1. The Fall of Rome Chapter 9, Section 3 Pg. 276 Questions 1A, 1B, 2A & 2B

2. How is Marcus Aurelius remembered?
Marcus Aurelius is remembered as the last of the “good emperors”
Roman empire started to decline after his death.
Writer and philosopher
His one really bad decision was allowing his son to become emperor (even though he knew Commodus wasn’t qualified.)

3. Was Commodus a good choice for emperor?
Commodus was a bad choice for emperor.
He was young.
Did not keep senate strong.
Kept a grip on power by bribing the army to support him.
He loved the violence of Rome’s arenas.

4. What factors contributed to the Roman Empire’s decline?
Bad Economy - economic problems led to high taxes, severe unemployment and inflation (no value to money).
Weak and corrupt rulers - most leaders were military generals, not politicians. Generals stole money for their own benefit. Leaders took throne by violence.

5. A Mercenary Army - the mercenary armies were motivated by money, and not by loyalty to Rome (they would switch sides)
Oversized Empire - the empire was too big to govern, control, and defend.

6. Efforts to Stop the Decline
Emperor Diocletian
Enlarged the army
Built new forts at the borders of Rome
Improved the tax system
Divided the empire into 2 parts (with co-emperor) to make it easier to rule