began with the death of Marcus Aurelius (the last of the Five Good Emperors)

failed to choose an able ruler upon his death in 180 CE

became emperor after Marcus Aurelius

took place in three stages:1. crisis of the 3rd century2. period of revival3. fall of the western part of the empire to invaders

period during which the empire was confronted with numerous problems that left the empire gravely weakened:1. economic decay2. military decay3. political decay

increased trade over routes patrolled by the Roman Army and the Roman Navy

gold and silver collected as plunder from conquered territories

increase in grain production to feed the population in the cities

CAUSE: weakening of sources of prosperity attained during the period of Pax Romana

disruption of trade due to barbarian raids and pirates on the Mediterranean sea lanes

drain of Rome’s gold and silver to buy luxuries such as spices, perfume, rubies, pearls and silk from Arabia, China and Japan

decline in grain production due to loss of fertility of planting fields (overworked soil)

RESULT: radical rise of prices of commodities (inflation)

CAUSE: threats coming from barbarians (non-Roman citizens) at the empire’s frontiers especially along the Danube River

CAUSE: decline of moral values of Roman Army (fought strictly for money and not out of loyalty to the empire)

CAUSE: rise of military men (generals) as emperors

POLITICAL:1. political office was seen as a burden, not a reward2. military interference in politics3. civil war and unrest4. division of empire5. transfer of capital to Byzantium

SOCIAL:1. lack of interest in public affairs2. low confidence in the empire3. disloyalty, lack of patriotism, corruption4. contrast between the rich and the poor

ECONOMIC:1. poor harvests2. disruption of trade3. no more plunder from war4. drain of gold and silver5. inflation6. crushing tax burden on the people

MILITARY:1. threats from Persians and barbarians2. lack of funds for defense3. problem in recruiting Roman citizens for the army4. recourse to recruiting barbarians for the army5. decline of patriotism and loyalty among the soldiers

became emperor in 284 CE restored order in the empire and increased

its strength

MILITARY: doubled the size of the Roman armies (to

secure the boundaries of the empire) ECONOMIC: imposed price and wage controls (to beat

inflation) SOCIAL: ordered a general persecution of Christians

(to restore faith in the gods of ancient Rome)

POLITICAL: assumed the manner and costume of the

Persian king (to increase the prestige of the Roman emperor)

ADMINISTRATIVE: divided the empire into two parts:

1. Eastern Roman Empire2. Western Roman Empire

where Christians were fed to wild beasts

included Italy, Gaul, Britain, Spain consisted of Latin-speaking peoples

included Greece, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt consisted of Greek-speaking peoples

stopped the decline of the empire during his reign (284-305 CE)

made the borders of the empire safe again returned the prestige of the emperor

became emperor in 306 CE

RELIGIOUS: issued the Edict of Milan

in 313 CE which ended the persecution of Christians

attributed to the conversion of Constantine in 312 CE upon an overwhelming victory after he received divine assistance

ordered religious tolerance in the Roman Empire (following the baptism of Constantine)

ADMINISTRATIVE: transferred the capital from Rome to

Byzantium

ancient city founded by Greek colonists in 667 BCE

renamed CONSTANTINOPLE by Constantine

stood at the crossroads for trade (controlled shipping between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea)

easy to defend against attack as it was nearly surrounded by water

located in the more prosperous part of the Roman Empire --- the east

the center of the Roman Empire shifted from the west to the east

there were now TWO Roman Empires both empires were Christian

constituted a century of destruction beginning in 376 CE and ending in 476 CE

led by different groups: Ostrogoths Visigoths Franks Angles Saxons Burgundians Lombards Vandals

semi-nomadic peoples spoke Germanic languages PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: long hair blue eyes reddish hair great bodies

instigated by the movement of the Huns along the Danube River region

nomadic peoples originally from Central Asia (east of the Volga) who migrated into Europe

forced the Germanic tribes to move to the borders of the Roman Empire

Hun leader who led the attack against the Roman Empire in 452 CE

led 100,000 soldiers in the attack against Constantinople but failed (due to the high and massive walls of the city)

attempted to advance against Rome but was deterred by Pope Leo I who went to Attila’s camp along the Po River

emperor of the Western Roman Empire was practically powerless with the continued barbarian invasions

Germanic tribes fought one another for possession of the western provinces

last Roman emperor of the Western Roman Empire

gave up the throne in 476 CE