Transcript The Long Decline

The Long Decline
Focus Question
How did military, political, social, and
economic factors combine to cause the
fall of the western Roman empire?
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The Roman Empire Divides
• After the death of the
emperor Marcus
Aurelius in 180, the
golden age of the Pax
Romana ended. For
the next 100 years,
political and economic
turmoil rocked the
Roman empire
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Political Violence Becomes Common
• During this period, a disruptive political pattern
emerged. Again and again, emperors were
overthrown by political intriguers or ambitious
generals who seized power with the support of
their troops
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• Those who rose to the imperial throne in this way ruled for just a
few months or years until they, too, were overthrown or
assassinated. In one 50-year period, at least 26 emperors
reigned. Only one died of natural causes. Political violence and
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instability had become the rule
Social and Economic Problems Arise
• At the same time, the empire was shaken by disturbing social
and economic trends.
• High placed heavy burdens on business people and small
farmers.
• Farmland lost its productivity
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• Many poor farmers left their land and sought protection from wealthy
landowners. Although technically free, they were not allowed to leave
the land.
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Emperor
Diocletian Shares
Power
• In 284, the emperor
Diocletian (dy uh klee shun)
set out to restore order. To
better handle the challenge of
governing the huge empire,
he divided it into two parts.
He kept control of the
wealthier eastern part for
himself and appointed a coemperor, Maximian, to rule
the western provinces
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• Diocletian also took steps to end the empire’s
economic decay. To slow inflation, or the rapid rise of
prices, he fixed the prices of many goods and
services. Other laws forced farmers to remain on the
land
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Emperor Constantine Makes
Further Reforms
• In 312, the talented general Constantine gained the
throne
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• First, Constantine granted toleration to Christians. Second, he
established a new capital at a centuries-old city of Byzantium,
which he renamed Constantinople. With this “New Rome,”
Constantine made the eastern empire the center of power.
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Improvements Prove Temporary
Still, the reforms failed to stop the long-term decline. In the end, internal
problems combined with attacks from outside to bring the empire down.
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• How do you think
Rome’s unstable
government affected
the economy?
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Migrating Nomads Attack
• the Huns, migrating from central Asia toward eastern Europe, which they
reached Rome by 370.
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• These skilled riders fought fierce battles to dislodge
the Germanic peoples in their path. The Visigoths,
Ostrogoths, and other Germanic peoples crossed into
Roman territory seeking safety.
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• With the empire in decline, Roman legions were hard pressed
to halt the invaders. Under pressure from attacks, the Roman
empire surrendered first Britain, then France and Spain. It was
only a matter of time before foreign invaders marched into Italy
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and took over Rome itself.
•
In 378, when a Roman army
tried to turn back the Visigoths at
Adrianople, it suffered a stunning
defeat. Roman power was
fading. New waves of invaders
were soon hammering at
Rome’s borders, especially in
the west
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•
In 410, the Visigoth general Alaric
overran Italy and plundered the
city of Rome.
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• Finally, in 476, Odoacer (oh doh ay sur), a Germanic leader, ousted
the emperor in Rome. Later, historians referred to that event as the
“fall” of Rome. By then, however, the Roman empire had already lost
many of its territories, and Roman power in the west had ended.
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• How did the Hun
invasion weaken the
Roman empire?
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Many Problems Cause Rome to Fall
• The passing of Rome’s power and greatness
was a major turning point in the history of
Western civilization. Why did Rome “fall”?
Modern historians identify a number of
interrelated causes.
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Military Attacks
• Perhaps the most
obvious cause of Rome’s
fall was the invasions.
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• To meet its need for soldiers, Rome hired
mercenaries, or foreign soldiers serving for pay, to
defend its borders.
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Political Turmoil
• Political problems also
contributed to Rome’s
decline.
• government became more
oppressive and
authoritarian, it lost the
support of the people.
• corrupt officials undermined
loyalty, too.
• frequent civil wars over
succession to the imperial
throne
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• Again and again, rival armies battled to have their
commanders chosen as emperor. Perhaps most important,
dividing the empire at a time when it was under attack may
have weakened it beyond repair. The richer eastern Roman
empire did little to help the west.
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Economic Weakness
• Heavier and heavier
taxes were required to
support the vast
government bureaucracy
and huge military
establishment.
