Transcript The Fall of the Rome Empire Power Point 2016x

THE FALL OF THE ROMAN
EMPIRE
I. THE REORGANIZATION OF THE EMPIRE
A. Diocletian – Emperor (284 – 305 CE/AD)
I. He would be the first emperor to reorganize
the Roman Empire and thus set the stage or
foundation for what would become the Byzantine
(Constantinople) Empire or the Eastern Roman
Empire.
a. He would be the first emperor to
split the empire into Eastern and
Western portions.
B. Constantine – Emperor (313 – 337 CE/AD)
1. He would adopt Christianity and make it
legal in the Empire
2. In 328 he moved the capital to the eastern
empire in the ancient city of Byzantium, and
would later change the name to
Constantinople.
II. REASONS FOR THE FALL OF ROME
A. Political Causes (government)
1. Unfortunately, Romans ignored their great
tradition of the Roman Republic (which allowed
for them to debate the best way to rule for the
people and the empire).
2. They focused on the easiest ways to govern (rule)
at that time. Which meant doing the following:
a. Used army to fix problems
b. Became corrupt (worked in an immoral
way using poor judgment on purpose).
c. Fighting within the government over
power (internal conflict)
d. If an emperor was not liked they would
assassinate him
e. They no longer protected the rights of the
poor through the use of a VETO (I forbid) in
the Republic thus losing popular support.
f. Eventual division of the Empire.
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B. Economic Causes ( deals with what people
do for work, taxes, money)
1. Increased the burden of supporting a huge
army and bigger government by increasing the
amount of TAXES the Roman people paid.
2. Depended more on slave
labor
http://www.romanobritain.org/2arl_life/roman_life_art/roman_slave14.jpg
3. Farmers became indentured (tied to
working on the land) to wealthy land
owners
C. Military Causes (deals with how a civilization
is protected). EX: Army, Navy, etc…
1. Poorly trained armies (military forces).
2. Decline in loyalty among hired soldiers
(many not originally from Rome).
3. Series of Germanic Invasions
D. Social Causes (deals with the
people/population and how they live or feel about
their civilization).
1. A social caste or hierarchy was created where
sons had to follow their fathers same occupation
(job). Poor could not move up and lazy wealthy
Romans could remain lazy.
2. A drop in patriotism (PRIDE) towards Rome
a. Lack of ambition (drive, determination,
focus). These were civic ideas that made
Rome great.
b. Lack of devotion to duty
c. Devotion of upper classes to luxury
and self-interest