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Fall of Roman Empire
Weakening Army
• The Empire needed a strong army to protect its borders.
• Rome hired MERCENARIES, paid soldiers, from other
provinces o protect Rome. These soldiers did not care
about Rome.
• Soldiers want more pay.
• Emperors were greedy.
• Powerful generals kept fighting among themselves about
who should be the next emperor.
• This fighting caused Rome to have at least 23 emperors
in 73 years. All but one were assassinated.
Weakened Army
• Loyalty once again went to the general not to
Rome.
• Tribes were attacking from the borders.
• No foreign army soldiers were promoted to
general, which caused them to turn and attack
Rome.
• The defenses of the empire were strong on the
edges but weak in the middle.
• Once tribes broke through the defenses of the
boarders it was easy to keep going.
Smaller Population
• Warfare, famine, a declining birthrate, and
plagues reduced the population from 50 million
to 30 million in 200 years.
• Fewer people meant fewer soldiers for the army.
• Fewer people meant fewer farmers to grow food.
• Fewer people meant less tax money collected.
– Armies were not large enough to defend the empire.
– Roads and bridges were not repaired which slowed
down travel and trade.
Raising Taxes
• Government raised taxes to crippling levels
– To pay for stopping rebellions in the provinces and
defending the borders.
– The borders were costing more and more to defend.
– Many citizens went broke.
– Poor people were driven to crime.
– Gov’t. forced people to repair roads and bridges
without pay.
– Taxes were increased for some people 1/3 of their
income went to taxes.
Declining Farms and Cities
• Revolts destroyed large areas of farming
and killed many farmers.
• Heavy taxes drove farmers out of
business.
– Many farmers left their land to make money in
the army.
– Harvests declined causing food shortages.
Declining Economy
• Diocletian divided the empire into east and west
to make it easier to rule.
• He fixed prices for goods and services to try to
slow down INFLATION, the rapid rise of prices.
– The western empire could not rely upon trade, food,
financial or military from the east.
– All resources were produced in the east.
– The west was dependant on the east.
– Wealth in the western empire dried up when no new
lands were gained.
Loss of Confidence
• People began thinking only of their needs
and security.
• People began neglecting their
responsibility for service to the empire.
• Many Roman citizens began to rebel
against their rulers.
• People felt that the decaying empire was
not worth defending.