HISTORY

• The Roman Empire stands as one of the most significant and enduring civilizations in human history. Its achievements in governance, law, engineering, and culture have left a lasting legacy that continues to influence the modern world.
• The decline and fall of the Roman Empire remain a topic of debate among historians, with various factors contributing to its eventual collapse.
• Roman Empire's 'golden age'


  1st and 2nd centuries AD, driven by military expansion
• Rulers of the Roman Empire


  • Augustus
  • Julio-Claudian emperors
  • Flavian dynasty of emperors
• In AD 117, the Roman Empire reached its greatest extent under the rule of emperor Trajan.
• Roman legions


  • Spread around the border of the Roman territory to both prepare for further expansionist wars, but to also suppress any local rebellions
  • Concentrated in the most troublesome regions, while provinces that were peaceful rarely had legions stationed within them
• By the time of the mid-2nd century AD


  The cost of paying this many permanent soldiers continued to rise, and the Roman state could not afford to be in a constant state of war
• The role of the legions

  Focused more on defending their current borders rather than extending them
• The 3rd century would see a series of dramatic events unfolding in the Roman world that would bring the empire to its knees. The 'Crisis of the Third Century'.
• This was a period of time between AD 235 and 284 which saw the Roman Empire nearly collapse. It began in AD 235 when the Roman emperor, Severus Alexander, was attacked and killed by his own soldiers.
• Towards the beginning of the 5th century, the western side of the empire fell.
• Causes of the Fall of Rome

  • Barbarian Invasions
  • Too Many Emperors
  • Cash Crisis
  • Morale and Military Decay
  • Natural Disasters
  • The role of Christianity
• Barbarian Invasions


  The mighty Roman Empire was under more and more pressure from different barbarian tribes at its borders. These tribes included the Visigoths, Vandals, and Goths. These roaming groups, pushed by climate changes and the search for richer lands, moved into Roman territory. They were looking for shelter or were planning to conquer, and by doing this, they gradually weakened the empire's defenses.
• The famous sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 CE is an event that shows the empire's vulnerability to these external threats.
• By the 300´s barbarians were not only invading, they were migrating and seeking to settle in the rich lands of the Roman empire.
• Roman emperor Theodosius


  Understood he could not keep all barbarians out. He divided the empire into West and East, and allowed some tribes to locate in the western empire.
• Many of these tribes joined the Roman army. However, they did not adopt the Roman culture, or language. As a result, their loyalty to Rome was much weaker than the people that joined in the Pax Romana.
• The Eastern empire fought it´s enemies and continued to last 1000 more years. Against what one might believe, Rome wasn't the most important city at the time. Constantinople and the eastern side grew stronger in time, due to its strategic location,and it became richer and bigger in population.
• The final fall of the western empire to barbarian rulers in 476 CE marked the end of an era. This period, often known as the fall of the Roman Empire, shows the shift of power from the Romans to the barbarian rulers, showing changes in power and civilizations.
• Too Many Emperors


  The Roman Empire experienced a period of political instability marked by frequent changes in leadership and civil wars. The constant struggle for power among competing factions and usurpers weakened the central authority of the emperors and undermined the effectiveness of governance. The crisis of the third century, characterized by numerous short-lived emperors and military anarchy, eroded the cohesion of the empire.
• Cash Crisis


  • The Roman Empire faced many economic problems that made it less stable. These problems included inflation, which is when prices rise and money loses its value, heavy taxes, and the debasement of the currency, meaning the money was worth less than before.
  • The Empire needed a lot of money to pay for wars and to run the government. They got this money from taxes and tributes, which are payments from conquered peoples. But this put a lot of pressure on the Empire's resources, leaving little left for other things.
  • The value of the Empire's money went down, which meant that people couldn't buy as much with their money, which led to less spending and slower economic activity.
  • The decline of trade networks made it harder for the Empire to do business, which slowed down economic growth.
  • These issues led to a stuck economy and upset people. The strain on resources, less valuable money, and reduced trade created an unstable economy.
• Morale and Military Decay


