Section 5: The Long Decline

1
Section 5 The Long Decline

• 180
• Marcus Aurelius dies
• Pax Romana ends
• Disruptive political pattern emerges
• 50 year period, 26 emperors reigned
• High taxes
• Poor farmers left their land to work for wealthy
  landowners

2
Emperor Diocletian

• 284 A.D.
• Set out to restore order
• Divided the empire into two parts
• Kept control of the wealthier eastern part
  himself
• Appointed a co-emperor to rule the western
  provinces
• Retained absolute power
• Fixed prices for goods and services to slow
  inflation

3
Emperor Constantine

• 312 A.D.
• Granted toleration to Christians
• Built a new capital, Constantinople
• Made the east portion of the empire the center of
  the power

4
Foreign Invasions

• Huns
• Nomadic people, migrating across Central Asia
• Dislodge Germanic peoples in their path
• Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and others crossed into
  Roman territory seeking safety
• Roman legions were hard pressed to halt invading
  peoples
• Surrendered Britain, France and Spain

5
Rome Defeated

• 410
• Visigoth general Alaric overran Italy and
  plundered Rome
• 434
• Attila, Hun leader
• scourge of God
• Embarked on a savage campaign of conquest across
  much of Europe
• 476? fall of Rome
• Odoacer ousted the emperor in Rome

6
Causes of the Fall of Rome

• Military Causes
• Roman legions lacked the discipline and training
  of past Roman armies.
• Use of mercenaries? foreign soldiers serving for
  pay
• Political Causes
• Government became more oppressive and
  authoritarian? lost support of the people
• Corrupt officials
• Frequent civil wars
• Dividing the empire

7
Causes of the Fall of Rome

• Economic Causes
• Heavy taxes
• Reliance on slave labor discouraged Romans from
  exploring new technology
• Farmers abandoned their land
• Middle classes sank into poverty
• War and epidemic diseases swept the empire
• Social Causes
• Decline of patriotism
• Upper classes devoted to luxury and self-interest