1. The End of the Classical Period

2. Empires Fall
The ideology of expansion and conquest fueled attempts at conquest beyond practical limits.
Rome: military service became less desirable as soldiers lost land; recruits of “foreigners” to keep numbers of soldiers up led to dissatisfaction; tax revenues fell, so government failed to pay soldiers fully; safety within empire and on borders declined.
Han: “barbarians” continued to demand more concessions in the tribute system; recruits of “foreigners” to keep numbers of soldiers up led to dissatisfaction; tax revenues fell, so government failed to pay soldiers fully; safety within empire and on borders declined.
Gupta: military unable to hold out against constant attacks. Lost many lives. Fighting between regional rulers for territory.
Failure to continue conquest indefinitely and to continue to bring home its economic fruits eroded faith in the ideology that supported empire:
Rome: tenant farmers looked to landowners of latifundias for security; soldiers’ loyalty shifted to generals and officers rather than the state.
Han: tenant farmers looked to landowners for security; bandits and rebels attacked government officials and facilities.
Gupta: economy hurt by constant attacks. Inability to control local princes.
Revolutions toppled the empire:
Rome: Germanic tribes sacked cities near borders and finally Rome; political instability within Rome itself; population decline.
Han: Yellow Turbans peasant rebellion; political instability.
Gupta: White Huns invaded and over ran the empire; politically decentralized/unwillingness to help each other

6. Decline and Fall of Empires
Nine major factors led to the decline of the classical empires
Dynastic Succession
Bureaucratic Corruption
Inequitable Economic Burdens
Regional, Racial, or Ethnic Tension
Decline of Martial Spirit
Moral Decline
Escapist or Otherworldly Religions
Costly Technology
External Enemies

7. Dynastic Succession Rome did not have a clear line of succession
Murders and disputes over succession undermined the credibility of the empire
From CE twenty-six emperors claimed the imperial throne
Finally stabilized by Diocletian and Constantine

8. Dynastic Succession
Dynastic empires experienced a decline in quality of rulers as time went on
Decline of the quality of rulers led to uprisings, usurpations, and civil wars
Factions emerged amongst elites in Han China

9. Bureaucratic Corruption
Yellow Turban rebellion
Peasant rebellion caused by corrupt government practices
Fueled by decline of population due to plague epidemics
Military took control of Han government duties by 190 CE

10. Inequitable Economic Burdens
Increasing tax burden fell to the poor as rich evade taxes
Growth of large plantations and the decline in free farming contributed to fall of Rome and Han China
Wang Mang (9-23 CE) attempts land reforms
Gupta government was unable to collect its tax revenue

11. Regional, Racial, or Ethnic Tensions
Alexander the Great was unable to unify Greek, Egyptians, Persians, and others
India reverted back to regional states based on language and ethnicity after fall of Mauryan Empire
Diocletian divides Roman empire into four separate administrations each with its own capital

12. Map of Empire after Diocletian

13. Decline of Martial Spirit
Roman army depended upon citizens’ pride in military service
Decline in pride forced Romans to use mercenaries which drained the treasury
Ashoka’s emphasis on pacifism as a state policy sapped the spirit of Indians

14. Moral Decline
Roman emperors became increasingly self-indulgent and hedonistic
Nero, Caligula, et al.
Hedonism and extravagance of the upper class blamed for the decline of the Han dynasty

15. Escapist or Otherworldly Religions
Christianity stressed heavenly rather than earthly rewards
Religious strife also contributed to chaos in Rome
Many Chinese began to follow Buddhism or escapists Taoists
Ashoka’s emphasis on pacifist Buddhism alienated many Hindus

16. Spread of Christianity

17. Costly Technology
Cost of maintaining engineering wonders put a strain on already impoverished economies
Roman aqueducts, roads, arenas, etc.

18. External Enemies
Han dynasty experienced repeated invasions by the Xiongnu (Huns)
Germanic tribes lived on northern plains of Europe for centuries
Visigoths settled, developed agriculture, and served in the Roman military

19. External Invasions
In the 4th century, Huns migrated from their homelands in central Asia
Led by Attila the Hun, the Huns attacked the Romans and the Germanic homelands
Germans sought refuge in the Roman empire
Established permanent settlements in Roman territories
Visigoths sack Rome in 410 CE
Overthrow last Roman emperor in 476 CE

20. Germanic Invasions

21. Effects of Collapse
Han dynasty divided into three rival kingdoms in 220 CE
Three kingdoms would fight for control of China for centuries
Christianity was most prominent survivor of Roman collapse
Rise of the church as an institution
Most Roman institutions disappeared as Germans were unwilling or incapable of continuing them

22. COMP Decline and Fall
From 600 B.C.E- 600 C.E the great classical Empires of Rome and the Han would become overburdened by over territorial expansion and unable to manage the empire, nomadic threats would undermine the security of the empire but the Han’s Mandate of Heaven would successfully transfer the traditional Chinese culture and political Dynastic succession while the Western Roman Empire would fall into 1000 years of decentralized feudalism and a tremendous leap back.
The Hellenistic Empire of Alexander and the Maurya Empire would both fall due to lack of a clear line of succession, both would overextend territorial boundaries which made it difficult to maintain, however, India would decline into 500 years of regional Hindu Kingdoms while Rome would be the successor to the Hellenistic model.
The Persian Achaeminid Empire and the Maya would both be unable to deal with a growing population and lack of resources, however, the Maya’s regional isolation would prevent it from all out warfare like the Persian Wars (vs Greece) and the Persians would come back under the Hellenistic Sassanid Kingdome while the Maya abandoned their cities

23. From 600 B.C.E-600 C.E both the Greek Poleis and Chin Dynasty fell due to violent insurrections and internal warfare, however Greece's connection to Mediterranean trade whilst the Chin's isolation protected it against disease and While the Athenian ideal of democracy would give voice to a population protecting it against rebellion, the legalist nature of the Chin Dynasty would watch its disintegration and the rise of the Han Dynasty.
Violence and warfare contribute to a destabilizing force and the Peloponnesian Wars and China's warring states after the death of Chin Shi Huang Ti would see the increasing violence lead to regime changes like the Macedonians in Greece and the Han Dynasty in China
The Periclean plague in Athens would contribute to the deaths of many Athenian citizen named after its greatest ruler while Chin Dynasty would be protected against epidemic disease due to their regional isolation of the Gobi, Himalaya and the Pacific.
The state-sponsored philosophy of legalism was overly punitive and caused massive rebellions in the Chin Dynasty after the death of Chin Shi Huang Ti while the one remaining ideology which persisted from Greece to Rome was the democratic ideal of people making their own governmental decisions. 
Often a stronger more dynamic power will wait for a political vacuum to establish itself when a likely regime change would be the result to provide order and law to the destabilized chaos.
The downside of the control of lucrative trade routes and densely populated urban centers is the likelihood of the spread of disease contributing to a loss of tax base, military might and faith in the government which happened in Athens while China did not experience this faith and, instead focused more on the punitive nature of Chin Shi Huang Ti's rule.
While might may make right, the harshness of legalism would see it take a backseat to Confucianism in the Han Dynasty to provide a good natured view of mankind similar to the hopes of Athenian Direct democracy paving the way for a more efficient representative (republic) democracy providing citizenry with hope for the future and putting off serious rebellion for centuries.