  • The loss of civic virtue and decline of the Roman military were also significant factors that contributed to the fall of Rome. The Roman legions, once the pride of the empire, gradually became less disciplined and effective. Soldiers became more loyal to their generals than to the state, creating opportunities for power struggles and coups.
  • The empire's vast size made it increasingly difficult to manage and defend. The costs associated with maintaining a massive army stretched Rome's economic resources, leading to additional financial strain and a further weakening of the military's capabilities.
  • There was a noticeable loss of faith in the ideals of Rome. The citizens' sense of civic duty and pride in the empire began to wane. Corruption became widespread, and the moral fabric that had held the empire together started to unravel. This decline in morale further reduced the empire's ability to respond effectively to external threats and internal disorders, thereby hastening its downfall.
• Natural Disasters


  • The Roman Empire faced many environmental problems, including natural disasters. Bad weather like droughts and floods harmed farming, a key part of the empire's economy. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions damaged the empire's buildings and society.
  • The weather changes and rising temperatures from climate change made the lands drier, making farming harder and difficult to feed everyone.
  • The Roman Empire also had to deal with diseases that affected many people. Dry lands meant that Romans had to build more water reservoirs to irrigate the lands providing a prosper breeding environment for mosquitos and other disease spreading insects. The Antonine Plague in the 2nd century and the Justinian Plague in the 6th century spread across the empire, killing many people and making it weaker.
• The role of Christianity

  • Christianity, which emerged during the Roman Empire, also played a significant role in its decline. This new religion, with its emphasis on a spiritual kingdom, seemed to offer a more immediate hope and comfort. Its message of a future life would have been very attractive in a world of uncertainty and strife.
  • As Christianity continued to spread across the empire, it started to be seen as a threat by the Roman authorities. This led to a series of severe persecutions. However, the more the authorities tried to suppress the new religion, the more it grew.
  • In the 4th century, Emperor Constantine the Great not only ended the persecutions but also embraced Christianity and made it the official religion of the Roman Empire. This marked a significant turning point for the empire. However, it also led to further divisions and conflicts within the empire, as not everyone converted to Christianity.
  • The shift from the traditional Roman religious practices to Christianity also altered the way Romans viewed their world and their empire. The focus on the afterlife and spiritual salvation downplayed the importance of the earthly realm and the glory of Rome. This shift in worldview could have contributed to the decline in civic virtue and the weakening of the societal bonds that held the empire together.
  • The rise of Christianity also influenced the military. As more soldiers converted to Christianity, they were confronted with the religion's teachings on peace and the avoidance of violence. This may have caused conflicts of loyalty among the soldiers and affected their fighting spirit, thereby contributing to the decline of the Roman military.
• The Roman Empire didn't fall in just one day. It took hundreds of years, and many different problems played a part. Some of these problems were invasions by other groups of people, power struggles inside the empire, money issues, a less effective military, and natural disasters.
• The story of Rome's fall teaches us that even very strong societies can collapse because of their problems, both inside and out. This is an important lesson for us today as we look at our own societies and the challenges we face.
• Barbarian Invasions


  The mighty Roman Empire was under more and more pressure from different barbarian tribes at its borders
• Barbarian tribes


  • Visigoths
  • Vandals
  • Goths
• Barbarian tribes


  • They were roaming groups
  • Pushed by climate changes
  • Searching for richer lands
  • Moved into Roman territory
  • Looking for shelter or planning to conquer
• Barbarian tribes moving into Roman territory


  Gradually weakened the empire's defenses
• Sack of Rome by the Visigoths

  410 CE
• The sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 CE is an event that shows the empire's vulnerability to these external threats
• By the 300´s barbarians were not only invading, they were migrating and seeking to settle in the rich lands of the Roman empire
• Theodosius


  Roman emperor who understood he could not keep all barbarians out
• Theodosius' actions


  1. Divided the empire into West and East

  2. Allowed some tribes to locate in the western empire
• Many of these tribes joined the Roman army
• They did not adopt the Roman culture, or language
• Their loyalty to Rome was much weaker than the people that joined in the Pax Romana
• The Eastern empire fought it´s enemies and continued to last 1000 more years
• Constantinople and the eastern side grew stronger in time, due to its strategic location, and it became richer and bigger in population