1. Warm Up The Roman Empire
1) Three 2) Communication is difficult over such a large area, as well as collecting taxes, recognizing different customs, etc.
On how many continents did the Roman Empire extend to?
2. What difficulties might arise with such a large empire?

2. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

3. Historians have blamed the collapse on hundreds of different factors.
In the late fourth century, the Western Roman Empire crumbled after a nearly 500-year run as the world’s greatest superpower.
Historians have blamed the collapse on hundreds of different factors.
Still others argue that the Roman Empire didn’t really fall in 476 A.D., since its eastern half continued for another thousand years in
the form of the Byzantine Empire.
While just how—and when—the Empire fell remains a subject of ongoing debate, certain theories have emerged as the most popular explanations for Western Rome’s decline and disintegration.

4. 4

5. The Roman Empire at its Height
The Roman Empire became huge
It covered most of Europe, North Africa, and some of Asia
The Empire reached its height under Emperor Diocletian ( CE)

6. The Decline begins 180 CE Marcus Aurelius died
His son, Commodus, took control of Rome
Commodus was a poor leader, killed by his bodyguard
Time of disarray follows
Commodus from the
movie Gladiator

7. Decline in Morals and Values
Crimes of violence made streets unsafe
Prostitution
Wasted money on lavish parties
Gladiatorial combats

8. Political Problems: Weak Roman Government
Poor leaders weakened the government
Frequent fights for power
Many officials took bribes
Talented people chose not to serve due to dangers of government life
Troubles in the empire made citizens lose patriotism for Rome
Being a political official was no longer thought to be an honor
Few people wanted to serve in the government
Out of 26 generals who became emperors, 25 met violent deaths.

9. Social Problems Taxes were too great, many rich people stopped paying
People stopped attending school
Large number of people enslaved
Plague (disease) spread throughout Rome, killing 1 in 10
Famine: There was not enough food to feed people

10. Economic Troubles
Farmers lost land, unable to grow and sell crops, out of work (and famine)
People bought fewer goods, shops closed
Inflation occurred: Rapidly rising prices. Money lost value because fewer taxes paid.
Coins lost value: Less gold put in, people found out (caused inflation)
Bartering grew: sell goods without using money
No taxes, no money

11. Military Troubles
Military only in it for money (mercenaries) were recruited – foreign soldiers who fought for money.
No money to pay military = weak military were recruited
Constant threat of invaders on empire’s borders
Weak military, unable to stop border invasions
Germanic tribes were invading Rome
Soldiers no longer had discipline or loyalty to Rome.
Soldiers had loyalty only to their commanders, who fought not for Rome, but to try to become the emperor.

12. Temporary Help: Diocletian
Diocletian in A.D. 284 became a strong leader
He doubled the Roman armies and hired German mercenaries
Persecuted Christians
He divided the Roman empire into 2 sides
East: Greek speaking
West: Latin speaking
He took over the East, but Civil war broke out after his death

13. Dividing the Empire
Diocletian felt that the only way to save the empire was to divide it in half
Created two empires: Western and Eastern
Western Empire: Europe/ North Africa and city of Rome
Eastern Empire: Turkey/ Asia and city of Byzantium

14. Dividing the Empire
The empire was more easily governable in the short term, but over time the two halves drifted apart. East and West failed to adequately work together to combat outside threats, and the two often squabbled over resources and military aid.
As the gulf widened, the largely Greek-speaking Eastern Empire grew in wealth while the Latin speaking West descended into economic crisis.

15. Christianity Began in the 1st century A.D. as a breakaway Jewish sect
Focused around the spiritual leader Jesus of Nazareth.
Followers of Jesus spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.
Persecuted first by the Jewish People.
Nero had Christianity made a crime punishable by death.

16. Constantine
Diocletian retired and Constantine took his place as emperor
Constantine (312 CE) united the empire again under one ruler
First Christian emperor
Stopped the persecution of Christians
Attempted reforms
Main reform: sons had to follow fathers’ trade
Took over the West part of the empire in A.D. 312
Moved the capital to a strategic location in Greece in the East in Byzantium and renamed it Constantinople
He accepted Christianity

17. Constantinople Rome continued to decline
Constantine moved the capital from Rome to city of Byzantium
City name changed to Constantinople (today is Istanbul)

18. Theodosius Constantine died in 337 CE, replaced by Theodosius
Theodosius could not rule the empire, divided in two again
Western Roman Empire with capital in Rome
Eastern Rome Empire with capital in Constantinople

19. Rome is invaded
Western Empire unable to hold off German tribes on its borders
Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Franks, Vandals, Saxons
German tribes wanted warmer area, Roman riches, and to flee the Huns

20. Visigoths
Rome agreed to allow the Visigoths to live inside of Roman boundaries
Romans treated Visigoths badly
Visigoths rebelled and defeated the Romans
Visigoth leader, Alaric, captured Rome in 410 CE

21. Vandals
Vandals followed Visigoths and spent 12 days stripping Rome of valuables (vandalism)
Many more German invaders followed
Finally, a German general named Odoacer defeated the western emperor Romulus Augustulus.

22. The West Falls Augustulus was defeated in 476 CE
For this reason, this date is given as the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Western Empire was divided into many kingdoms that adopted many of the customs of Rome

23. Eastern Roman Empire
Although the Western Empire fell in 476 CE, the Eastern Roman Empire continued to prosper for 1,000 more years
Became known as the Byzantine Empire
It preserve Greek and Roman heritage