Transcript Decline of The Roman Empire

World’s Most Powerful People
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President Obama
Bill Gates
Mariusz Pudzianowski
1) Political Power 2) Economic Power 3) Physical Power
Three Kinds of Power
Decline of The
Roman Empire
Aim: What lead to the decline of
the Roman empire?
What made Rome strong in the first place?
Economy
Military
Politics
Economic Problems
Spending too much money on
luxury goods
Rome gets money from trade
but…
• Pirates and hostile tribes
disrupt trade routes
Rome gets money from
conquered territory but…
• Rome isn’t expanding no
new sources of wealth
Rome gets food from its farms
but…
• Overworked soil is less fertile
– Land doesn’t produce same amount of food  food shortage
• Taxes are raised by gov’t
– Farmers have to pay more tax for their land  abandon farms
• Slave labor takes away incentive to improve technology
– Farming is inefficient  not enough food  poor health
Military Problems
• Border is too long to protect
– German tribes attack from north
– Persians from the east
• Lack of discipline and loyalty
– Soldiers loyal to commanders, not Rome
– Commanders fight among themselves
• Rome hires mercenaries to fight
– Cheaper for Rome but less dependable
Political Problems
• People begin to lose love for Rome
– Become apathetic (stop caring)
In the past being a politician was great
but…
• Few people wanted to be politicians
now
– Politicians must pay for public services
themselves
Strong leadership is necessary but…
• No rules for succession of the Emperor
– Every time a new Emperor is needed fights
happen
– “Soldier-emperor” period 235 AD -284 AD 25
emperors, most are assassinated
People use to give loyalty to Emperor
but…
• Give loyalty to generals
What can be
done to save
the Empire?
• First Step -- Identify the Major Problems
• Second Step -- Brain Storm Potential Solutions
Aim: How does Emperor
Diocletian attempt to
save the Roman Empire?
Diocletian Tries to Save the Empire
Diocletian’s Reforms
• Makes himself absolute
ruler
• Declares descent from
Roman gods
• Increased the size of the
army
• Fixes the price of goods
• Forces farmers to
stay on land
Western Roman
• Persecutes Christians
Empire
• CUTS THE EMPIRE IN HALF
– Easier to manage
– Western Latin / Eastern Greek
– Diocletian rules richer eastern half himself
Eastern Roman
Empire
Emperor Constantine
• Emperor Constantine reunites the two halves BUT…
MOVES THE CAPITAL
• New Capital is city of Byzantium (name changes to) 
Constantinople
Constantinople
Western Rome’s Final Fall
Saxons
HUNS
Franks
Visigoths
.
Constantinople
Western Rome’s Final Fall
• Hun tribes move west
• Germanic tribes pushed west
– Seek protection and shelter
– Rome too weak and disorganized to fight back
• Hun tribes enter Roman territory
– Retreat before entering city of Rome
– Rome weakened even further
• Vandals finally sack Rome
• Roman Empire overrun, Western Europe
chaotic, disorderly and dangerous
Western Roman Empire Collapses (476)
The Sacking of Rome
BUT…
The Eastern Roman Empire Lives on
Byzantine Empire