Post on 17-Jan-2016
• 12/15 Focus– Events and conditions inside and
outside the Roman Empire weakened it and led to its collapse in 476 AD.
• Important Terms: – Inflation, Mercenaries
• Do Now: –What was the Pax Romana?
Ancient RomeThe Fall of Rome
Roman Decline• Pax Romana comes to end
when Emperor Marcus Aurelius dies
• Weak leadership could not solve problems facing the empire– Economic crisis – Increasing threats of invasion
from eastern and western borders
– 20 Emperors between 235 -284 AD• All but 1 died violently
Attempts to
Reform Rome
Emperor Diocletian divides the
empire into East and West
• Make the empire easier to manage
• Appoint a co-emperor
• Increase emperor’s power
Attempts to
Reform Rome
Emperor Diocletian divides the empire into East and West
• Make the empire easier to manage
• Appoint a co-emperor • Increase emperor’s
power
Emperor Constantine
moves the capital to the east
• Builds the city of Constantinople
• Closer to riches of the East
• Easier to protect from invasion
Factors Contributing to the Fall of Rome
Political Social Economic Military • Civil War and Unrest
• Public service seen as a burden rather than a reward
• Imperialism created enemies
• Division of the empire
• Population decline due to disease and food shortages
• Apathy towards public affairs
• Lack of patriotism
• Rise of Christianity
• Poor Harvests
• War plunder not coming into Rome
• Inflation • Heavy tax
burden on the people
• Large gap between Rich and poor
• Became expensive to defend large empire
• Roman troops became undisciplined and lacked training
• Relied on hiring foreign mercenaries
a decline in the value of money
which brings about a rapid rise in the price goods and
services
Soldiers who are paid to fight
rather than for a loyalty to a
country or idea
The Fall of Rome• Immediate Cause:• Invasions by Germanic
tribes and Huns (375-410 AD)–Romans referred to
them as barbarians
– 476 AD Germanic tribes attack Rome and overthrow the last Roman Emperor• This is marked as the
end of the Roman Empire
•
Did the Roman Empire Really End?
• Western Roman Empire collapsed in Europe– Collapse of strong
central government led to the Dark Ages in Europe
• Eastern Roman Empire survived – Became known as
Byzantine – Survived until
1453
Points for Discussion
• Identify two ways that Diocletian and Constantine attempted to slow the decline of Rome.
• What was the immediate cause of the fall of Rome?
• What can we learn as a powerful nation in the world from the fall of the Roman Empire?