The Decline and Fall of Rome

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The Decline and Fall of Rome
During the AD 200s, while Christianity was
spreading through the Roman Empire, Germanic
tribes began to overrun the western half of the
empire. Many inhabitants in the area reported
widespread devastation and chaos. The Germanic
tribes had always been a threat to the empire.
Why were they so much more successful now?
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The Problems of the Empire
1) Political Instability
Commodus, Marcus Aurelius son, spent so much
money that he bankrupted the treasury.
In 192AD his own troops plotted to kill him.
Commodus was one of many poor leaders for Rome
He was not the first, and he
would not be the last
Commodus though of himself as Heracles (Hercules)
reborn never lost a gladiatorial battle though
From 192 AD to 284AD army legions installed 28
emperors only to kill most of them off
Legions often supported different people for
emperor, because of this the legions were often
fighting each other too busy to fight off
Germanic tribes like the Goths, Alemanni,
Franks, and the Saxons.
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2) Economic Decline
Political instability led to economic decline
warfare disrupted trade and commerce.
By this time Rome was buying more goods than it
was making not good Items in small supple
caused inflation.
Warfare also destroyed farmland, causing food
shortages.
As inflation rose, the landowners were taxed,
meaning less profit for farmers who later would
abandon their lands.
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Unsuccessful Reforms
1) Diocletian
284AD Diocletian comes to power.
To hold back invasions he raised the number of
legions in the army, and spent time traveling
the empire to inspect them.
Realizing the empire was too big for one man to
govern, he split the empire into two he was
coemperor of the eastern provinces, and General
Maximian was coemperor of the western provinces.
He also tried to slow inflation by issuing the
Edict of Prices he froze wages and set
maximum prices for goods. Under penalty of death
though citizens still sold goods in illegal
trade.
He also required farmers who rented land never to
leave, and all workers to remain at their jobs
for the rest of their lives.
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2) Constantine
Takes over in 312AD
He made it legal for landowners to chain workers
to keep them on the farm, and declared most jobs
hereditary.
He moves the capital from Rome to Byzantium, and
names it Constantinople
3) Theodosius I
Following Constantines death in 337AD the empire
falls into a civil war, of which the western
half suffers
At his death Theodosius wills that the empire be
split into two separate empires in 395AD this
division takes place. The western was the Roman
Empire, and the eastern was the Byzantine Empire.
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Barbarian Invasions
Germanic tribes start migrating into the Roman
Empire during the late 300s AD seeking warmer
climates, better grazing lands, and a share of
Romes wealth. Most came because they were
fleeing the Huns
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The Visigoths
During the late 300s AD Germanic groups
extended their hold on Roman territory the
Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Vandals, Franks, Angles,
and Saxons.
At first, in 378AD the Visigoths rebelled
against Rome and defeated a large Roman army,
killing the eastern Roman emperor Peace was
made by giving land.
Then in 410AD, under Alaric, the Visigoths sacked
Rome. On his death they retreated back into Gaul
(Spain).
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The Huns
A nomadic group that came from central Asia led
by Attila.
The Huns were such great fighters that in 451AD
Rome and the Visigoths joined forces against
them.
Plague and famine took their toll on the Huns,
and following Attilas death in 453AD they
retreated to eastern Europe.
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The Fall of Rome
In 455AD the Vandals sacked Rome
In 476AD a German soldier named Odoacer seized
Rome and named himself king of Italy Rome had
fallen