Transcript Fall of Rome

Causes of
The Fall
of Rome
Economic
• Huge gap between the Rich &
Poor
• The use of slavery led to high
unemployment
• High taxes & Inflation
• No more war plunder
Political
• Bad Emperors
• Corrupt Politicians
• Assassinations & Civil Wars
• The Empire got too big to govern
• The division of the Empire
weakened the Western Half.
Military
• Empire was too big to protect
• All the Barbarian Invasions
• Military was spread too thin
• Use of mercenaries led to a lack of
loyalty to Rome
• Infighting between rival Generals
Social
• Moral Decay (Sex & Violence)
• Arrogance & Ignorance
• Attitude of Indifference or Apathy
• Urban Decay
• Barbarian Assimilation
• Rise of Christianity
Roman Reaction to Christianity
• At first, the Romans persecuted
the Christians:
They threw them in prison, and
executed thousands by
crucifying them, burning them
alive, or “throwing them to the
lions”
• Overtime, the number of
Christians grew within the
Roman Empire.
• Constantine became the FIRST
Roman Emperor to accept
Christianity in 313 AD.
• Constantine’s “Edict of Milan”
legalized Christianity in Rome.
•Theodosius was the Roman
Emperor who made
Christianity the OFFICIAL
religion of the Roman
Empire in 380 AD.