Europe in 1500 BCE: Bronze Age and Minoan Civilization

Rise of Christianity

• Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity was significant as it led to the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
• This conversion marked a turning point in the history of the Roman Empire, as it shifted from persecution to acceptance of Christianity.

The Fall of the Western Roman Empire

• The Huns, led by King Attila, threatened the entire Roman Empire, contributing to its decline and fall.
• In 476 AD, the Western Roman Empire came to an end with the overthrow of the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus.

Christian Bishops and the Roman Provinces

• Christian bishops played a crucial role in the shrunken towns of former Roman provinces, often serving as leaders and administrators.
• They helped to maintain some level of governance and stability in the aftermath of the empire's collapse.

Legacy of Roman Civilization

• Roman civilization continued to thrive in the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire.
• The city of Rome, however, was largely abandoned by 500 CE, with many of its buildings and structures in ruins.

Early European Civilizations

• The ancestors of the Celts, Germans, Italians, and Illyrians belong to the Indo-European language group.
• Civilization arrived in Greece from the Near East in 1500 BCE, marking the beginning of the Mycenaean civilization.
• The Mycenaean civilization was the first to appear in Greece, around 1500 BCE.
• The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, was the part of Europe where the Roman Empire survived in 500 CE.