Fall of ROme

Rome just ended Pax Romana (200 years of peace with the Julio-Claudian Dynasty)

Commodus was now the ruler (he was cruel). He wanted to be a gladiator. His bodyguard killed him. Chaos broke out for 10 years

Fall of Rome

Fall of Rome

Poor leadership-Poor leadership-people fighting people fighting

over throneover throne

There was no honor in There was no honor in doing your duty for doing your duty for

your country, honesty, your country, honesty, or courageor courage

Government Government officials were officials were dishonest and dishonest and

took bribestook bribes

Some people Some people stopped paying stopped paying

taxestaxes

Fewer people attended Fewer people attended schools schools

Poor economy-Poor economy-fewer jobs fewer jobs (inflation)(inflation)

disease killed 1/10 disease killed 1/10 peoplepeople

Fall of Fall of RomeRome

Coins had no value(put Coins had no value(put less gold in them) less gold in them)

people began to barterpeople began to barter

Outsiders wanted Outsiders wanted Rome because of Rome because of

good soil and warm good soil and warm climate(Germanic climate(Germanic Tribes attacked) Tribes attacked)

Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Franks, Vandals,

Angles and Saxons-Angles and Saxons-From N. EuropeFrom N. Europe

Many people moved Many people moved away because of away because of

violent battles, poor violent battles, poor economy, persecution economy, persecution

of Christiansof Christians

Battle of Adrianople

Visigoths asked Eastern Rome for protection. Eastern Rome let them settle just inside Rome’s border

Rome forced Visigoths to buy food at higher prices and Rome enslaved many Visigoths.

Visigoths got tired of being mistreated and rebelled.

This is the Battle Of Adrianople.

This let the rest of the world see that Rome was weak and couldn’t defend itself

Constantine The Great

1st Roman Emperor to become a Christian (converted when he saw a faming cross-believed sign “thou shall conquer)

Gave Roman Bishops more power and stopped persecution of Christians (religion was a choice)

Moved the Capital from Rome to Byzantium in a city called Constantinople-modern day Istanbul (built Hipodrome

Rome Falls 476 A.D.

Germanic general named Odoacer overthrew Western Rome (emperor Romulus Augustus 14 year old boy-last Emperor to rule Rome)

Historians use this event as the fall of ROme