Download The Fall of the Roman Empire 7.6

The
Fall of
the
Roman
Empire
7.6
Inflation
*= rise in price caused by decrease
in value of $
*No more expansion = no more new
money.
*Defense of borders and civil wars
cost $$$$
*Daily life becomes harder for people
Diocletian
*General – made emperor in 284 AD
*Realized empire was too large for
one person to govern
 -appointed co-emperor and 2
assistants: he controlled East
*Attempted to improve the economy
*Keys: defense and security of the
Empire
Constantine
• Won civil war in 324 AD
and reunited empire.
• Supported Christianity after vision
on battlefield – eventually won
battle.
• Created Constantinople
• Empire weakens after his death in
337.
Two Empires
*A.D. 400: Two Empires exist
*West: Grew weaker
*East: center of power
and wealth
*German tribes become a
problem
Goths
• Goths –flood into empire in late
300s.
• After poor treatment – crush
large Roman army at
Adrianople
–Eastern emperor Valens killed in
battle
• 410 – King Alaric takes Rome
–first time in 800 years.
Vandals
• Sneak into border during Goth
problems
• 429 – invade North Africa
• 455 – sack Rome
• Today: Vandal – means
terrorize, destroy, steal, etc.
Vandal’s
Sack of
Rome
Huns
• Nomads from Asia
–Attila: greatest Hun leader
• Took much of modern Austria
and Hungary from Rome
• Lost to combined
barbarian/Roman force in Gaul
Aftermath
*476 – Romulus Augustus: last
emperor in West
 -“Fall of Roman Empire”
*Eastern Empire remains until
1453
*Learning declined – libraries
destroyed and technology lost
*Europe slips into Dark Ages
Causes of Decline: Military
• Barbarians pushing East
–Needed land to live on
• Romans need troops
–Dependent on Barbarian recruits
• Generals: overthrowing one
another to be emperor.
• Loss of loyalty to Rome
Causes: Political
• Empire too large to control
• Burden of public service
• Corruption/Unstable
leadership
–Government failed
Causes: Economic
• Too expensive to defend
borders
• Expansion stopped: no new
$
• High Taxes
• High Inflation
Causes: Social
• Class differences
–Rich had power: Poor unhappy
and growing
• Loss of patriotism
• Loss of Values
*Result: Europe in decay for
1,000 years till Renaissance in
1500s.
Fall of an Empire
1. Why did taxation increase
in the Empire? Who did
this hurt the most?
2. What reforms did the
Emperor Diocletian try to
institute?