1. The Fall of the Roman Empire

2. Emperors After Augustus
Bad Emperors:
Caligula
Nero – persecuted Christians
Good Emperors:
Trajan – empire at its largest; vast building program
Hadrian – reorganized the government/administration
Antonius Pius – reigned during peace and prosperity
Marcus Aurelias – brought empire to the height of economic prosperity

3. Marcus Aurelius
Last Emperor of the Pax Romana Dies without naming an heir Usually heir named and Senate approved Civil War breaks out from AD 26 Emperors rule during this time Extremely bloody and violent time

4. Economy Weakens Economy Weakened Ran out of gold and silver
Started making coins with less silver and gold which led to Inflation (drop in value of money)
Agriculture suffered due to loss of fertile soil
War destroyed farmland
Disruption of trade – bandits and pirates
High taxes for everyone
Decline in population due to disease and food shortage

5. Military and Political Turmoil
Soldiers became loyal to generals instead of Rome
Generals fought amongst themselves for the throne
Mercenaries – hired foreign soldiers who fought for money to protect the Roman empire from increasing threats
Mercenaries didn’t care about the empire

6. Empire Split in Half
Diocletian believed the Empire was too large to be governed by one person
Split the Empire into West and East
Took the East for himself because of its greater wealth
Appointed Co-Emperor to West who reported back to Diocletian
Diocletian retired in 305 because of ill health Civil war broke out immediately

8. Constantine Won control of the western empire in 312
Won control of the east in 324
Ruled both west and east alone 330
Moves capital from Rome to Byzantium
Renamed Byzantium Constantinople
Ruled Empire from the West

9. Reasons for the Move Closer to trade routes and major trade cities
More secure from attack
More Christian city
Constantine declared Christianity to be accepted in the Empire – Edict of Milan and is also considered the 1st Christian Emperor

10. Fall of the Western Empire
Following Constantine’s death, the empire was divided again.
The east survived but the west fell

11. Germanic Tribes & The Huns
Germanic tribes on northern border of empire coexisted for the most part with Rome
The Huns – Mongolian nomadic tribe from central Asia Destroyed everything in their path
Germanic tribes moved into Roman lands to get away from the Huns

13. Rome Attacked
Romans didn’t have an army that could stop the Germanic tribes
410 – The Visigoths attacked Rome Battle of Adrianople – Visigoths beat Romans
Proved that Roman Empire was vulnerable to attack
Germanic tribes continued to attack and raid Roman Empire

14. Attila the Hun 444, Huns united under Attila the Hun
Attacked and plundered 70 cities in the East, but could never get to Constantinople
Attila advanced to Rome but failed again due to bouts of disease and famine
453 – Attila died but the Germanic tribes continued to attack the Roman Empire

15. Fall of Rome
Romulus Augustulus – 14 year old emperor of Rome was ousted by German forces in 476
476 – Fall of the Western Roman Empire Eastern half survived and flourished Eastern half called Byzantine Empire Lasted another 1,000 years
1453 – fell to the Ottoman Turks