to go on a quest to find his father in Pylos and Sparta. When suitors find out they taunt him but he prays to Athena for help. She helps Telemachus by putting the suitors in a deep sleep so that he could sail to find his father. (Homer 411 and 422)

In The Odyssey is about two separate but powerful men and how they come together to make an inspirational story about one man and how he tries to get home. Odysseus is a great and noble hero, he is an inspiration to us even though the story was just a myth. He is so inspiring because he represents strength and courage. He has the ability to be witty and powerful. He went to the underworld and returned in one piece. He makes the story of the Odyessy more interesting. It provides a picture of life in Ancient Greece and it shows us what it was like then. (bookrags)

The book the Aeneid was still being written by Virgil in 19 B.C before he died . The main character in this story is Aeneas. He is the leader of the Trojans and he is the only surviving person to escape the siege of Troy. Aeneas found the Roman race in Italy and the Golden Age of Rome. The story is basically about how Aeneas is destined to found Rome and how he will accomplish a powerful Roman country. The Aeneid was written in a meter based on a combination of long and short syllables. It was written to be read rather than recited or performed.

The book the Aeneid is Heroic epic and a mythological story. So is the book the Odyssey. Both were written in Latin and both are epic poems written by great authors of Ancient Greece. The theme of the Aeneid is about fate and the suffering of wanderers. but it is also about the glory of Rome and how they conquered. The Odyssey is more about love and sacrifice.

Homer. The Iliad and the Odyssey. 1942. Walter J. Black, Inc.
Online Books about the Aeneid
http://classics.mit.edu/Virgil/aeneid.html

Foundation Myths for Ancient Rome

The two main foundation myths for Ancient Rome were the stories of Romulus and Remus, who were the two boys who were raised by a female wolf and the story of Aeneas, son of the goddess Aphrodite. The story of Romulus and Remus starts out when their mother Rhea was either seduced or raped by the god Mars. She then became pregnant and gave birth to two sons. When Amulius found out he had Rhea imprisoned and he took Romulus and Remus and put them in a basket and threw them in the Tiber River. The Romans trace their ancestry all the way back to a Trojan hero named Aeneas. He was the son of Anchises, a handsome and daring man and the goddess Aphrodite.

Romulus and Remus were born in a time when children were not wanted. They were unwanted because Amulius their uncle, feared that the boys would grow up and overthrow him.Because of this he had them placed in a trough or basket and thrown into the River Tiber. At that time the Tiber river was flooding, and when the waters fell, the basket, came to shore. Both of the twin brothers were found by a female wolf. Instead of killing them she raised them and looked after them. She fed Romulus and Remus with her milk,and the wolf was helped by a woodpecker who brought them food too. Interesting enough both these animals were sacred and valuable to Mars. In the myth it is told that the god Mars sent those animals to save them.

They grew up and later on were found by a shepherd named Faustulus, who took them home and looked after them until they were grown up. Romulus and Remus discovered who they really were and decided to go back and kill their uncle Amulius and put their grandfather back on the throne. They achieved what they had said and after this they decided to build a city of their own.They could not reach an agreement and so each began to build his own city enclosed within the walls.

Aeneas was the son of Anchises and Aphrodite. He was a hero at Troy and he was the bravest after his brother-in-law Hector. Aeneas took part in all the important battles during the ten years they were at war. When the Achaeans finally captured Troy they allowed Aeneas because of his bravery to choose from among his possessions one thing to take with him as he left. The Achaens were very impressed when they saw him choose a stature of his patron god. They told him that he could bring something else. He brought his father, he loaded him on his back. They were so impressed they allowed him to take the rest of his possessions. The myth goes on to say that Aeneastraveled far and wide and finally reached the Italian peninsula where he founded Rome and that the city of Rome was founded later by one of his descendants Romulus. It ends by saying that Aeneas was almost kille by Achilles but was rescued by Zeus. In the myth it was said that Achilles's behavior angered Aeneas so much that he went over to the Trojan side, and fought bravely for them.

The legend or myth starts out with the Greeks attacking Troy and them almost killing all of the people in the city of Troy. The myth doesnt really say why. A prince of Troy escaped the killing and sailed all the way to Italy in a boat, he was prince Aeneas. Aeneas landed in Italy in the city of Laurentum. The king of the Latins was Latinus. He had a beautiful daughter named Lavinia. He later married her and they had a son named Ascanius. Ascanius was the first of of many to come. He founded Rome later on. Then later on Romulus founds Rome and starts his kingdom. (Mark and Tingay 5 and 8)

Mark, Anthony, and Graham Tingay. "The Romans". Usborne, London, 1990.