This video is an introduction to the second-year history program, focusing on the Mediterranean world during antiquity and the Middle Ages. The presenter discusses the influence of ancient Greek and Roman civilizations in Europe, particularly Athens' democracy and Rome's transition to an empire. The video also touches on religious developments, including the rise of Christianity and its acceptance as the official religion of the Roman Empire by Emperor Theodosius.
1. The video discusses the theme 1 of the second year history program, which focuses on the Mediterranean world imprinted by antiquity and the Middle Ages.
2. The first chapter of the video covers the ancient Mediterranean, specifically the Greek and Roman civilizations.
3. The antiquity period unfolds between the 4th millennium before Jesus Christ and the 5th century after Jesus Christ.
4. Europe was marked during this period by the emergence and affirmation of two civilizations, the Greek and Roman civilizations.
5. The Greek world was made up of a multitude of small cities-states which have their own organization and laws.
6. Athens, a city-state in Greece, was an exception due to its extent of territory, its influence, and its political organization known as democracy.
7. Athenian democracy is based on the principle of collegiality, which means that important decisions must be taken by several people as well as the strategists who have military functions.
8. The Athenian democracy is based on the principle of equality, according to which any citizen is capable of exercising a function.
9. The major decisions of the city were taken by magistrates, including those who were elected as heads of the army.
10. The city of Athens finds itself confronted with the Persian empire during the Persian wars.
11. Athens wins great battles which will change the destiny of the city, such as the battles at Marathon in 490 BC and at Salamis in 480 BC.
12. Athens takes the head of a military alliance created in 478 BC, the League of Delos, each site gives a tribute taxes to Athens to finance the construction and maintenance of its fleet.
13. The Roman Republic, which existed in the 1st century before Jesus Christ, was crossed by numerous political crises and civil wars.
14. Julius Caesar emerges victorious from the civil wars and gradually establishes a centralized power.
15. The Roman political system was transformed by the emperor Octave, who became the first emperor to convert to Christianity in 312 AD by the Edict of Milan, authorizing the practice of the Christian religion.
16. By the end of the 4th century, Christianity was established as the official religion of the empire.