Download The Decline and Fall of the Western Roman Empire

The Decline and Fall of
the Western Roman
Empire
Chapter 6
Section 5
Essential Questions
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What caused the Roman Empire to split?
What is the importance of Diocletian and
Constantine’s reforms?
What were the causes and results of the Roman
decline?
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Century A.D.
235 – 284 A.D. – 22 emperors
Invasions by the Sassanid Persians and German
tribes
Plague
Decline in trade and value of money
Couldn’t afford the army
Diocletian (284 – 305 A.D.) and
Constantine (306 – 337 A.D.)
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Divided Rome into 4 units
Enlarged bureaucracies
Increased army’s size and mobility
Moved capital to Byzantium
(Constantinople) – Bosphorus
New economic system
Forced people into certain jobs
 Ensured constant tax base
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Fall of Rome
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Empire divided into east and west
4th century – Huns (Asia) moved into Eastern Europe,
forced Visigoths into Roman Territory
410 – Visigoths sacked Rome and later into Spain and
Gaul
Vandals take southern Spain and North Africa, sack
Rome in 455
476 – Romulus Augustulus killed by Germanic army
(generally considered end of Roman Empire)
Eastern Roman Empire continued under rule of
Constantinople (another 1000 years)
Why did Rome Fall?
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Christianity weakened Roman military.
Non-Italians take high positions in Roman
empire.
Lead poisoning?
Plague
Dependent on slavery.
Failed political systems.