Ten Theories On The Ten Theories On The Fall Of RomeFall Of Rome

Barbarian InvasionsBarbarian InvasionsFor years, the well-disciplined Roman For years, the well-disciplined Roman army held the barbarians of Germany army held the barbarians of Germany in check. However, when the Roman in check. However, when the Roman soldiers were withdrawn from the soldiers were withdrawn from the Rhine-Danube frontier in the third Rhine-Danube frontier in the third century AD to fight in civil wars in Italy, century AD to fight in civil wars in Italy, the Roman border was left open to the Roman border was left open to attack. attack. Gradually, Germanic hunters and Gradually, Germanic hunters and herders from northern and central herders from northern and central Europe began to raid and take over Europe began to raid and take over Roman lands in Greece and Gaul. In Roman lands in Greece and Gaul. In 476 AD the Germanic general 476 AD the Germanic general Odovacar overthrew the last Roman Odovacar overthrew the last Roman emperor and made himself ruler of emperor and made himself ruler of Italy.Italy.From then on, the western part of the From then on, the western part of the Empire was ruled by Germanic tribal Empire was ruled by Germanic tribal chiefs. Roads and bridges were left in chiefs. Roads and bridges were left in disrepair and many fields were left disrepair and many fields were left untilled. Pirates and bandits made untilled. Pirates and bandits made travel unsafe. Cities declined and trade travel unsafe. Cities declined and trade and business began to disappear. and business began to disappear.

Decline In Morals and ValuesDecline In Morals and ValuesThe final years of the Empire were The final years of the Empire were marked by a decline in morals and marked by a decline in morals and values, and some historians believe that values, and some historians believe that this contributed to the decline of the this contributed to the decline of the Empire. Crimes of violence made the Empire. Crimes of violence made the streets of larger cities unsafe, and streets of larger cities unsafe, and Emperors like Nero and Caligula became Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish infamous for wasting money on lavish parties. parties. Most importantly, though, was the growth Most importantly, though, was the growth of the Roman passion for cruelty. The of the Roman passion for cruelty. The most popular amusement was watching most popular amusement was watching the gladiatorial combats in the the gladiatorial combats in the Colosseum. These were attended by the Colosseum. These were attended by the poor, rich and even the emperor himself! poor, rich and even the emperor himself! As gladiators fought, vicious cries and As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience. curses were heard from the audience. One contest after another was staged in One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the the course of a single day. Should the ground of the arena become too soaked ground of the arena become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand, and the revolting fresh layer of sand, and the revolting performances went on. performances went on.

Environmental and Public Health Environmental and Public Health ProblemsProblems

Some historians believe that the fall of the Roman Some historians believe that the fall of the Roman Empire was due to environmental and public health Empire was due to environmental and public health problems. They claim the leaders the leaders of Rome problems. They claim the leaders the leaders of Rome were killed off by consuming excessive amounts of lead. were killed off by consuming excessive amounts of lead. They argue that since only the wealthy could afford to They argue that since only the wealthy could afford to have lead pipes bring water into their homes and to cook have lead pipes bring water into their homes and to cook with lead utensils, their death rate was increased with lead utensils, their death rate was increased considerably. considerably. This theory, however, is challenged by those who point This theory, however, is challenged by those who point out the fact that the eastern part of the Empire survived out the fact that the eastern part of the Empire survived long after the decline of the Western portion. long after the decline of the Western portion.

Excessive Military Spending To Excessive Military Spending To Defend The EmpireDefend The Empire

Maintaining an army to defend the Maintaining an army to defend the borders of the Empire from barbarian borders of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant drain on the attacks was a constant drain on the government. Military spending left few government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing and as providing public housing and maintaining the quality of public roads. maintaining the quality of public roads. In the latter years of the Empire, In the latter years of the Empire, frustrated Romans lost their desire to frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. Thus, the defend the Empire. Thus, the government found it necessary to rely government found it necessary to rely increasingly on hired soldiers recruited increasingly on hired soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or from the unemployed city mobs or foreign countries. Such an army was foreign countries. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive.not only unreliable, but very expensive. Thus, the emperors were forced to Thus, the emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently—the majority of raise taxes frequently—the majority of which were paid by businessmen and which were paid by businessmen and farmers, which hurt the economy. farmers, which hurt the economy. Some historians believe that this Some historians believe that this helped lead to the fall of the Empire. helped lead to the fall of the Empire.

Inferior TechnologyInferior TechnologyDuring the last 400 years of the During the last 400 years of the Empire, the scientific Empire, the scientific achievements of the Romans were achievements of the Romans were limited almost entirely to limited almost entirely to engineering and the organization engineering and the organization of public services. They built of public services. They built marvelous roads, bridges and marvelous roads, bridges and aqueducts. They established the aqueducts. They established the first system of medicine for the first system of medicine for the benefit of the poor. But since the benefit of the poor. But since the Romans relied so much on human Romans relied so much on human and animal labor, they failed to and animal labor, they failed to invent many new machines or find invent many new machines or find new technology to produce goods new technology to produce goods more efficiently. more efficiently. As a result of inferior production As a result of inferior production techniques, the Romans were techniques, the Romans were unable to provide important goods unable to provide important goods for their growing population. for their growing population.

