The Decline of the Roman Empire

How could this mighty empire come to an end? Was it the corruption of the government? Was it economic collapse? Was it the invasion of the Huns? All of the above. The decline happened slowly over centuries, from 200 -476 A.D.

Political Problems After 180 A.D., Pax Romana ended. Violence & corruption took over as weak emperors bankrupted the government. 28 emperors ruled from 192 to 284 A.D. (only 92 yrs). Most were killed off. During this political disorder, Roman legions fought each other instead of defending the empire. This warfare disrupted trade. Food shortages, high costs and unemployment began. (=economic collapse)

Economic Money was needed to maintain the huge empire. Army Romans used to get money by conquering new lands. As the Roman empire stopped expanding, no new sources of gold and silver were coming in. Money was needed to maintain the huge empire. Army Buildings & Roads To cope with the economic problems, the gov. minted new coins made of cheaper copper & tin instead of silver & gold, so the value decreased, causing inflation. What is inflation? It is an increase in prices caused by a decrease in value of a currency.

Two “good” Emperors These emperors stalled the collapse of the empire for about 200 years until 476 A.D. Diocletian held off invading barbarian tribes & created a “co-emperor”. He froze prices (penalty for breaking this law was death). He forced people to stay in their jobs forever. Constantine: the first Christian emperor. He created an eastern capital named Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey) a good trading port. Forced sons to take the same job as their father. He allowed landowners to chain workers to keep them on the farm. In 395 A.D. the empire was officially split in two.

Result was horrible and insoluble financial crisis in the West Troops went unpaid, supplies could not be purchased, bribes could not be paid to barbarian chiefs, etc. Fatal development for the West 65% of all revenue came from the East but 66% of the entire army was stationed in the West Constantine had divided the empire in half, each ruled by a co-emperor, with the eastern emperor in Constantinople as the senior partner The two halves would gradually drift apart and become, by 395, basically independent political entities Division of the Empire into two independent halves left the Western half very weak and vulnerable—just as the Germans were renewing their attacks on the frontier again

THE GERMANS Migrated out of Scandinavia and northeastern Russia 500 BC Since the start of the Roman Empire, Romans and German barbarians influenced each other, mostly through trade. Germans began to enlist in the Roman army in the 3rd century AD

THE HUNS Huns forced huge German migration Nomadic people from Gobi Desert Expert horsemen Tried to invade China around 370 AD and were defeated Then turned westward and ultimately entered northern Europe Terrorized German tribes who lived there Germans migrated south to escape them

Around 400 AD, entire tribes (Ostrogoths, Visogoths, Huns, Vandals) began to move into the empire simultaneously. Capturing huge chunks of territory, settling there, and setting up kingdoms

In 451, the Visogoths & Romans joined together to fight the Huns. Attila turned on Italy, plundering the cities and terrifying people. The plague took its’ toll on the Huns and they retreated. Attila died soon after. Italy, now devastated, was open to invading tribes.

In 476, a German soldier Odoacer seized Rome, killing the emperor In 476, a German soldier Odoacer seized Rome, killing the emperor. He named himself king of Itlay. People now refer to 476 as the “fall” of Rome. However, the fall of Rome was much more complex. This did not mean the end of Roman culture. Germanic rulers kept Roman laws, language and the Christian church.

Many barbarian kingdoms would not last long but they did mark the way for the future Europe, as a unified unit, was finished forever—replaced by a multitude of small, competing entities