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Roman Empire

Roman Empire. Reasons for the Decline of Rome. Political. Political office was seen as a burden, not as a reward The military interfered with politics  Civil war and unrest broke out  The empire was divided into East and West The capital was moved from Rome to Byzantium. Military.

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Roman Empire

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  1. Roman Empire Reasons for the Decline of Rome

  2. Political • Political office was seen as a burden, not as a reward • The military interfered with politics  • Civil war and unrest broke out  • The empire was divided into East and West • The capital was moved from Rome to Byzantium

  3. Military • There was a threat of invasion from northern Germanic tribes • Funds for defense were low • Problems with recruiting Roman citizens occurred, so they had to recruit non-Romans • Patriotism and loyalty among soldiers declined

  4. Economic • Poor harvests • Disruption of trade • Lack of gold and silver • Inflation • The tax burden was crushing • A widening gap between rich and poor, with an increasing poverty in the West

  5. Social • There was a decline in interest of public affairs  • Confidence in the empire was dropping • Loyalty and patriotism was falling, corruption was wide-spread  • A contrast between rich and poor

  6. Roman Empire Efforts at Reform

  7. Diocletian’s Reforms • Became emperor in 284 C.E. • Doubled the size of the armies  • Hired German mercenaries (foreign soldiers who fought for money)

  8. Diocletian’s Reforms • Tried to control inflation by setting prices for goods • Froze jobs, no one could switch professions • Passed laws to persecute the Christians • Divided the empire into the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West

  9. Results of Diocletian’s Attempts • Slowed the decline of the empire • Borders became safe again  • The emperor’s prestige was restored  • After he retired, civil war broke out and four rivals competed for power

  10. Constantine • Took over in the West in 312 C.E. • Took over the East in 324 C.E.

  11. Constantine’s Reforms • Moved the capital from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium • Protected the city with massive walls and filled it with imperial buildings like Rome • Gave the city a new name, Constantinople

  12. Results of Constantine’s Attempts • Capital was now located on major East-West trade routes • The center of power in the empire shifted East • After his death, the empire was divided again and the East survived while the West fell

  13. Roman Empire Foreign Invasions

  14. Foreign Invasions • Wars in East Asia caused the Huns to migrate across Central Asia. By 350 C.E., the Huns reached Eastern Europe. • Germanic Tribes sought safety (escape from the Huns) by crossing into Roman territory. • Roman armies were unable to defend themselves against the Germanic tribes.

  15. Foreign Invasions • In 434 C.E., Attila the Hun’s invasion of Europe sent more Germanic tribes into Rome. • In 476 C.E., Odoacer, a Germanic leader, ousted the emperor in Rome.

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