Download The Fall of Rome

The Fall of Rome &
A Lasting Legacy
"Rome never fell because it turned
into something even greater, an idea,
and achieved immortality."
~ R.H. Barrow
End of the Empire (Review)
 The Romans continued to face
threats from various Germanic
tribes.
 The last Roman emperor, a 14 year
old named Romulus Augustulus,
was ousted by German forces in
476. After that, Roman power in
the western half of the empire was
dead.
 Meanwhile, the eastern half
survived and flourished. It was
known as the Byzantine Empire,
preserving Greek and Roman
culture.
Invasions of the Western Roman Empire
What caused the Western Roman Empire to Fall?
(Review)
 Political causes: Political office was seen as a burden;
military interference in politics; civil war; division of
empire and moving the capital to Byzantium.
 Social causes: Decline in interest in public affairs; low
confidence in empire; disloyalty; corruption; divide
between rich and poor; decline in population due to
food shortages.
 Economic causes: Poor harvests; disruption of trade;
inflation; no more war plunder; taxes.
 Military causes: Threat from northern European tribes;
low funds for defense; mercenaries; decline of loyalty
among soldiers.
 Immediate cause: Invasions by Germanic tribes and Huns.
What was the legacy of Rome?
(New so take notes!)
 A legacy is what is left behind after an era comes to
an end. The legacy of Rome is what is known as
classical civilization- a mixture of Greek, Hellenistic
and Roman elements that became known as GrecoRoman culture.
 This was a hybrid culture that not only included
elements of the original cultures, but also created its
own distinctive forms. It involved art, literature,
science, law and other elements.
Roman Fine Arts
 Roman art was more realistic and
less idealized, intended to
educate the public.
 Romans developed the baserelief form of sculpture, where
images are projected from a flat
background.
 Artists also created mosaics,
which were pictures composed
of small pieces of stone, glass
and tile.
 Frescoes, large murals painted
on wet plaster, were also a
Roman specialty.
Literature
 Romans borrowed much of their
philosophy from the Greeks.
Stoicism was particularly popular.
 They also took inspiration from
Greek literature. Epics were popular,
and a way for the Romans to
promote their own themes and
values. The poet Virgil wrote the
Aeneid, the most famous piece of
Latin literature.
 On a less serious note, the poet Ovid
was famous for light, witty poetry.
 Rome also produced many
historians. Livy was known for
embellishing his history of Rome
with myths, while Tacitus
presented the facts accurately.
Architecture and Engineering
 The Romans were known as
master builders. The arch, the
dome and concrete were all
used to build massive structures.
 Arches supported bridges and
aqueducts, which brought water
into cities and towns. Roman
roads were also technologically
advanced, using stone, concrete
and sand.
 The Colosseum is one of the
most famous Roman buildings,
which had a system of ramps,
elevators, animal cages, concealed
trapdoors, passageways and seats
ringing a giant arena.
The Colosseum
Roman Law
 Romans believed that the law should be fair and
apply equally to all people, rich and poor. The
standards of law were influenced by teachings of
Stoic philosophers and based on common sense and
practical ideas.
 Basic principles included: 1. all people had the
right to equal treatment under the law, 2. a
person was innocent until proven guilty, 3. the
burden of proof should rest with the accuser,
not the accused, 4. a person is punished for
actions, not thoughts, and 5. any law that was
grossly unfair should be set aside.
Did Rome Really Fall?
 Some people believe that Rome did not
actually fall, because it lived on in Western
cultural tradition.
 Roman art, literature, architecture,
technology, engineering and even language
lived on as ideas and influences.
 What do you think? (discuss)