Transcript THE DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

THE DECLINE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
(4) objectives:
• To summarize the decline of the Roman
empire.
• The reforms of Diocletian and Constantine.
• To trace the fall of the western Roman
Empire.
The Roman Empire maintained control over
large areas of Europe, North Africa and the
Middle East in the ancient world.
Its slow decline and eventual fall was a
centuries-long historical process with many
twists and turns.
Many factors contributed to its demise.
What were the causes of each conditions
that led to the decline of the Roman empire?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Disruption of trade
Gold and silver drain
Inflation
Decline of loyalty and discipline in military
Citizen indifference and loss of patriotism
Answers:
1. Disruption of trade – raids from hostiles tribes and by
pirates on the Mediterranean
2. Gold and silver drain – frequent wars; lavish spending
by the wealthy
3. Inflation – to pay off debts, government raised taxes
and coined more money with less silver, which led to
inflation.
4. Decline of loyalty and discipline in military –
recruitment of foreign mercenaries; Fighting among
military commanders for the throne.
5. Citizen indifference and loss of patriotism- Declining
economic, military and social conditions; High
personal cost of holding political office.
Diocletian
What steps did Diocletian take to restore order
and reform the empire?
1. Diocletian took the throne as emperor in 280 A.D. He
concluded that the empire was too large and complex to be
ruled by only a single emperor. Therefore, he divided the
empire into eastern and western halves to make it easier to
govern.
2. To save the economy he revised the tax system so that it was
based on payments in kind. He order farmers to remain on
land and workers to stay in jobs for life.
3. Diocletian was able to bring the army back under control by
making several changes.
4. He try to restore the power and the authority of the emperor
by naming himself a son of the chief Roman god.
5. Diocletian attempted to use the state religion as a unifying
element. This began the so-called "Great Persecution."
Constantine
What did Constantine do to reform the
empire?
1. He became emperor of both halves of the empire in 324 A.D.
He extended the reforms of Diocletian.
2. A few years later he shifted the center of the empire to the
East, building the city of Constantinople, the "New Rome.“
This caused the best talent and wealthiest families to leave
Rome for the East.
3. He restored prosperity in the East by increasing the gold
currency and by balancing the eastern and western
economies.
4. He also restore the concept of the single ruler.
5. He ended the persecution of Christianity and by 396 A.D, it
had become the state religion of the Roman empire, both
eastern and western.
Questions:
1. What were the four immediate causes of the
fall of Rome?
2. Which of the social factors do you think was
most important?
Answers:
What were the four immediate causes of the
fall of Rome?
• Pressure from Huns.
• Invasion by Germanic tribes and by Huns
• Sack of Rome –separation of western empire
from wealthier eastern part. (324 A.D.)
• Conquest by invaders.