Collapse of the Roman and Han Empires

Historical Comparisons

Long-Distance Travel in the Ancient World

• Lack of police enforcement outside of established settlements

• Changed in classical period– Improvement of infrastructure– Development of empires

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Trade Networks Develop

• Dramatic increase in trade due to Greek colonization

• Maintenance of roads, bridges• Discovery of monsoon wind patterns• Increased tariff revenues used to maintain

open routes

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The Silk Roads

• Named for principal commodity from China• Dependent on imperial stability• Overland trade routes from China to Roman

empire• Sea lanes and maritime trade as well

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The Silk Roads, 200 B.C.E.-300 C.E.

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Organization of Long-Distance Trade

• Divided into small segments– Trade done in stages

• Sea trade– Malay and Indian mariners– Persian, Egyptian, Greek

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Cultural Trade: Buddhism and Hinduism

• Merchants carry religious ideas along silk routes

• India through central Asia to east Asia• Cosmopolitan centers promote development

of monasteries to shelter traveling merchants• Buddhism becomes dominant faith of silk

roads, 200 B.C.E.-1000 C.E.

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The Spread of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity, 200 B.C.E.-400 C.E.

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The Spread of Epidemic Disease

• Role of trade routes in spread of pathogens• Limited data, but trends in demographics

reasonably clear• Smallpox, measles, bubonic plague• Effect: economic slowdown, move to regional

self-sufficiency

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Epidemics in the Han and Roman Empires

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Internal Decay of the Han State

• Court intrigue• Problem of land distribution– Large landholders develop private armies

• Epidemics• Peasant rebellions– 184 C.E., Yellow Turban uprising

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Sinicization of Nomadic Peoples

• Social and cultural changes to a Chinese way of life

• Adapted to the Chinese environment– Agriculture

• Adoption of Chinese names, dress, intermarriage

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Popularity of Buddhism and Daoism

• Disintegration of political order casts doubt on Confucian doctrines

• Buddhism, Daoism gain popularity• Religions of salvation

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Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal Factors

• The “barracks emperors”• 235-284 C.E., twenty-six claimants to the

throne, all but one killed in power struggles• Epidemics• Disintegration of imperial economy in favor of

local and regional self-sufficient economies

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Diocletian (r. 284-305 C.E.)

• Divided empire into two administrative districts

• Co-emperors, dual lieutenants– “Tetrarchs”

• Currency, budget reform• Relative stability disappears after Diocletian's

death, civil war follows• Constantine emerges victorious

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Fall of the Roman Empire: External Factors

• Visigoths, influenced by Roman law, Christianity– Formerly buffer states for Roman empire

• Attacked by Huns under Attila in fifth century C.E.

• Massive migration of Germanic peoples into Roman empire

• Sacked Rome in 410 C.E., established Germanic emperor in 476 C.E.

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Germanic Invasions and the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, 450-476 C.E.

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Cultural Change in the Roman Empire

• Growth of Christianity– Constantine’s vision, 312 C.E.– Promulgates Edict of Milan, allows Christian

practice– Converts to Christianity

• 380 C.E., Emperor Theodosius proclaims Christianity official religion of Roman empire

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The Fall of Rome

For centuries after the rule of its first emperor, begun in 27 B.C., the Roman Empire was the most powerful state in the ancient world. Rome continued to expand to include 3 continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Many factors cause the decline of Rome

By the second century, the Roman Empire seemed indestructible. Yet, by the end of the fifth century it had collapsed. Rome did not fall instantly.Instead the empire went through a long slow decline. Many conditions caused the fall of Rome including internal (inside) and external (outside) forces.

The Fall of Rome

Internal Forces 3 Main Categories:- Political - Economic- Social

External Forces

- Invaders, also called barbarians

Political • Corruption in government• Plebeians had no rights• Empire too large to control• Emperors plotted against

each other for control instead of uniting

• Civil wars• Government lost loyalty as

patricians moved to villas and stopped caring about government

• Army deteriorates

Economic

• Slavery• Unemployment• Welfare system• Taxation• Forced labor• Decrease in trade

Social

• Christianity• Loss of citizen’s

confidence and loyalty• Population declines• Hierarchical classes• Too many cultures• Bread and circuses• Plague

External Forces

Invaders, also called barbarians, began to invade in the 3rd century. Germanic tribes from northern Europe crossed the Roman frontier and invaded Greece, Italy, Spain, and coastal areas of Asia Minor. The warmer climate, rich farmlands, and wealth of the Roman lands attracted the Germanic tribes. By the 5th century, the Roman Empire was overrun by barbarians.

Diocletian

Constantine

Attila the Hun

The Fall of RomeOnce the Roman army could no longer defend its borders, Germanic tribes began pouring into Europe. One Roman province fell after another. In 476 A.D., the Western Roman emperor was overthrown. Odoacer was then proclaimed king of Italy. The ancient world was drawing to a close.