• At the same time,
reliance on slave labor
discouraged Romans
from exploring new
technology
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• The wealth of the empire
dwindled as farmers
abandoned their land and
the middle classes sank
into poverty
the population itself
declined as war and
epidemic diseases swept
the empire.
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Social Decay
• decline in values such as
patriotism, discipline, and
devotion to duty on which
the empire was built.
• The need to replace
citizen-soldiers with
mercenaries testified to
the decline of patriotism.
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• The upper class, which had
once provided leaders,
devoted itself to luxury and
prestige.
• Besides being costly,
providing “bread and circuses”
may have undermined the
self-reliance of the masses.
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Did Rome Fall?
• Although we talk of the “fall” of Rome, the Roman empire did
not disappear from the map in 476. An emperor still ruled the
eastern Roman empire, which continued to exist for another
1,000 years under the name of the Byzantine empire.
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• The phrase “the fall of
Rome” is, in fact,
shorthand for a long, slow
change from one way of
life to another. Roman
civilization survived the
events of 476. In Italy,
people continued to live
much as they had before,
though under new rulers.
Many still spoke Latin and
obeyed Roman laws
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• Over the following
centuries, however,
Germanic customs and
languages replaced much
of Roman culture. Old
Roman cities crumbled,
and Roman roads
disappeared. Still, the
Christian Church
preserved elements of
Roman civilization..
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Multiple Causes of the Fall of Rome
Social
Economic
Militaristic
Religious
People were not loyal
to a frequently
inefficient and corrupt
government
Small farmers abandon
their lands and went to
work on large estates
After conquests were
finished paying the
soldiers was
expensive
Jews tried to break
from Roman rule
(66AD) but Jerusalem
was destroyed and
Jews were enslaved
and sold throughout
Europe (diaspora)
Outside Forces
Political
Dictatorial
government was
frequently inefficient
and corrupt
Difficult to govern
massive empire from
one central location
(primitive
transportation and
communication)
Division of Roman
Empire into 4
sections under
Diocletian
(tetrarchy)
Capital moved to
Constantinople in
East by Constantine
Rivalry over
succession to the
throne often resulted
in destructive civil
wars
During Pax Romana
there were sharp
divisions in social
classes –very rich or
very poor
People's values
changed from
patriotism, service and
morality to luxury and
survival
Cities declined as
people fled to rural
regions "when the
goin' gets tough, the
tough get out of town"
Practice of using
slaves was harmful to
the small business
Hard labor was really
only for slaves
Emperor provided
(sometimes) for the
unemployed or else
riots broke out
Slaves for the most
part were treated
unfairly
Large farms were selfsufficient causing
decline in trade, and
industry
Large farms with lots
of workers had little
incentive to improve
farming methods or
increase production
Widespread use of
slaves caused great
unemployment
Heavy tax burden
limited people's
ambition
Devalued coins
causing inflation
Diocletian tried to
slow inflation by
setting limits on prices
and wages
Constantinople closer
to great commercial
centers
No hope of getting
ahead (changing
profession) people
were not happy
After conquests
stolen goods or
slaves were no
longer great sources
of income
Warlike spirit of
early Pagan Rome
(many Gods) was
weakened by
Christian teachings
of peace and
universal love
Roman armies
included may
Germanic
mercenaries of
questionable loyalty
Army did not act
based on the
governments orders
it thought it ran the
government
choosing emperors
and determining
policy
Christian teachings
were simple and direct
message appealed to
the poor and oppressed
Equality, human
dignity and the
promise of eternal life
was a message many
people liked
The persecution
worked in the opposite
direction – devotees
who died for their
beliefs were honored
(martyrs) many were
inspired to convert
Christianity became
official religion of
Empire in 395AD
1st - 4th Centuries
Germanic tribes
attracted to Roman
Empire by its fertile
land great wealth and
advanced civilization
tried to invade but
were stopped by the
Roman Army
4th -5th Centuries
Huns try to invade but
combined Roman &
German forces finally
defeat Huns at Battle
of Chalons (helped
also that Attila died)
Greatly weakened the
Roman army
4th - 5th Centuries
Germanic tribes
migrate into the
Roman territory (to
escape the Huns) and
the Roman
government could not
stop it, eventually
Germanic tribes
established kingdoms
in the following
regions:
Visigoths - Spain
Ostrogoths - Italy
Vandals - North Africa
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Franks - Gaul (France)
Angles & Saxons –
Britain
• What social
problems
contributed to the
decline of the
Roman empire?
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