InflationInflationThe Roman economy suffered from The Roman economy suffered from inflation (an increase in prices) inflation (an increase in prices) beginning after the reign of Marcus beginning after the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped conquering new lands, the flow of gold conquering new lands, the flow of gold into the Roman economy decreased. into the Roman economy decreased. Yet much gold was being spent by the Yet much gold was being spent by the Romans to pay for luxury items. This Romans to pay for luxury items. This meant that there was less gold to use meant that there was less gold to use in coins. As the amount of gold used in in coins. As the amount of gold used in coins decreased, the coins became coins decreased, the coins became less valuable. To make up for this loss less valuable. To make up for this loss in value, merchants raised the prices in value, merchants raised the prices on goods they sold. on goods they sold. Many people stopped using coins and Many people stopped using coins and began to barter (trading goods for began to barter (trading goods for goods) to get what they needed. goods) to get what they needed. Eventually, salaries had to be paid in Eventually, salaries had to be paid in food and clothing, and taxes were food and clothing, and taxes were collected in fruits and vegetables. collected in fruits and vegetables.

Political CorruptionPolitical CorruptionOne of Rome’s most serious problems One of Rome’s most serious problems was the difficulty of choosing new was the difficulty of choosing new emperors. The Romans never created emperors. The Romans never created an effective system to determine how an effective system to determine how new emperors would be selected.new emperors would be selected.For this reason, the choice of a new For this reason, the choice of a new emperor was always open to debate emperor was always open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, between the old emperor, the Senate, the emperor’s private army and the the emperor’s private army and the general army. Gradually the emperor’s general army. Gradually the emperor’s army (Praetorian Guard) gained army (Praetorian Guard) gained complete authority to choose the new complete authority to choose the new emperor. In return, the new emperor emperor. In return, the new emperor handsomely rewarded the Guard for its handsomely rewarded the Guard for its support. support. This system worked fairly well for a This system worked fairly well for a time. Beginning in 186 AD, however, time. Beginning in 186 AD, however, the practice of selling the throne to the the practice of selling the throne to the highest bidder began. During the next highest bidder began. During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors—25 of whom were removed emperors—25 of whom were removed from office by assassination. from office by assassination.

Rise in ChristianityRise in ChristianitySome historians believe that Some historians believe that Christianity produced dramatic Christianity produced dramatic changes in Roman society at the changes in Roman society at the very time when pressure from the very time when pressure from the barbarians was increasing. They barbarians was increasing. They argue that Christianity made its argue that Christianity made its followers into pacifists (those who followers into pacifists (those who oppose war), thus making it more oppose war), thus making it more difficult to defend Roman lands difficult to defend Roman lands from barbarian attacks. from barbarian attacks. They also suggest that the Church They also suggest that the Church attracted many qualified leaders attracted many qualified leaders whose talents were needed to whose talents were needed to deal with the problems of the deal with the problems of the Empire. Finally, these historians Empire. Finally, these historians theorize that money that would theorize that money that would have been used to maintain the have been used to maintain the Empire, instead, was used to build Empire, instead, was used to build churches and monasteries.churches and monasteries.

UnemploymentUnemploymentDuring the latter years of the During the latter years of the Empire farming was done on large Empire farming was done on large estates that were owned by estates that were owned by wealthy men who used slave wealthy men who used slave labor. A farmer who had to pay labor. A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods workmen could not produce goods as cheaply as slave owners could. as cheaply as slave owners could. Therefore, slave-owners could sell Therefore, slave-owners could sell their crops for lower prices. As a their crops for lower prices. As a result, many farmers could not result, many farmers could not compete with these low prices and compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. Thousands lost or sold their farms. Thousands of these men filled the cities of of these men filled the cities of Rome where there were not Rome where there were not enough jobs to accommodate enough jobs to accommodate them. At one time, the emperor them. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 unemployed people than 100,000 unemployed people in Rome alone. in Rome alone.

Urban DecayUrban DecayWealthy Romans lived in a domus, or Wealthy Romans lived in a domus, or house, with marble walls, floors and house, with marble walls, floors and intricate colored tiles, and windows intricate colored tiles, and windows made of small pieces of glass. made of small pieces of glass. Most Romans, however, were not rich. Most Romans, however, were not rich. They lived in small, smelly rooms in They lived in small, smelly rooms in apartment houses with six or more apartment houses with six or more stories, called islands. Each island stories, called islands. Each island covered an entire block. At one time covered an entire block. At one time there were 44,000 apartment houses there were 44,000 apartment houses within the city walls of Rome. First-within the city walls of Rome. First-floor apartments were not occupied by floor apartments were not occupied by the poor since these living quarters the poor since these living quarters rented for about $400/year. The more rented for about $400/year. The more shaky wooden stairs a family had to shaky wooden stairs a family had to climb, the cheaper the rent became.climb, the cheaper the rent became.The upper apartments the poor rented The upper apartments the poor rented for $40/year were hot, dirty, crowded for $40/year were hot, dirty, crowded and dangerous. Anyone who could not and dangerous. Anyone who could not pay the rent was forced to move out pay the rent was forced to move out and live on the crime-infested streets. and live on the crime-infested streets. Because of this, cities began to decay. Because of this, cities began to decay.

Contributions of the Roman EmpireContributions of the Roman Empire

LAW: Rule of law; Many modern legal systems LAW: Rule of law; Many modern legal systems are based on Roman law; Equal justice under are based on Roman law; Equal justice under the lawthe lawRELIGION: Spread of ChristianityRELIGION: Spread of ChristianityLANGUAGE: Languages based on Latin LANGUAGE: Languages based on Latin (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian)Romanian)ENGINEERING: Concrete, arches, domes, ENGINEERING: Concrete, arches, domes, aqueductsaqueducts ARCHITECTURE: Monuments, forums, public ARCHITECTURE: Monuments, forums, public bathsbaths