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Rise and Fall
- Explain how barbarian invasions affected the Roman
Empire.
- Define and explain the significance of mercenaries in
the Roman Empire.
-Describe the impact of Constantine on the Roman
Empire.
-Explain why the eastern half of the Roman Empire
survived after the fall of the western half.
The Empire Declines
• After Marcus Aurelius’ death in 180AD, the
empire declined.
– The emperors after him were more interested in their
own wealth and power.
• Marcus Aurelius chose his son, Commodus, to
rule the empire.
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This was not a good decision.
He performed as a gladiator.
He loved spending money on himself.
He did not enjoy governing the empire.
• After 13 years of bad rule, Commodus was
murdered by his own bodyguard.
Commodus
Emperors for Sale
• After Commodus’ death, the emperor that
took over was murdered after just three
months.
• After the army took control of the empire,
they began to auction off the emperor
seat.
• In the 50 years between 235 and 284,
there were 23 different emperors.
– Most were killed in battle.
The Army Weakens
• The Roman army began to overthrow emperors
and rival armies began to attack each other.
• As the army battled for power, they weakened.
• Many Romans did not want to fight for the army
so the army would hire foreigners to fight.
– These foreigners had little pride in Rome.
• German tribes came across the border and
raided Roman towns.
– Merchants and craftspeople were being attacked.
– Travel became dangerous and trade slowed down in
the empire.
The Empire Divides
• Rome was facing hard times.
• Roman emperors became tools of the army.
• One emperor did become powerful and he was
named, Diocletian.
– He introduced a number of reforms.
– He helped restore order and strengthened the
economy.
– He divided the empire into two parts.
– Diocletian controlled the wealthy east and a second
co-emperor controlled the west.
The Division of the Roman Empire
The Empire Divided
• Diocletian added two more co-emperors.
– Each was responsible for a different part of
the Empire.
• Rebellions in Britain and Egypt developed,
but were quickly crushed.
• After Diocletian retired, the empire
remained divided for another 19 years.
The Roman Tetrarchy
The City of Constantine
• In 325, the emperor Constantine united the Empire
again.
• He built a new capital city which was built on an old
Greek city named Byzantium.
– The new city officially opened in 330 AD.
– It was first called New Rome, but then it soon became
Constantinople.
– Constantinople became the center of the Byzantine
Empire.
• After Constantine died, the empire was again split in two.
• As the years passed, there were really “two” Roman
Empires.
– The weaker one was in the west, the stronger one
was in the East.
Constantinople
Christianity Divides
• Besides the empire splitting, Christian churches
were developing different traditions.
• In the east, the emperor was also the head of
the church.
– He claimed to rule directly in the name of Jesus.
• The western church claimed that the pope, or
leader of the Roman church, had authority over
all Christians, including the emperor.
– Byzantine Christians did not accept this claim.
– The churches officially divided into the Byzantine
Orthodox Church in the east and the Roman
Catholic Church in the west.
The Final Days of Rome
• Conditions worsened in the west.
• Invaders continued to pour into the empire.
• The Huns attacked the German tribes and one
tribe was the Visigoths.
• Alaric, a Visigoth leader reached the gates of
Rome and wanted to attack the city, but was
paid a large amount of money to not destroy the
city.
• Alaric returned later and for three days they
pillaged, or robbed Rome.
• In 455, the Vandals captured Rome and also
pillaged the city.
Invasions of the Roman Empire
The Fall of Rome
• When Romulus Augustulus was made emperor
a German ruler confronted his father, Orestes,
and wanted to be an emperor.
– Orestes refused and was killed.
– Romulus, who was twelve at the time, was no longer
an emperor.
– He was spared because of his youth.
– Romulus was the last emperor of Rome.
• As Rome fell, the Byzantine empire became
more prosperous.
• Constantinople became the center of Roman
power.
• It would keep its power for another thousand
years after the fall of Rome.