Download Review: 6-5 The Long Decline of Rome

Review: 6-5 The Long
Decline of Rome
Vocabulary
 Historical Figures
 Key Concepts

Vocabulary Review

Pax Romana
Latin for Roman Peace. The term refers to the
200 year span (27 B.C.- 180 A.D.) that began
when Augustus took power and ended with the
reign of Marcus Aurelius. This was a time of
peace, prosperity, and unity in Rome.

Mercenary
A foreign soldier serving for pay.
Vocabulary Review (Cont.)

Aqueducts
Bridge type stone structures that carried water
from the hills into Roman cities.

Republic
Government in which officials are chosen by the
people.

Patricians
Members of the land owning upper class.
Vocabulary Review (Cont.)

Plebians
Bulk of the Roman population. This group was
made up of farmers, merchants, artisans,
traders, etc.

Legion
Basic unit of the Roman army. The legion was
made up of approximately 5,000 men.
Historical Figures:
Diocletian

1.
2.
Diocletian
Became emperor in 284 A.D
In an attempt to make the empire easier to
rule, he split Rome into two parts. He kept
control over the eastern half and appointed a
co-emperor to rule over the western half.
Diocletian (cont.)
3.
Also took steps to end the empire’s
growing economic problems. He fixed
prices for goods and services in order to
slow inflation. He also enacted laws to
force farmers to stay on the land as well
as laws that dictated that in cities, a son
would have to enter the same
occupation as his father.
Historical Figures:
Constantine

1.
2.
Constantine
General who rose to the throne in 312 A.D.
Known for two reforms of great importance
• Granted Toleration to Christians.
• Built a new capital called Constantinople
in the eastern portion of the empire.
Historical Figures: Attila the
Hun

1.
2.
3.
Attila
Called the “scourge of God” by Christians who
believed his attacks were punishment for the
sins of humankind.
Began a campaign of conquest across much of
Europe in 434 A.D.
Although much of the Hun empire collapsed
with Attila’s death in 453 A.D., the invasion
had the long term effect of sending an
increasing number of Germanic peoples fleeing
into the Roman empire.
Key Concept: Fall of Rome
What caused this eventual downfall?
 Some historians have claimed that
there is one main factor that caused
collapse, while others have claimed
that it was a combination of factors.
Some of the causes suggested by
out textbook include:

Decline of Rome (cont.)

Military Causes
Rome faced an increasing number of Germanic
invasions. At the same time, the Roman army
was not as well prepared for battle as it had
been in the past. In order to meet the need for
more soldiers, Rome was forced to hire
mercenaries who felt little loyalty to Rome.

Political Causes
As the government became more authoritarian
and oppressive, it lost the support of the people.
Decline of Rome (cont.)

Economic Causes
As the government and military bureaucracy
grew, higher taxes were needed to support these
institutions. These taxes became a huge
burden. As farmers abandoned their land, land
became more concentrated in the hands of a
few. In addition, a good deal of social unrest
erupted as large numbers of disillusioned,
unemployed people left their homes to find work
in cities.
Decline of Rome (cont.)

Social Causes
War and epidemics served to reduce the actual
population of Rome. Also, the upper class,
which had traditionally provided leaders for the
empire, began devoting itself to self-interest
and luxury. Romans began to decry the loss of
patriotism, discipline, and devotion.
WebQuest

Definition: A WebQuest is an inquiryoriented activity in which some or all of
the information that learners interact with
comes from resources on the internet
(http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596/about_webquests.html)
Introduction

We have spent time discussing some of the
theories associated with the fall of Rome. Some
historians point to a single cause, while other
historians suggest that the decline of Rome was
the result of a combination of factors. Now, you
are going to have the opportunity to do some
research and develop a theory of your own.
Task

Imagine that you are a historian studying the
decline of the Roman Empire. It is your job to
investigate the cause(s) underlying the collapse
and develop a comprehensive theory that
explains the fall of Rome. You want your theory
to be persuasive to your fellow historians, so be
sure to provide evidence and support for your
findings.
Process

Investigate the following websites and outline at least
five causes for the fall of Rome that you find in these
sources. Please look for factors that were not mentioned
in the textbook.
1.
http://killeenroos.com/1/Romefall.htm
http://www.acs.ohiostate.edu/history/isthmia/teg/Hist111H/issues/rome1.ht
ml
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa06159
9.htm?rnk=r&terms=fall+of+rome
http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/wc1/lect
ures/14romefell.html
2.
3.
4.
Process (cont.)


Once you have researched these factors, please
outline YOUR theory as to why Rome collapsed.
Use your research and the information we have
discussed from the textbook to support your
idea.
Give a brief oral report to your fellow classmates
detailing the highlights of your theory.
Evaluation

You will be handing in your outline. Again, this
outline should contain information on five factors
that have been suggested to have caused the
fall of Rome, as well as the overview of your
theory as to why this collapse occurred.