Download The Fall of Rome & The Barbarians

The Fall of Rome &
The Barbarians
Arguments made in the Mitchell Article
Regarding Christianity and Women
 Yes –Karen King
– Women’s opinions
-
-
-
mattered in Christanity
St. Paul makes note of
women’s role (home
churches)
Mary Magdalene is shown
as a leader
Writings reflect women
promoted to powerful
positions.
Jesus’ teachings stressed
equality
 No—Lisa Boyer
- Work performed by women
-
-
-
was expected
Appearance of importance
Seen as Outlaws (women
running house churches
seen as questionable)
Church itself did not
support women in
leadership roles
Reduced to simple idea of
good girl / bad girl (the
idea of the 2 Mary’s)
Did the Rome Fall for Internal
Reasons?
 Yes—Antonio S.
 No—Peter Heather
– Small army for empire of
2nd.
–
–
–
–
that size. Soldiers were
Farming reduced b/c of
population reductions
Christianity put morals into
heads.
Too Large
The idea of the Roman
Citizen changed and
started to mean less!
• Soldiers were not true
Romans.
– The cost of Tribute
– The shrinking land resulted
in shrinking income.
– Started to lose battles.
– 410-476 was a period of
one invasion after another.
No Break to recharge.
– No society is perfect and
all of Rome’s problems
seemed to appear at once.
Reasons for Rome’s Fall in
Nutshell.
 Army
– Spread out, too small, & too foreign
 Money
– Paying out more than taking in
 Christianity
– Citizens become more worried about something more
than Rome
 Population
– Getting smaller with disease and less farming
 Barbarians
– Putting up numerous victories over the Romans.
Rome’s MOST WANTED!
The Goths
 Germanic Tribe which
lived in the Roman
Empire.
 In the 3rd century, the
Goths came into
contact with the
Roman Empire.
 Original located in the
eastern portion of the
Roman Empire.
Goths
 During the 3rd century, the Goths split into 2
groups: The Visigoths (West) and Ostrogoths
(East).
– The Ostrogoths would come under control of the
Huns.
 Because of the Hunnish threat, the Visigoths
requested Roman permission to move to the
banks of the Danube River.
 The Goth camp along the Danube experienced
famine and War erupted. The Goths won a
devastating victory over the Romans at
Adrianople.
– At this battle, the Roman Emperor Valens was killed
378 AD and so was 2/3rds of the Roman Army.
Goths
 Valens
– The Roman emperor faced two major
problems that resulted in his death.
• To deny Goths into Roman territory would risk
war.
• To grant Goth request to come to Danube would
put major threat directly into empire.
 Valens’ death proved that Rome was not
invincible.
Goths
 After Adrianople, Goths running wild in Roman
Empire, but could never consolidate victories.
– Theodosius reunited Roman empire and kept Goths at
bay for a little while (ruled until 395)
 In 410AD, the Goths under Alaric sacked Rome.
 In 418 AD, the Visigoths were given land on the
Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain). Kingdom
lasted until 711.
The Huns
 The most legendary of
the barbarians taking
on the Roman
Empire.
 The were from central
Asia, but moved into
eastern Europe during
the 4th century.
The Huns
 Moved into conflict with the Roman
Empire.
– Forced Goths to move to the Danube and seek
Roman assistance.
 Excellent Horse and Bowmen.
 Terrified various groups in Europe because
seemed to come out of nowhere.
– Collected tribute from numerous groups.
Attila 434-453AD
 Gained great amount of tribute from Rome
– Had many wives
 Siege laid to places in the Roman Empire such as
Constantinople and Balkans.
 Attila started to gain representation as being
brutal and feared. Gained the nickname “the
scourge of God.”
– Some people believe that Attila was a just and noble
king and representation is just western propaganda.
Attila
 Before 451, Attila mostly stayed in Eastern
Europe collecting tribute, fighting Goths, and
growing rich.
– Then in 451 made the decision to attack western part
of Roman Empire.
 Attila got as far as Gaul (in modern day France)
where he met an allied Roman and Goth army at
the Battle of Chalons.
– The Roman/Goth army turned the Huns back after a
very bloody battle.
 The Battle of Chalons did not stop Attila. After
the Gaul invasion the Huns left and reorganized.
Attila in Italy
 In 453, Attila invaded the heart of the Roman
Empire, Italy.
 Huns marched unopposed through Italy.
 Attila marched until he reached the Po River, just
short of Rome.
 Just outside of Rome, Attila met with Pope Leo I.
– After the meeting, Attila turned back to Hunnish
Territory.
Leo I
 Many reasons have been
given why Leo I was able
to have Attila turn back.
– Some say St. Paul & Peter
at meeting.
 This encounter provided
Christianity instant
credibility because took
on Empire’s greatest
threat w/o weapons other
than words.
True Reasons why Attila Turned
Back
 Plague weakened the Army.
 Fear that Eastern Empire Armies coming.
 Armies had to much tribute to carry back
and Rome treasures would be too much.
 If Roman Empire crushed and Rome
destroyed, source of income eliminated.
 TRUTH IS NO ONE KNOWS!
Death of Attila
 Attila died in 453 AD while planning an invasion
of the Eastern Empire to reclaim unpaid tribute.
 His nose started bleeding in his sleep and he
choked to death.
– He was celebrating another marriage.
• One theory is the heavy drinking from celebration led to
heavy internal bleeding.
 The Huns Empire quickly dissolved after Attila’s
death. Attila provided order.
– Much internal fighting over his empire.
Vandals
 Vandals
– Germanic Tribe
– Sacked Rome in
455AD for treasures
(vandalism)
• Some historians say the
end of the Western
Empire.
– Formed Kingdom in
North Africa.
Barbarians Influence
 Barbarians contributed to fall of Western
Empire.
– Lombards last invaders in 6th century.
• Eastern Empire last until 1453 AD
 Many “Barbarian” tribes would influence
future Europe:
– Huns (Hungary), Franks (France), & AngloSaxons (England) are examples.