Download Causes for the decline of the Western Roman Empire Geographic size

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Decline of the Roman Empire
Causes for the decline of the Western
Roman Empire
• Geographic size: Difficulty of defense and
administration
• Economy: The cost of defense, and
devaluation of Roman currency
• Military: Army membership started to
include non-Romans, resulting in decline
of discipline
Causes for the decline of the
Western Roman Empire
• Moral decay: People’s loss of faith in
Rome and the family
• Political problems: Civil conflict and weak
administration
• Invasion: Attacks on borders by various
Germanic tribes (Visigoths, Vandals,
Goths, Huns, Ostrogoths)
Division of the Roman Empire
• Diocletian divided the empire into East and West
to make management easier, cost less
• Move of the capital by Constantine from Rome to
Byzantium, renaming it Constantinople
• Survival of the Western Roman Empire until 476
A.D. (C.E.), when it ceased to have a Roman
Emperor
• Europe plunged into the Dark Ages for centuries
• Eastern Roman Empire survives and becomes the
Byzantine Empire
End of the Roman Empire
• Western Roman Empire (Europe) plunges into
the Middle Ages (476-1400’s a.d.)
• Centuries immediately after collapse of Roman
Empire known as the Dark Ages cultural
regression (going backwards), lack of unity
• Catholic Church becomes central
power/authority in Europe