Transcript The Fall of Rome

The Fall of Rome
The Decline of the Empire
• Emperors begin weakening in Rome
– With no heir to Marcus Aurelius, emperors not
sure exactly how to rule Rome
• Economic problems begin as well
– Trade begins to slow down
• Invaders disrupt trade on land and sea
– Gold and silver no longer in high supply
– Farms unable to produce enough food
• Rome needs money to pay for defense and
other costs
– Tries to raise taxes to pay costs
– Also tries to mint coins with less silver
• Causes inflation (coins lose value)
The Decline of the Empire
• Military problems also arise for Rome
– Germanic tribes constantly attacked borders
– Persians also attacking eastern borders
• Referred to invaders as barbarians – term for non-Romans
• Discipline and loyalty to Rome collapse in military
– Soldiers go back to being loyal to those fighting to
become emperor – like the times of Caesars
– Roman gov’t hires mercenaries – foreigners hired to fight
• Problem is they are not loyal to Rome either; its just a job
• Politics also declines in Rome
– People lose their love and devotion to Rome
– Holding public office is no longer an honor
• Now its only a way to become wealthy
– As costs rise, no one wants to hold office anymore
Germanic Barbarians
4 Major Areas of Downfall for the
Roman Empire
• Weak/poor leadership of Emperors
– Unable to run a large empire properly and keep control
• Economic issues for the Empire
– Not enough food or money to pay costs
– Trade is being disrupted by invaders
– Coined money with less silver to create inflation
• Military problems of constant invasions by Germanic tribes
– Also being attacked by other groups of barbarians
– Military no longer loyal and forced to hire mercenaries
• Political problems and lack of loyalty to government of Rome
– People no longer want to hold public office
Attempted Reforms and Reformers
• Diocletian tried to reform Rome
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Doubled the size of the military – provided jobs
Set fixed prices for goods to try to control inflation
Ordered farmers not to abandon their lands
Persecuted Christians – need to blame someone
Most important: he divided the Roman empire
• Divided it into East and West
– East- Greece and east
– West- Italy and west
• He took control of East, gave West to another leader
• Plan works for short time, then civil war breaks out
again in Rome
Western Roman
Empire
Eastern Roman
Empire
Constantine Makes Changes to
Rome
• Takes power following Diocletian
• Constantine reunites the empire in 324 AD
• Moves the capital to the eastern side
– No longer Rome as the capital
• Moves it to the city of Byzantium, renames it
Constantinople after himself in 330 AD
• The west finally taken and Rome falls 476 AD
– Overrun by Germanic tribes- (Huns, Angles, etc.)
Germanic Tribes and Attila the
Hun
• Numerous Germanic tribes attacked Rome
– Angles and Saxons took England
– Other Viking groups took further north
• The Huns- Germanic tribe led by Attila
– Attila attacked both sides of the empire
– Took most of the land, except for Constantinople
• The Western half was gone; the Eastern half
becomes the Byzantine Empire
The End of Western
Rome
• Rome is attacked numerous
times
• Constant attacks and lack of
leadership end Western
Roman Empire
• Capital is moved to
Byzantium, then changed to
Constantinople
• Western Roman Empire
ends 476AD