Gaul and the Fall of Rome

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Gaul and the Fall of Rome

• January 28, 2003

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Keywords

• limes

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Why did Rome fall?

• INTERNAL REASONS crumbling Roman authority
• high taxes (no one left to plunder)
• population decline
• peasant rebellion
• famine
• over-urbanization ( inadequate agricultural
  production)
• EXTERNAL REASONS Germanic invasions

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In Gaul, Rome falls slowly, early

• 258 Franks raid Lutetia (Paris)
• 275 Alamanni and Franks sack 60-70 cities
• 406 Germanic swarm crosses Rhine
• (Franks, Alamanni, Vandals, Alans, Burgundians)
• 412 Visigoths arrive from Italy
• 416 Visigoth Kingdom becomes mini-state
• 451 Attila the Hun defeated near Troyes
• 4705 Visigoths create empire in south-west
• 476 Official" fall of the Roman Empire

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Resulting socio-political changes

• Gradual end of Pax Romana (Roman peace)
• Move from towns to hills
• TOWNS better for trade but vulnerable to
  invasion
• HILLS easier to defend, but farther from roads
  rivers
• Renaissance of Celtic language, religion culture

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Is there life after Rome?

• stay tuned for the Germanic invasion