2. Fall of an Empire 11-3
1. What External Threats contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire? How?
2. a. Who divided the empire and
b. why?
c. How did it contribute to Fall of Rome?
3. What Internal Threats contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire? How?

3. Fall of an Empire: 1. External Threats
Germanic Farmers:
Farmland near the border of the Western Roman Empire provided a large portion of their food
In the 200s A.D. raids by foreign groups caused many farmers to abandon their land
As a result, Rome allowed
Germanic Farmers to grow crops on
Roman land

4. German Tribes Farm Roman Land
How did this arrangement with German Farmers contribute to the decline of Rome ?
- Over time, the Germanic Farmers chose their own rulers and began to
ignore Rome Authority:
Rome no longer had control of the farmland.
and…
Rome was in no position to do anything about it

5. Fall of an Empire B. Huns 300s AD fierce warriors from Central Asia
●Invaded southeast Asia which was controlled by the Goths (Visigoths & Ostrogoths)
● Goths retreated to Eastern Roman Territory.
● Constantine successfully kept Goths out, but they settled along the Roman Border.

6. Once the Goths took control of the outer boundaries,
C. Goths move west and defeated Rome’s Armies & settled within the borders of the
Western Roman Empire
Once the Goths took control of the outer boundaries,
why didn’t the Romans battle them to drive them out?
Perhaps the Romans thought the Goths would provide a good buffer should the
Huns move toward the Western Empire.

7. Fall of an Empire Foreign Enemies
The Goths (more Germans)
To keep the Goths from attacking Rome,
Rome paid them $$$
408 AD
Rome stopped paying
410 AD
Visigoths attacked and destroyed Rome
For the 1st time in 800 years Rome was attacked and defeated

8. Fall of an Empire Foreign Enemies
In the West…
Vandals,
Angles,
Saxons,
Jutes, and
Franks
also raided Roman territories

9. Fall of an Empire 2. Political Leaders
Diocletian
What did Diocletian do?
Divided the empire in half in 284 A.D.
Said it was too big for one person to rule
Appointed a ruler for the Western half while he ruled the Eastern half

10. A Divided Roman Empire

11. Fall of an Empire: Dividing the empire
However, dividing the Empire…
made the Eastern Empire
Strong
and kept the Western empire
Weak

12. Political Leaders B. Constantine When? Circa 300 AD What did he do?
Fun Fact:
After a Battle, Constantine & his army converted to Christianity.
From this point, The front of Roman shields displayed the cross.
B. Constantine
When?
Circa 300 AD
What did he do?
-Re-united empire
-Built new capital near the Bosporus strait and named it…
Constantinople

13. Political Leaders C. Political Leaders in the West were too Weak &
Corrupt to defend Rome from the foreign raids
As a result
By 450 AD who took control of Rome?
Military Generals

14. Fall of an Empire Odoacer.
D. Military leaders ended up fighting themselves for power leaving Rome extremely vulnerable
and 476 AD marks…
The Official End of the Western Roman Empire;
Fun Fact:
The foreign general who conquered Rome in 476 A.D. was
Odoacer.

16. Fall of an Empire: 3. Internal Instability
What other problems threatened Rome’s Empire from within?
- Disease and
- High Taxes
- Vastness of Empire
- Political Corruption
Bribery & Threats to achieve own selfish goals
- Decay of people’s values
Inflation
- Wealthy leave Rome

17. The Eastern Empire Meanwhile, in the East…
The Eastern Roman Empire grew in wealth & Power
The Eastern half of the Roman Empire became known as the…
BYZANTINE EMPIRE

18. Byzantine Society People spoke Greek not Latin
Christianity was important and reflected in works of art and magnificent churches
In the 1, 000s A.D. the Christian church in Byzantine Empire became known as the
Orthodox Church

19. Byzantine Society
Meanwhile, in the West, the Christian Church continued as the
Roman Catholic Church
Leader of the Roman Catholic Church is the
Pope

20. Byzantine Empire Foreign Enemies: in the East… Circa 440 A.D.
Eastern territory was raided by
The Huns led by
Attila
Attila, however, was unsuccessful

21. The Byzantine Empire The Eastern Empire grew in power and
wealth despite the fall of the Western Empire
Justinian
When did he rule?
527 A.D. – 565 A.D.
1. Conquers Italy and most land around Mediterranean to…
retake Rome
2. Also, reorganized the
Laws

22. The Byzantine Empire Justinian
How did he change the Laws?
1. Removed outdated unchristian laws
2. Reorganized laws into a new system referred to as
Justinian’s Code

23. The Byzantine Empire Justinian
How did Theodora help Justinian?
During a rebellion when Justinian wanted to flee, she convinced him to stay and fight.
As a result…
he crushed the revolt and became stronger, ruling until his death.

24. The Byzantine Empire Justinian
After Justinian’s death, the empire began a slow
decline over the next several hundred years.
Finally in 1453 A.D. …
the Byzantine Empire was defeated by the Turks, and became part of the
Ottoman Empire.

25. Fall of an Empire What contributed to the fall of Rome?
● Size of Empire
● Political Corruption/bad leaders
● Wealthy Romans left Rome
● Wealthy used their armies
to take control of Rome
● Dividing the Empire
● Taxes soared
● Inflation soared
● Population decreased
● Foreign Invaders
● Values disappear
● Disease

26. Fall of an Empire
Identify the three main reasons that caused the Fall of the Western Roman Empire.
Political
Economic
Foreign Invaders – The Germans
What do you think was the most important cause for the Fall of Rome?
Why?

27. Fall of an Empire
Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire - Episode 9: The Soldier's Emperor (Documentary) mid 3rd century AD
Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire - Episode 10: Constantine the Great (Documentary)
***Dark Ages
History.com