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The Fall of Rome

The Fall of Rome. The End of the Pax Romana. Marcus Aurelius is typically believed the to be the last emperor of the peace After Marcus the rulers of the next 100 years didn’t know how to handle such a large empire. Rome’s Economy Weakens.

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The Fall of Rome

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  1. The Fall of Rome

  2. The End of the PaxRomana • Marcus Aurelius is typically believed the to be the last emperor of the peace • After Marcus the rulers of the next 100 years didn’t know how to handle such a large empire

  3. Rome’s Economy Weakens • During the 3rd Century AD Rome’s economy started to collapse • Pirates and Hostiles disrupted trade • Couldn’t get new sources of gold and silver • Government raised taxes to get more money • Minted more coins leading to inflation • Value of money decreased • Famine and food shortages • Lead to population decrease

  4. Military Trouble • Roman soldiers became less disciplined and loyal • Gave allegiance to commanders not to Rome. • Government began recruiting mercenaries • Foreign soldiers who fight for money, not loyalty • Citizens no longer felt loyalty to Rome and were not willing to fight the army. • People started not to care about the empire

  5. Saving the Empire • Rome managed to struggle through these challenges for another 200 years. • Thanks to emperors who work to save it. • Diocletian • 284 AD • ruled with an iron fist and limited personal freedoms. • But he brought order back to the empire • Split the empire into two parts • East • Greek based. Wealthy • West • Latin based. Poor • Retired in 305 AD • Civil war broke out and 4 rivals fought for power

  6. Constantine • Took control of West in 312 AD and the East in 324 AD • Restored the idea of a single ruler • Moved the capitol of Rome to Byzantium in Turkey • Power moved from the west to the east. • City became Constantinople • After the death of Constantine the empire would be split again.

  7. Fall of the West • Trouble continued inside the western part of the empire • Separated from the wealthier half of the empire. • In 370 AD fierce Mongols from central Asia, the Huns, moved into the region and began destroying all in their path • In an effort to flee from the Huns the various Germanic people pushed into Roman Lands • Romans called all non Romans Barbarians

  8. Spread of the Germanic Invasions • They kept moving through the Roman provinces of Gaul, Spain, and North Africa. • Romans couldn’t get an army large enough to stop them • Captured Rome and plundered it for 3 days

  9. The Huns • Became a direct threat to Rome in 444 • Lead by Attila, the Hun • Used 100,000 soldiers he eventually took control of both halves of the empire. • Captured much of the east, but couldn’t capture Constantinople • Huns were no longer a threat after Attila's death, but the Germanic invasion continued

  10. The Final Emperor • A 14 year old boy was the last emperor of Rome • Romulus Agustulus • Ousted by German forces in 476 • No emperor even pretended to rule Rome and the west • The eastern part would change, heavily based in Greek and roman culture • Known as the Byzantine empire. • Will last until 1453 when it fell to the Ottoman Turks.

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