1 / 19

Roman Empire

The decline of the Roman Empire stemmed from a combination of political instability, military challenges, economic troubles, and social decline. Political offices became burdensome, leading to civil unrest and division into East and West. Military threats from Germanic tribes, along with recruitment issues and low defense funds, further weakened the empire. Economically, poor harvests and inflation intensified the gap between rich and poor. Socially, there was a decline in civic interest and widespread corruption. Reform efforts by emperors Diocletian and Constantine provided temporary relief but ultimately, the empire fell.

eloise
Télécharger la présentation

Roman Empire

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  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.

More Related