1. The Fall of Rome

2.  Commodus became emperor when his father, Marcs Aurelius, died in 180 AD  18 years old  Marcus Aurelius knew he wasn’t ready  Thought he might grow into it  Commodus didn’t respect the Senate  Kept power by bribing the army  Extravagant lifestyle  Joined in gladiator fights dressed as Hercules  Assassinated on New Year’s Eve in 192 AD  Was planning on appearing as a gladiator the next day

3.  Weak, corrupt rulers  Roman army now comprised of mercenary soldiers  Overexpansion  Economic Problems

4.  Weak, corrupt rulers  Rome ruled by generals, not politicians  Used money to enrich themselves, bribe soldiers  Senate lost power  Rulers kept power by violence  29 emperors between 180-284 AD

5.  Mercenaries: Foreign soldiers who serve for pay  Mercenaries switched sides due to bribes

6.  Rome had grown too big  Had to spend all its energy protecting itself  Many rebellions inside the empire  Unable to conquer new lands

7.  No new lands meant no new wealth  Couldn’t pay soldiers without raising taxes  Severe unemployment  Scarce food, high prices  More coins produced  Less silver in each coin  inflation

8.  Enlarged army  Built new forts  Improved tax system  Divided the empire to make ruling easier  Diocletian ruled the east ▪ Wealthier  Appointed co-ruler in the West

9.  Diocletian and co-emperor abdicated - 305 AD  Generals fought for power  Won by Constantine ▪ Had used the cross for his sign ▪ “Under this sign you will conquer” ▪ His mother, St. Helen, had found relics of the True Cross  Constantine took power in the West ▪ Pronounced freedom of worship in 313 AD  Licinius and Maximinus shared power in the East  Licinius took complete control in 313 AD  Constantine took it from him in 324 AD ▪ Made Christianity official religion of Roman Empire

10.  Catholic Church was close to dividing  Constantine called a council to handle the crisis  Council of Nicaea  Wrote the Nicene Creed  Built churches in Jerusalem  Built St. Peter’s in Rome

11.  Constantine moved capital of Roman Empire  From Rome to Byzantium in 330 AD ▪ Modern day Turkey ▪ Constantine had grown up in the East ▪ Byzantium was a more powerful city at that time  Called it New Rome  Soon changed the name again ▪ Constantinople (“The city of Constantine”)

12.  Barbarians invaded Rome after Constantine’s death  Visigoths looted Rome in 410 AD  Vandals captured Rome in 455 AD  Last emperor of Rome: Romulus Augustulus  14 years old  German general took power from him  Sent him to work on a farm  Western Empire fell  Eastern part remained strong  Constantinople became center of new Byzantine Empire