Greco-Roman Empire: The Rise Of Monasticism

Through the rise Monasticism, both secular and religious advancements were made. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, Monasticism rose out of a desire to leave civilization, which had been overtaken by the brutal Germanic Tribes, and devote oneself entirely to prayer and asceticism, in order to imitate Christ. Though the Monastic life of prayer and asceticism gave a new life to the faith and also evangelized the Germanic Tribes. Because of this rapid conversion of the barbaric Germanic Tribes to Christianity, the faith was able to spread at a very rapid pace after the fall of the Roman Empire. Also the Church was able to evangelize people that lived in rural Europe through the Monasteries. This was able to occur because the monasteries were built in farmland and wooded areas, allowing for communities of monks and nuns spread into these rural areas. This then allowed for the monks and nun to not only evangelize …show more content…
Monasteries were able to preserve the culture of the past by preserving the old Greco-Roman writings, while simultaneously creating a new Christian culture, independent of the Romans. The rise of Monasticism also led to the preservation of society through “culturing” the barbarians by teaching them how to farm, showing them the dignity of work, taught them the skill for certain trades (such as carpentry and masonry), and providing them with an education. Monasteries also were considered the chief centers of learning up until the foundation of the great universities. Furthermore, the monks and nuns were the only people at this time that read or wrote. Thus it was though Monasticism that the Greco-Roman culture was preserved and not forgotten by the illiterate and barbaric Germanic Tribes. Therefore, though Monasticism, there was both the religious and secular advancement made throughout the otherwise barbaric