DECLINE & FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

I. CENTURY OF CRISIS A. INTRODUCTION 1. PAX ROMANA BEGINS DECLINE BEGAN AT END OF GOOD EMPERORS 2. BEGINNING OF PERIOD OF CIVIL WAR

…INTRO 3. DID NOT KNOW HOW TO COPE WITH CRISIS

B. ROME’S ECONOMY WEAKENS 1. PAX ROMANA a) PERIOD OF GOOD TRADE b) INCREASED WEALTH FROM GOLD AND SILVER c) GREW ENOUGH FOOD

2. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS a) TRADE DISRUPTED BY INVASION b) LIMITED EXPANSION = FEWER SOURCES OF GOLD c) WEALTHY SPENT MONEY ON LUXURY GOOD OUTSIDE OF EMPIRE

…ECONOMY d) RESULTED IN LACK OF GOLD & SILVER

3. ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS a) RAISED TAXES b) COINS MINTED WITH LESS METAL

…SOLUTIONS c) INFLATION (1) DECREASE IN VALUE OF MONEY (2) INCREASE IN PRICE OF GOODS

4. CAUSES FOR FOOD SHORTAGE a) OVERWORKED SOIL b) HIGHER TAXES LED TO FEWER FARMS c) WAR DESTROYED FARM LAND

C. MILITARY & POLITICAL PROBLEMS 1. INVASIONS a) GERMANIC TRIBES FROM NORTH b) PERSIA IN EAST

2. ARMY a) SOLDIERS LESS LOYAL & DISCIPLINED b) CIVIL WAR FOR CONTROL OF ROME c) USE OF MERCENARIES

D. ROMAN POLITICS 1. CITIZENS LESS PATRIOTIC 2. POLITICAL OFFICE BECAME COSTLY

E. MORAL DECAY 1. PEOPLE LOST FAITH IN ROMAN GOVERNMENT & FAMILY 2. TURNED TO CHURCH FOR LEADERSHIP

II. EMPEROR’S ATTEMPTED REFORMS A. DIOCLETIAN 1. REFORMS a) INCREASED SIZE OF ARMIES b) SET FIXED PRICES FOR GOODS

…REFORMS c) FARMERS HAD TO REMAIN OF FARMS (FEUDALISM) d) WORKERS REMAINED IN JOBS e) CLAIMED DESCENT FROM THE GODS

2. DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE a) DIVIDED EAST = GREEK WEST = LATIN b) DIOCLETIAN RULED EAST c) EASTERN PART WEALTHIEST

3. RESULTS a) SLOWED DECLINE b) CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT UPON DEATH

B. CONSTANTINE MOVES CAPITOL 1. GAINED CONTROL OF WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE 312 A.D. 2. RESTORED EMPIRE 324 A.D.

…CONSTANTINE 3. BYZANTIUM a) MOVED CAPITOL TO BYZANTIUM b) LOCATED ON BOSPHORUS STRAIT

…CONSTANTINE c) SHIFTED POWER CENTER FORM ROME d) CITY RENAMED CONSTANTINOPLE

III. WESTERN EMPIRE CRUMBLES A. INTRODUCTION 1. CAUSES FOR FALL a) INTERNAL PROBLEMS b) SEPARATION FROM EASTERN EMPIRE c) OUTSIDE INVASION

2. GERMANIC TRIBES a) SETTLED ON NORTHERN BORDER b) ADOPTED ROMAN CULTURE c) OVERWHELMED & CONQUERED W. ROME

d. TRIBES (1) OSTROGOTHS (2) VISIGOTHS (3) ANGLES (4) SAXONS (5) VANDALS (6) FRANKS(7) MAGYARS

B. HUNS 1. FORCED GERMANIC TRIBES INTO W. ROME 2. CONQUERED ASIA & EASTERN EUROPE

C. GERMANIC INVASION 1. VANDALS a) INVADED ROME FLEEING HUNS b) MIGRATED THROUGH ROMAN PROVINCES TO N. AFRICA (CARTHAGE)

…VANDALS c) ROME UNABLE TO STOP INVASION

2. VISIGOTHS a) LED BY ALERIC b) INVADED LOOTED CITY OF ROME

D. ATTILA THE HUN 1. DIRECT THREAT a) UNITED UNDER ATTILA b) ATTACKED BOTH PARTS OF EMPIRE c) FAILED TO ENTER CONSTANTINOPLE

2. HUNS IN THE WEST a) ADVANCED AGAINST ROME b) WEAKENED BY FAMINE & DISEASE c) WITHDREW AFTER NEGOTIATION WITH LEO I d) GERMANIC INVASIONS CONTINUED

3. EFFECT ON ROME a) ROME LEFT IN FAMINE b) POPULATION DECREASED TO 20,000

E. AN EMPIRE NO MORE 1. AUGUSTULUS a) LAST EMPEROR SENT INTO EXILE b) NO MORE EMPERORS FOR WESTERN EMPIRE

2. EASTERN EMPIRE a) BECAME BYZANTINE EMPIRE b) PRESERVED GREEK & ROMAN CULTURE c) FELL IN 1453 TO OTTOMAN TURKS

IV. LEGACY OF GRECO- ROMAN CIVILIZATION A. INTRODUCTION 1. GREEK LEADERSHIP IN CULTURAL ADVANCES a) ROMANS LEARNED GREEK LANGUAGE

…INFLUENCE b) GRECO-ROMAN CULTURE - MIX OF GREEK, ROMAN, & HELLENISTIC CULTURE

B. ROMAN FINE ARTS 1. CHANGES TO GREEK SCULPTURE a) REALISTIC PORTRAITS b) PRACTICAL IN PURPOSE USED FOR EDUCATION

2. BAS-RELIEF a) IMAGES PROJECTED FROM FLAT BACKGROUND b) USED TO TELL STORIES (HISTORY)

3. MOSAICS a) PICTURE MADE USING PIECES OF GLASS, STONE, OR TILE b) USED TO DECORATE HOUSES

4. FRESCOES a) WALL MURALS b) POMPEII VOLCANO PRESERVED FRESCOES

C. LEARNING & LITERATURE 1. VIRGIL a) WROTE AENEID b) MODELED ON HOMER’S ILIAD & ODYSSEY

V. LEGACY OF ROME A. LATIN LANGUAGE INFLUENCES 1. LATIN REMAINED LANGUAGE OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

…LATIN 2. DEVELOPED INTO ROMANCE LANGUAGES 3. HEAVILY INFLUENCED ENGLISH 4. REMAINED COMMON LANGUAGE OF EUROPE INTO 1500’S

B. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 1. CONTINUED TO USE LATIN 2. CHURCH BECAME EXAMPLE OF MORAL AUTHORITY

…CHURCH 3. LOYALTY TO CHURCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN LOYALTY TO ROME 4. CHURCH BECAME UNIFYING FORCE IN WESTERN EUROPE

…CHURCH 5. CHURCH TOOK THE PLACE OF ROMAN GOVERNMENT

C. ARCHITECTURE 1. ARCH, DOME, CONCRETE a) USED IN ROMAN ARCHITECTURE (COLISEUM & PANTHEON)

…ARCHITECTURE b) ARCHES (1) USED TO BUILD AQUEDUCTS C) CULTURAL DIFFUSION (1) PRACTICAL DESIGN STILL USED TODAY (a) U.S. & STATE CAPITOLS

D. ROMAN LAW 1. STANDARDS a. EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW b. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

…STANDARDS c. ACCUSER HAD TO PROVE GUILT d. PUNISHED ONLY FOR ACTIONS e. UNFAIR LAWS COULD BE OVERTURNED