The Decline of the Roman Empire Powerpoint presentation created by Robert L. Martinez Primary content source: Prentice Hall World History Images as cited. usu.edu

Aim: Why did the Western Roman Empire come to an end in 476? Do Now – Fill out Section 4 Quiz

After the death of the emperor Marcus Aurelius in 180, the golden age of the Pax Romana ended. For the next 100 years, political and economic turmoil rocked the Roman empire. pantheism.net

1. Political instability Again and again, emperors were overthrown by ambitious generals. thewander-woman.com

In one 50 year period, at least 26 emperors reigned. Only one died of natural causes. Political violence and instability, rather than order and efficiency - became the rule. vaticanarthistoriantours.com

2. Economic crisis High taxes to support the army, and the bureaucracy placed heavy burdens on business people and small farmers. lore-and-saga.co.uk

Farmland that had been over- cultivated for too many years lost its productivity. w hitehallvilla.co.uk

Many poor farmers left their land and sought protection from wealthy landowners. Technically free, they were not allowed to leave the land. goodreads.com

3. Failure of reforms 284 Diocletian reforms set out to restore order. To make the empire easier to govern, he divided the empire into two parts. smithsonianmag.com

To slow inflation, he fixed prices for goods and services. Other laws forced farmers to remain on the land. In cities, sons were required to follow their fathers’ occupations. dir.coolclips.com

In 312, the talented general Constantine gained the throne. As emperor, Constantine continued Diocletian’s reforms except for two major exceptions. en.wikipedia.org

First, Constantine granted toleration for Christians. By doing so, he encouraged the rapid growth of Christianity within the empire. courses.wcupa.edu

Second, he built a new capital, Constantinople, making the eastern portion of the empire, the center of power. The western Roman empire was in decline, but the east enjoyed more people and resources. tumblr.com

These reforms helped hold the empire together for another century. Still, the reforms failed to stop the long-term decline lookandlearn.com

Other Problems Military Weakness – mercenary armies Diseases – plagues kill millions Christianity?

For centuries, Rome had faced attacks from the Germanic peoples who lived east of the Rhine and north of the Danube rivers. theapricity.com

The Huns, a nomadic people, migrating across Central Asias fought fierce battles to dislodge the Germanic peoples in their path. web-books.com

In 410, the Visigoth general Alaric overran Italy and plundered Rome. Gradually, other Germanic peoples occupied more and more of the western Roman empire. dpaddbags.com

For Rome, the worst was yet to come. Starting in 434, the Hun leader Attila embarked on a savage campaign of conquest across much of Europe. badassoftheweek.com

Finally, in 476, Odoacer, a Germanic leader, ousted the emperor in Rome. Later, the historians referred to that event as the “fall” of Rome. historyguffaw.com

The passing of Rome’s power and greatness was a major turning point in the history of western civilization. But why did the Roman empire fall? iml.jou.ufl.edu

BARBARIAN INVASIONS The most obvious cause of Rome’s fall was the Germanic invasions. Still, these attacks were successful in part because of the weakness of the Roman army. ancientgames.blogspot.com

POLITICAL PROBLEMS As the government became more oppressive and authoritarian, it lost the support of the people. Corrupt officials undermined loyalty. Frequent civil wars over succession to the imperial throne. pbs.org

DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE Dividing the empire when it was under attack may have further weakened it. The richer eastern Roman empire did little to support the west. explorethemed.com

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS Heavy taxes were required to support the vast government bureaucracy and huge military establishment. pennay.edublogs.or g

SLAVERY Reliance on slave labor discouraged Romans from exploring new technology. Wealth of the empire dwindled as farmers abandoned their land and the middle classes sank into poverty. toptenz.net

DISEASES In addition, the population declined as war and epidemic diseases swept the empire.

SOCIAL PROBLEMS Romans pointed to the decline in values such as patriotism, discipline, and devotion to duty on which the empire was built. The need to replace citizen soldiers with mercenaries showed the decline of patriotism. history.msu.edu

DECADENCE OF RULING CLASS The upper class, which had once provided leaders, devoted itself to luxury and self-interest. brendaatanacio.edublogs.org