Download THE FALL OF ROME

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Marcus Aurelius died and his son Commodus
took over but spent much of his time fighting
in gladiator games and wasting Rome’s
money. This was the beginning of the end of
the Roman Empire. Severans ruled Rome and
spent most of their time putting down
revolts.
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Beginning in 235 A.D., for the next 50 years
Roman leaders fought each other for control of
Rome.
Many Roman government officials became
corrupt accepting bribes which discouraged
moral and talented people from serving in
government.
Many citizens stopped paying taxes which lead
to fewer people receiving a good education and
an increase in the use of slave labor.
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As Rome’s economy fell, it’s government began
to weaken.
Roman soldiers started seizing private farms for
their crops. This caused people to produce less
and widespread hunger took place.
A worsening economy caused job loss and high
unemployment.
The Roman government began putting less gold
in their coins which devalued money and caused
rapid inflation.
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People began to barter for goods instead of
using money.
When Rome was at its weakest point,
invaders swept into the empire.
As fighting increased, the Roman
government no longer had the ability to pay
its soldiers so it began enlisting Germanic
warriors to fight for them.
All of this created a really big mess for Rome.
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In 248 A.D. a general named Diocletian became
Emperor and tried to initiate reform in Rome.
Diocletian divided Rome into four parts and
placed a ruler over each section of the Empire.
He tried to slow inflation through price fixing
and setting minimum wages paid to workers.
People ignored Diocletian’s reforms and he
lacked the power to enforce them so Rome fell
deeper into decline.
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Upon Diocletian’s retirement, the Roman
general Constantine became Emperor of
Rome.
Constantine forced the son’s of workers to
follow in their father’s trade. (Why?)
He moved Rome’s capital to Byzantium.
He built an new Forum and amphitheater
called the Hippodrome at Byzantium and
renamed the capital Constantinople (Modern
day Istanbul in Turkey).
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Constantine’s reforms were unsuccessful, and
after his death a third Roman general named
Theodosius took control of Rome.
Theodosius had an extremely difficult time
ruling Rome so he decided to re-divide Rome
into just two sections (East and West).
The Western Roman Empire set its capital in
Rome. The Eastern Roman Empire set its
capital in Constanstinople.
Various Germanic tribes invaded Rome once it
was divided between the East and West.
 The largest invasion of Rome came from the
Visigoths.
 The Visigoths knew Rome couldn’t defend itself
so the crossed Rome’s border and attacked
Rome from within.
 In the Battle of Andrianople (378 A.D.), the
Visigoths defeated the Romans and forced them
to surrender their land.
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Rome was captured by the Visigoth leader
Alaric.
Rome was looted, its buildings were burned,
and its people were enslaved.
To the west of Rome, another group known
as the Vandals Rome’s empire in modern day
Spain and north Africa.
After taking Spain and north Africa, the
Vandals sailed to Rome and stripped the
buildings of everything (vandalism).
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The Germanic leader Odoacer took control of
the Western Roman Empire after he
overthrew Romulus Augustus.
This is generally regarded as the event that
marked the end of the Western Roman
Empire.
Although the Western Roman Empire fell, the
Byzantine Empire in the East continued to
thrive for more than 1000 years.
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Rome left behind many things for us
including: words for the English language,
ideas for government, and knowledge about
architecture.
The Romans believed in “equal justice under
the law.”
Rights due to citizenship.
The Latin alphabet.