Download End of the Roman Empire

End of the Roman Empire
In 306 Constantine became emperor. He reunited the Roman Empire under his rule. Like
Diocletian, Constantine focused on the eastern half of the empire. He based the empire in the
new city on the site of an ancient Greek colony named Byzantium. Renamed Constantinople in
his honor, it became the capital of a huge empire. The city exists today as Istanbul, Turkey. The
location of the new capital was perfect for many reasons. Surrounded on three sides by water,
Constantinople was easy to protect. It was on major trade routes between the eastern empire and
Asia. Finally, the city was far away from Rome and all its traditions of government and religion.
This distance made changing the government easier.
Constantine had reunited the Roman Empire and restored a sense of order. After his
death, the empire continued to divide into eastern and western parts as fighting erupted on a
regular basis between Rome and barbarians. By 395, the western and eastern parts of the empire
became virtually two independent states. In the course of the fifth century, the empire in the east
remained intact under the Roman emperor in Constantinople.
Although the Romans had established a series of political frontiers along German tribal
regions, Romans and Germans often came into contact across these boundaries. Until the 300s,
the empire had proved capable of absorbing these people without harm to the empire. However,
Germanic tribes came under new pressure when the Huns, a fierce tribe of nomads from Asia,
moved into the Black Sea region. One of the groups who were forced out of their homeland were
the Visigoths, who crossed into Roman territory. They revolted against the Romans and defeated
them in the Battle of Adrianople in 378 A.D.
Increasing numbers of Germans now crossed the frontiers. In 410, the Visigoths sacked
Rome. Vandals, Germanic tribes, attacked Spain and Africa and the Visigoths attacked Spain and
Gaul. The Vandals crossed into Italy and attacked Rome again in 455. In 476, Odoacer, a new
master of the German soldiers, removed the last Roman emperor from the throne. This marked
the end of the Roman Empire
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How was Constantine and Diocletian similar?
Why did Constantine choose this location for his new capital?
Who started to rise as a threat to the Roman Empire?
Who were the Huns?
What marked the end of the Roman Empire?