Download The Decline (or Fall) of Rome

The Decline (or Fall) of Rome
Ω After the 5 Good Emperors, Rome had 64
(depending upon your count) different emperors
between 180 & 284 CE
Ω Half of these were not even Roman, let alone
Italian. Most died of unnatural causes
Ω Rome’s 3 most prosperous sources dried up in the
3rd century (Gold & silver, trade, and grain) due to
pirates, barbarians, & lack of new conquests
Ω Taxes were raised. Coins were minted using less
and less precious metals. Farmlands were overused
and under producing
Ω Cheap labor did not encourage innovation in
agriculture.
Ω The economy suffered inflation, a drastic drop in
the value of money along with a rise in prices
Ω To protect Rome’s
10,000 mile border they
came to depend upon
barbarians and local
tribesmen. They
normally cost more than
the typical Roman
soldier and were not as
loyal
Ω But without them
Rome may have fallen
200 or more years
earlier.
Ω During the Republic
Romans would die for
their country, but
afterwards citizens
didn’t really care one
way or another.
Ω Politicians had to
spend more and more
on games and
giveaways that it
was no longer a job
you would make
money at, but it
would cost you out of
pocket to be a
politician.
Ω Rome’s borders were
being attacked more
frequently so they
hired mercenaries,
foreign soldiers who
fought for money.
They didn’t have
much loyalty towards
Rome.
Ω In 284 CE, Diocletian
became emperor.
Ω Realizing they needed
drastic measures he ruled
as an absolute ruler and
reduced personal
freedom.
ΩTo manage inflation he
fixed prices for goods.
ΩHe made workers and
other laborers and skilled
craftsmen to stay at
their jobs for life.
To reclaim pride &
prestige in the
emperor he claimed
descent from the
ancient Roman Gods.
He was now to be
called Lord & Master
and to visit him you
had to prostrate
yourself in front of
him.
He doubled the size of the army and hired German mercenaries.
He saw
Christianity as a
threat and
passed decrees
to persecute
Christians.
Ω Diocletian built his palace, seen above, in Yugoslavia
Ω Realizing the empire was too big for one to govern, he split the
empire into two parts, East & West (He took the Eastern half which
was much richer than the West)
Ω Although his stop-gap measures slowed the decline, it didn’t solve
their problems. In 305 he actually retired and a Civil War followed
ΩThe winner would be Constantine – the final battle at the Milvian
Bridge.
Ω Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium and renamed it
Constantinople
Ω He went on a building spree which included the Hippodrome, used for
Chariot and horse racing
Ω After his death in 337 the empire was again split in two.
Ω The Germanic tribes began to be pushed by Mongolian nomadic group named
the Huns who arrived around 370.
Ω The were so many people in the many tribes that the Romans were
powerless to stop them
Ω The tribes now began to realize that the Romans were all that tough within
their own empire and began to attack
ΩOne tribe, Visigoths led by Alaric, sacked Rome for the
1st time since 390 BCE. Rome survived, weakened. Alaric
died of malaria (?) a few months
ΩWhen the Huns, led by Attila failed to get over Constantinople's
walls) they headed towards Italy. Pope Leo I met them and spoke to
Attila alone. The Huns turned around and left – Leo Pulled off a
miracle against The Scourge of God
ΩDisease affected the Huns and the Romans. Rome’s population fell to
20,000 from a high of a million.
Ω The western Roman
empire was an empire in
name only – they were
powerless to stop anything
or anybody.
Ω Different tribes
controlled what use to be
the Western Empire
Ω Finally the king of the
Ostrogoths, Odoacer,
disposed the last Roman
emperor, Romulus
Augustulus, who was only
14.
He pitied the young
boy and let him live,
even giving him an
allowance for life.
The Eastern capital, Constantinople and its territory
would survive in different forms until 1453 when the
Ottoman Turks would finally capture, and keep it.
Centurion
The tortoise formation
You can still see the road
Another
view of
the
Forum
A view of Julius Caesar’s tomb
Tomb of Augustus Caesar
Best preserved Roman bridge, Rome across
Tiber River
before
The Forum - after
Imperial Palace & Hippodrome before
after
A model of The Colosseum how
it would have looked
The Colosseum today
The Colosseum