Starter quiz
- Place the historical periods in the correct order.
- 1⇔the Roman kingdom
- 2⇔the Roman Republic
- 3⇔the Roman Empire
- 4⇔the Roman Empire splits in two
- 5⇔the fall of the Western Roman Empire
- 6⇔the end of the Eastern Roman Empire
- What is Christianity?
- a religion based on the teachings of Muhammad (PBUH)
- a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ ✓
- a religion based on the teachings of Buddha
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- Match the word to its meaning.
- legacy⇔something that left a lasting impact on history ✓
- religion⇔belief in a god or gods ✓
- persecution⇔to be treated badly because of your religion, race or beliefs ✓
- The Eastern Roman Empire was also known as the ______ Empire.
- Ottoman
- British
- Byzantine ✓
- Russian
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- Why were early Christians persecuted in the Roman Empire?
- They refused to worship Roman gods. ✓
- They worshipped only Roman gods.
- They refused to worship the emperor as a god. ✓
- They worshipped the emperor as a god.
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- The capital of the Byzantine Empire was...
- London
- Athens
- Rome
- Constantinople ✓
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Exit quiz
- Who was the first Christian Roman emperor?
- Diocletian
- Julius Caesar
- Augustus
- Constantine ✓
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- Match the keyword to its definition.
- emperor⇔a ruler of an empire ✓
- rival⇔a person who competes with someone else ✓
- bishop⇔a religious leader in some Christian churches ✓
- Put the events about Constantine's life in the correct order.
- 1⇔As a child, he witnessed the persecution of Christians.
- 2⇔Before the Battle of Milvian Bridge, he had a vision of a cross in the sky.
- 3⇔Constantine converted to Christianity.
- 4⇔He became the emperor of the Western Roman Empire by defeating his rival.
- 5⇔In 324 CE, Constantine became sole emperor of the Roman Empire.
- 6⇔He brought together Christian bishops to agree the rules about Christianity.
- Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed...
- Rome
- Constantinople ✓
- London
- Contantius
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- What was the Edict of Milan?
- It made it legal for Christians to practise their religion openly. ✓
- It made it legal for Christians to be persecuted.
- It allowed for freedom of religion throughout the Empire. ✓
- Everyone in the Empire had to worship the Roman gods.
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- Why was the Council of Nicaea important for Christianity?
- It decided which parts of the Bible were more important than others.
- It brought unity among Christians. ✓
- It decided that Constantine was a god and should be worshipped.
- It encouraged the acceptance of Christianity among the Romans. ✓
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- By 312 CE, Constantine had become the emperor of the Western Roman Empire by defeating his rivals in many battles.
- Before one of these battles he had a vision of a cross; he ordered his soldiers to paint crosses on their shields.
- Constantine converted to Christianity, saying all religions could be practised and Christians should not be persecuted.
- In 324 CE, Constantine became sole emperor of the Roman Empire and in 330 CE created a new eastern capital.
- In 325 CE, Constantine brought together Christian bishops to try to agree the first set of rules about Christianity.
Common misconception
Constantine forced everyone in the Roman Empire to be Christian during his rule.
Constantine issued a law, the Edict of Milan, that protected all faiths from religious persecution so that everyone in the Roman Empire could practise the religion they wanted.
Keywords
Emperor - an emperor is a ruler of an empire
Convert - to convert to a new religion or belief is to change to a different religion or belief
Rival - a rival is a person who competes with someone else to get what only one of them can have
Vision - a vision is a dream or idea in your imagination
Bishop - a bishop is a religious leader in some Christian churches
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