Western Civilization: A Very Brief Overview from the Romans to the Counter-Reformation

Rome’s greatest achievements was to go beyond the limited political process that of the city-states and to develop a world-state with the different nations of the Mediterranean. In the eight century, B.C., peasant communities, along with Etruscan cities south to the Greek cities were absorbed by the Romans. Throughout this century, Roman acquired architectural styles and skills in road construction, sanitation, hydraulic engineering to include underground conduits.

By the sixth century, Rome evolved into a republic, landowners, aristocrats and patricians overthrew the Etruscan king and religion governed the people, dictated the laws and legitimized the rule of the patricians. As they evolved the Romans loosened the grip between religion and politics and gradually implemented a constitutional system similar to the Greeks with interests on rational and secular politics and law. The sudden growth of the constitution arrived from a conflict known as the “Struggle of the Orders” between the patricians and the plebeians (commoners). The patricians owned most of the land and controlled the army.

There was a constant struggle between the plebeians and patricians as a result of grievances which resulted in enslavement and discord with the patricians. However they knew that Rome could not afford to do without the plebeians because of the constant warfare on the Italian peninsula. By the fifth century the plebeians won the right to form their own assembly and slowly gained legal equality. As a result of the plebeian revolt, around 450 B.C., The first Roman code of laws was written (called the Twelve Tablets). The plebeians received some protection against the unfair practices of the patricians. However, despite the many reforms, Rome...

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...17 “Martin Luther” confronted the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences. He placed notices on church doors exposing the corrupted practices. He lived believed good works alone could not earn salvation. The Reformation spread throughout northern Europe. The Catholic Church had no choice but to respond to the Protestant Reformation and they did so in the late 1530s through Spanish reformer “Loyola.” He formed a new religion order, he was the founder of the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, and they became the strength of the Catholic Church. This was known as the Counter Reformation.

It was interesting to read and learned about how every civilization had similarities. i.e., Christianity, economic expansions and influential cultures, even till this day we can see the influence of the past operating in the 21st century, modify through time.