1. THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

2. I. THE REORGANIZATION OF THE EMPIRE
A. Diocletian – Emperor (284 – 305 CE/AD)
I. He would be the first emperor to reorganize the Roman Empire and thus set the stage or foundation for what would become the Byzantine (Constantinople) Empire or the Eastern Roman Empire.
a. He would be the first emperor to split the empire into Eastern and Western portions.

3. B. Constantine – Emperor (313 – 337 CE/AD)
1. He would adopt Christianity and make it legal in the Empire
2. In 328 he moved the capital to the eastern empire in the ancient city of Byzantium, and would later change the name to Constantinople.

4. II. REASONS FOR THE FALL OF ROME
A. Political Causes (government)
1. Unfortunately, Romans ignored their great tradition of the Roman Republic (which allowed for them to debate the best way to rule for the people and the empire).

5. 2. They focused on the easiest ways to govern (rule) at that time
2. They focused on the easiest ways to govern (rule) at that time. Which meant doing the following:
a. Used army to fix problems
b. Became corrupt (worked in an immoral way using poor judgment on purpose).
c. Fighting within the government over power (internal conflict)
d. If an emperor was not liked they would assassinate him

6. f. Eventual division of the Empire.
e. They no longer protected the rights of the poor through the use of a VETO (I forbid) in the Republic thus losing popular support.
f. Eventual division of the Empire.

7. B. Economic Causes ( deals with what people do for work, taxes, money)
1. Increased the burden of supporting a huge army and bigger government by increasing the amount of TAXES the Roman people paid.
Depended more on slave
labor

8. 3. Farmers became indentured (tied to working on the land) to wealthy land owners
C. Military Causes (deals with how a civilization is protected). EX: Army, Navy, etc…
1. Poorly trained armies (military forces).
2. Decline in loyalty among hired soldiers (many not originally from Rome).
3. Series of Germanic Invasions

9. D. Social Causes (deals with the people/population and how they live or feel about their civilization).
1. A social caste or hierarchy was created where sons had to follow their fathers same occupation (job). Poor could not move up and lazy wealthy Romans could remain lazy.

10. 2. A drop in patriotism (PRIDE) towards Rome
a. Lack of ambition (drive, determination, focus). These were civic ideas that made Rome great.
b. Lack of devotion to duty
c. Devotion of upper classes to luxury and self-interest