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Decline and Fall of Classical Empires

Decline and Fall of Classical Empires. Decline and Fall of Empires. N ine major factors led to the decline of the classical empires Dynastic Succession Bureaucratic Corruption I nequitable Economic Burdens R egional, Racial, or Ethnic Tension D ecline of Martial Sprit Moral Decline

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Decline and Fall of Classical Empires

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  1. DeclineandFallofClassical Empires

  2. DeclineandFallofEmpires • Nine major factors led to the decline of the classical empires • Dynastic Succession • Bureaucratic Corruption • Inequitable Economic Burdens • Regional, Racial, or Ethnic Tension • Decline of Martial Sprit • Moral Decline • Escapist or Otherworldly Religions • CostlyTechnology • External Enemies

  3. Dynastic Succession • Romedidnothaveaclearlineof succession • Murders and disputes over succession undermined the credibility of the empire • From 235-284 CE twenty-six emperors claimed the imperial throne • Finally stabilized by Diocletian and Constantine

  4. Dynastic Succession • Dynasticempiresexperiencedadeclinein qualityofrulersastimewenton • Decline of the quality of rulers led to uprisings, usurpations, and civil wars • Factions emerged amongst elites in Han China

  5. Bureaucratic Corruption • YellowTurbanrebellion • Peasant rebellion caused by corrupt governmentpractices • Fueled by decline of population due to plague epidemics • MilitarytookcontrolofHangovernment dutiesby190CE

  6. Inequitable Economic Burdens • Increasingtaxburdenfelltothepooras richevadetaxes • Growthoflargeplantationsandthe declineinfreefarmingcontributedtofallof RomeandHanChina • – Wang Mang (9-23 CE) attempts land reforms • Guptagovernmentwasunabletocollect itstaxrevenue

  7. Regional, Racial, or Ethnic Tensions • AlexandertheGreatwasunabletounify Greek, Egyptians, Persians, andothers • Indiarevertedbacktoregionalstates basedonlanguageandethnicityafterfall ofMauryanEmpire • DiocletiandividesRomanempireintofour separateadministrationseachwithitsown capital

  8. Map of Empire after Diocletian

  9. DeclineofMartialSpirit • Roman army depended upon citizens’ pride in military service • –Decline in pride forced Romans to use mercenaries which drainedthetreasury • Ashoka’semphasison pacifismasastate policy sapped the spirit of Indians

  10. Moral Decline • Romanemperors became increasingly self-indulgent and hedonistic • –Nero, Caligula, et al. • Hedonism and extravagance of the upper class blamed for the decline of the Handynasty

  11. EscapistorOtherworldlyReligions • Christianitystressedheavenlyratherthan earthlyrewards • – Religious strife also contributed to chaos in Rome • ManyChinesebegantofollowBuddhism orescapistsDaoists • Ashoka’s emphasisonpacifistBuddhism alienatedmanyHindus

  12. TheSpreadofChristianity

  13. Costly Technology • Cost of maintaining engineering wonders put a strain on already impoverishedeconomies • –Roman aqueducts, roads, arenas,etc.

  14. External Enemies • Han dynasty experienced repeated invasions by the Xiongnu (Huns) • Germanic tribes lived on northern plains of Europe for centuries • – Visigothssettled, developed agriculture, and served in the Roman military

  15. External Invasions • Inthe4thcentury,Hunsmigratedfrom theirhomelandsincentralAsia • Led by Attila the Hun, the Huns attacked the Romans and the Germanic homelands • GermanssoughtrefugeintheRoman empire • Established permanent settlements in Roman territories • Visigoths sack romein 410 CE • Overthrow last Roman emperor in 476 CE

  16. Germanic Invasions

  17. Effects of Collapse • Handynastydividedintothreerival kingdomsin220CE • Three kingdoms would fight for control of China for centuries • Christianitywasmostprominentsurvivorof Romancollapse • Rise of the church as an institution • MostRomaninstitutionsdisappearedas Germanswereunwillingorincapableof continuingthem

  18. PictureCredits • http://go.hrw.com/venus_images/0304MC05.gif • http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/kids/images/cerdic.gif • http://www.beloit.edu/~classics/main/courses/history222/nero/Nero(55-9)Medium.jpg • http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/262/268312/art/figures/KISH_06_134.gif • http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~uhalde/353A/Aqueduct_PontDuGard_Nimes.jpg • http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/china/great_wall_china_photo_gov_2.jpg • http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/image/2003-6-5/people0003.jpg • http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~klio/maps/re/EmpireMap5.jpg

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