The Fall of Rome

1
The Fall of Rome
World History
2
I. Problems in the Empire
A. Political Instability 1. Death of Marcus
Aurelius end of Pax Romana 2. Commodus
bankrupted treasury 3. From 235-284, the
Empire had 22 emperors 4. Political
instability and civil wars weakened defenses
3
I. Problems in the Empire
B. Economic Decline 1. Caused by political
instability 2. Government minted more
coinsinflation 3. Taxes increased
businesses farms closed
4
I. Problems in the Empire
C. Reforms 1. Diocletian and Constantine held
off fall 2. Diocletian (284-305) a.
Increased army and reinforced borders b. Split
in 2 districts, east and west c. Edict of
Prices froze wages, set prices d. Required
people to keep their jobs
5
I. Problems in the Empire
3. Constantine a. Reinforced Diocletians
reforms b. Declared most jobs hereditary c.
Moved capital to Byzantium renamed
Constantinople 4. Theodosius I a. Willed the
Empire to be split into 2 empires b. Eastern
empireByzantine Empire
6
(No Transcript)
7
I. Problems in the Empire
D. Invasions 1. Germans a. Why
invade? 1.) Warmer climate 2.) Grazing
land 3.) Romes wealth 4.)
Revenge b. Other Germanic groups 1.)
Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Anglos,
Saxons 2.) In 410, Visigoth chief
invaded Rome
8
I. Problems in the Empire
2. The Huns a. Attila raided Eastern
Empire, moved west to Gaul b. Stopped by
Roman and Visigoth army c. Turned on Rome
until stopped by plague and famine d.
Weakened Rome greatly
9
I. Problems in the Empire
E. The End 1. Rome too weak to defend from
Germanic groups 2. In 476, Emperor
Romulus Augustulus overthrown 3. German
soldier Odoacer named himself king of
Italy 4. Marks official end of Western Roman
Empire