The Fall of RomeFor centuries after the rule of its first emperor, begun in 27 B.C.E., the Roman Empire was the most powerful

state in the ancient world. Rome continued to expand to include 3 continents: Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Roman Empire Expansion

What is needed to control such a vast empire?

The Fall of Rome

Political Causes •Oppressive government, loss of popular support

•Increased government corruption

•Division of empire – Too large to control

•Internal power struggles – Lack of organized system of succession

Diocletian (284—305) and the Division of the Roman Empire

These included splitting the Empire into two in

order to be more manageable, creating a new system of Imperial succession to answer the question of who

would be Emperor of the newly divided East and West, called the system of "Tetrarchy", or "rule of four", whereby a senior emperor would rule in the East and West, and

each would have a junior emperor.

Diocletian believed that going forward under the current system of Roman Imperial government was unsustainable. He initiated a number of reforms to prevent a return to the anarchy of previous generations and maintain the viability of the Empire.

Constantine (306-337) Constantine is famed for his rebuilding of Byzantium as Constantinople (Constantine's City). Constantine is best remembered in modern times for the Edict of Milan in 313

and the Council of Nicaea in 325, which fully legalized and legitimized Christianity in the Empire for the first

time.

These actions are considered major factors

in the spread of Christianity and helped to

give him the title of the "first Christian Emperor."

Economic

Causes •Increase in taxes to support army and bureaucracy

•Reliance on slave labor

•Indenture of farmers to wealthy landowners

•Unemployment

•Welfare system

Social Causes

•Population decline caused by war and disease

•Decline in patriotism, discipline, and devotion to duty

•Spread of Christianity

•Devotion of upper classes to luxury and self-interest

•Bread and Circus

Military Causes

•Poorly trained armies

•Army deteriorates

•Little loyalty among hired soldiers

•Threat of the Huns

•Series of Germanic invasions beginning in 3rd century

External Forces

The warmer climate, rich farmlands, and wealth of the Roman lands attracted the Germanic

tribes. By the 5th century, the Roman Empire was overrun by barbarians.

Germanic tribes from northern Europe crossed the Roman frontier and invaded Greece, Italy, Spain, and coastal areas of Asia Minor.

Attila the HunAttila the Hun was King of the

Huns (circa 433-53). He was one of the most feared and notorious

barbarians of all time.

Sweeping west across the Rhine River into Gaul, Attila's forces fought the Romans at the Battle of Châlons in 451 CE. Against all odds, the

Huns were defeated. Attila later died mysteriously, some say of a massive nose bleed. Attila’s retreat across the Rhine was the last

victory achieved in the name of the Western Roman Empire.

Odoacer

Odoacer (435 – 493), was the half Hunnish, half Scirian chieftain of the Germanic Heruli. He is best known to history as the man who deposed the

last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, in 476. As the first “barbarian king” of Italy, 476 is traditionally considered the end of the

Western Roman Empire.

The Fall of Rome

Once the Roman army could no longer defend its borders, Germanic tribes began pouring into Europe. One Roman province fell after another. In 476 A.D., the Western Roman

emperor was overthrown. Odoacer was then proclaimed king of Italy. The ancient world was drawing to a close.

I. Necessary preconditions for the rise of empires:

Rome Han

State-level government

High agricultural potential in the area

An environmental mosaic

Several small states with no clearly dominant state (power vacuum)

Mutual antagonisms among those states

Adequate military resources

I. Conrad Demarest Model of Empire

Kept most of Qin centralized government

Established Roman Republic.

Wheat, grapes, cattle Wheat, millet, pigs

Alps, Mediterranean Sea, forests, Tiber and other rivers, hills

Tianshan mountains, Yellow and Yangtze river, loess soil, Pacific Ocean

Rome and other city-states on Italian peninsula; surrounding states in Mediterranean

Qin empire broken into smaller states

rivalry between pastoralists in hills and agriculturalists in plains

Warring States period before Qin unification

Surplus of men and resources. Expanded and created professional army.

soldiers recruited from peasant class within the entire empire. 

II. Conrad Demarest Model of EmpireII. The primary

reason a state succeeded in empire building

Rome Han

An ideology supporting personal identification with the state, empire, conquest, and militarism.

“Republic" based on citizenship of free men;

citizenship ensured loyalty to state and brought taxes

into the state treasury; emperor-dictators had to

support the idea of the republic and pretend to follow what the Senate

decreed.  Development of bureaucracy helped run

empire.

Militaristic Legalism developed by Qin continued, then

softened by Confucian system of government

based on ethics, meritocracy, and

concept of Mandate of Heaven.  Development of bureaucracy helped run empire.  Tribute

system for foreign relations.

III. Conrad Demarest Model of EmpireIII. The major

rewards of empire:

Rome Han

Economic rewards, reaped especially in the early years and redistributed to the elite and often to all levels of the citizenry

citizenship led to recognition of place in

society, possible government and military positions of leadership,

opportunities for merchants, Roman-style urbanism for new towns

and cities. New trade and products.

land for supporters, expansion of established

cities, creation of new capital, storehouses of

food when supplies fell. Golden age of art,

architecture, technology, etc.

Population increase, often supported by the government and its ideology

population increased as new lands with more people were conquered

population increased as new land was colonized by Chinese farmers.

IV. Conrad Demarest Model of EmpireIV. Empires fall

because:Rome Han

The ideology of expansion and conquest fueled attempts at conquest beyond practical limits

Failure to continue conquest indefinitely and to continue to bring home its economic fruits eroded faith in the ideology.

tenant farmers looked to landowners of latifundias

for security; soldiers' loyalty shifted to generals

rather than the state.

tenant farmers looked to landowners for security;

bandits and rebels attacked government officials and facilities.

Revolutions toppled the empire

military service became less desirable as soldiers lost land;

recruits of "foreigners" to keep numbers of soldiers up

led to dissatisfaction;  tax revenues fell, so government failed to pay soldiers fully;

safety within empire and on borders declined.

"barbarians" continued to demand more concessions in

the tribute system; recruits of "foreigners" to keep numbers

of soldiers up led to dissatisfaction;  tax revenues and soldiers pay fell; safety

within empire and on borders declined.

Germanic tribes sacked cities near borders and

finally Rome.

Yellow Turbans peasant rebellion and threats from

Nomads in the north.

DeclinDeclinee

Of Of

RomeRome

Economic Causes Military Causes

Political Causes

Social Causes

Name:______________________ Date:_______

•Increase in taxes to support army and bureaucracy

•Poorly trained armies

•Division of empire

•Population decline caused by war and disease

•Little loyalty among hired soldiers

•Decline in patriotism, discipline, and devotion to duty

•Reliance on slave labor

•Oppressive government, loss of popular support

•Internal power struggles

•Series of Germanic invasions

•Indenture of farmers to wealthy landowners

•Devotion of upper classes to luxury and self-interest

•Increased government corruption

Causes of the Decline of Rome

DeclinDeclinee

Of Of

RomeRome

Economic Causes Military Causes

Political Causes

Social Causes

Name:______________________ Date:_______

•Oppressive government, loss of popular support

•Increased government corruption

•Division of empire

•Internal power struggles

•Poorly trained armies

•Little loyalty among hired soldiers

•Series of Germanic invasions

•Increase in taxes to support army and bureaucracy

•Reliance on slave labor

•Indenture of farmers to wealthy landowners

•Population decline caused by war and disease

•Decline in patriotism, discipline, and devotion to duty

•Devotion of upper classes to luxury and self-interest