• 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?