The Fall of Classical Empires

1. The Fall of Classical Empires Han, Gupta and Rome SPEC

2. Reasons for the Fall of the Han Empire • S Landholding elite held all of the power • S Yellow Turban Rebellion • S Disease • P Political fighting between Eunuchs, Confucian Scholar Gentry and Nobles • P Bureaucratic corruption and bribery • P S Only wealthy elite could gain political position • P Power fell into the hands of local landholders and governors (decentralization) • P Because of no centralized power, China fell vulnerable to the Xiongnu • E Failure to implement land reform

3. Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire Social • Invasions from Germanic Tribes • The institution of slavery • Decline in the traditional Roman civic duty • Moral decay or decadence • The decline of Patriotism • Christianity challenges traditional Roman institutions

4. Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire Economic • Dependence on foreign products • Traditional work ethic declined • Decline of cities infrastructure • Trade deficit • The high cost of military, welfare and government • Class economic warfare between rich and poor • Unequal taxation • The small farm disappears

5. Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire Political • Problems associated with succession • Empire became too large for the Government, and reform came too slowly and too late • Government became dominated by the rich and military elites • Citizens lost their interest in the government • The military lost its prestige

6. Reasons for the fall of the Gupta Empire Political • Inability to centralize the Raj princes • Hun invaders from the North • Because of decentralization no Indian leaders tried to unify the subcontinent

7. Aftermath Han • Confucianism is able to hold society together despite the collapse of the government Note: No such self-sacrificing mentality existed in the western Classical Empires

8. Aftermath Roman • The Eastern Roman Empire would adopt Christianity as the state religion, and merge religion and politics. Loyalty to one would yield loyalty to both. (The Western Empire would not do this, so their was constant fighting between the Pope and state) • The East was older, richer and more stable than the west. Had the larger and most prosperous cities during the classical era • Trade and commerce flourish in the east • Law and order existed in the east prior to Roman government existing • The east did not have to deal with foreign invaders and the east did not have to send help to the west after the bifurcation of the Empire • The west had foreign mercenaries working in their military ranks

9. Aftermath Gupta • Hinduism gained more ground while Buddhism declined • Huns became Hindu • Even when Islam arrives in 7th Century Hinduism remains strong • Economic prosperity continues • Regional factionalism prevented unification of sub-continent • Caste system holds society together

10. Differences Comparison of Collapse Similarities • Political corruption and infighting • Decentralization • Foreign invaders • Social decay • Disease (Han and Rome) • Change in Religious or Philosophical systems