The Fall of Rome

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The Fall of Rome The Barbarians
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Arguments made in the Mitchell Article Regarding
Christianity and Women

• Yes Karen King
• Womens opinions mattered in Christanity
• St. Paul makes note of womens role (home
  churches)
• Mary Magdalene is shown as a leader
• Writings reflect women promoted to powerful
  positions.
• - Jesus teachings stressed equality

• NoLisa Boyer
• Work performed by women was expected
• Appearance of importance
• Seen as Outlaws (women running house churches
  seen as questionable)
• Church itself did not support women in leadership
  roles
• - Reduced to simple idea of good girl / bad
  girl (the idea of the 2 Marys)

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Did the Rome Fall for Internal Reasons?

• YesAntonio S.
• Small army for empire of that size. Soldiers were
  2nd.
• Farming reduced b/c of population reductions
• Christianity put morals into heads.
• Too Large
• The idea of the Roman Citizen changed and started
  to mean less!
• Soldiers were not true Romans.

• NoPeter Heather
• The cost of Tribute
• The shrinking land resulted in shrinking income.
• Started to lose battles.
• 410-476 was a period of one invasion after
  another. No Break to recharge.
• No society is perfect and all of Romes problems
  seemed to appear at once.

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Reasons for Romes Fall in Nutshell.

• Army
• Spread out, too small, too foreign
• Money
• Paying out more than taking in
• Christianity
• Citizens become more worried about something more
  than Rome
• Population
• Getting smaller with disease and less farming
• Barbarians
• Putting up numerous victories over the Romans.

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Romes MOST WANTED!
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The Goths

• Germanic Tribe which lived in the Roman Empire.
• In the 3rd century, the Goths came into contact
  with the Roman Empire.
• Original located in the eastern portion of the
  Roman Empire.

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Goths

• During the 3rd century, the Goths split into 2
  groups The Visigoths (West) and Ostrogoths
  (East).
• The Ostrogoths would come under control of the
  Huns.
• Because of the Hunnish threat, the Visigoths
  requested Roman permission to move to the banks
  of the Danube River.
• The Goth camp along the Danube experienced famine
  and War erupted. The Goths won a devastating
  victory over the Romans at Adrianople.
• At this battle, the Roman Emperor Valens was
  killed 378 AD and so was 2/3rds of the Roman Army.

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Goths

• Valens
• The Roman emperor faced two major problems that
  resulted in his death.
• To deny Goths into Roman territory would risk
  war.
• To grant Goth request to come to Danube would put
  major threat directly into empire.
• Valens death proved that Rome was not invincible.

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Goths

• After Adrianople, Goths running wild in Roman
  Empire, but could never consolidate victories.
• Theodosius reunited Roman empire and kept Goths
  at bay for a little while (ruled until 395)
• In 410AD, the Goths under Alaric sacked Rome.
• In 418 AD, the Visigoths were given land on the
  Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain). Kingdom
  lasted until 711.

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The Huns

• The most legendary of the barbarians taking on
  the Roman Empire.
• The were from central Asia, but moved into
  eastern Europe during the 4th century.

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The Huns

• Moved into conflict with the Roman Empire.
• Forced Goths to move to the Danube and seek Roman
  assistance.
• Excellent Horse and Bowmen.
• Terrified various groups in Europe because seemed
  to come out of nowhere.
• Collected tribute from numerous groups.

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Attila 434-453AD

• Gained great amount of tribute from Rome
• Had many wives
• Siege laid to places in the Roman Empire such as
  Constantinople and Balkans.
• Attila started to gain representation as being
  brutal and feared. Gained the nickname the
  scourge of God.
• Some people believe that Attila was a just and
  noble king and representation is just western
  propaganda.

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Attila

• Before 451, Attila mostly stayed in Eastern
  Europe collecting tribute, fighting Goths, and
  growing rich.
• Then in 451 made the decision to attack western
  part of Roman Empire.
• Attila got as far as Gaul (in modern day France)
  where he met an allied Roman and Goth army at the
  Battle of Chalons.
• The Roman/Goth army turned the Huns back after a
  very bloody battle.
• The Battle of Chalons did not stop Attila. After
  the Gaul invasion the Huns left and reorganized.

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Attila in Italy

• In 453, Attila invaded the heart of the Roman
  Empire, Italy.
• Huns marched unopposed through Italy.
• Attila marched until he reached the Po River,
  just short of Rome.
• Just outside of Rome, Attila met with Pope Leo I.
• After the meeting, Attila turned back to Hunnish
  Territory.

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Leo I

• Many reasons have been given why Leo I was able
  to have Attila turn back.
• Some say St. Paul Peter at meeting.
• This encounter provided Christianity instant
  credibility because took on Empires greatest
  threat w/o weapons other than words.

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True Reasons why Attila Turned Back

• Plague weakened the Army.
• Fear that Eastern Empire Armies coming.
• Armies had to much tribute to carry back and Rome
  treasures would be too much.
• If Roman Empire crushed and Rome destroyed,
  source of income eliminated.
• TRUTH IS NO ONE KNOWS!

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Death of Attila

• Attila died in 453 AD while planning an invasion
  of the Eastern Empire to reclaim unpaid tribute.
• His nose started bleeding in his sleep and he
  choked to death.
• He was celebrating another marriage.
• One theory is the heavy drinking from celebration
  led to heavy internal bleeding.
• The Huns Empire quickly dissolved after Attilas
  death. Attila provided order.
• Much internal fighting over his empire.

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Vandals

• Vandals
• Germanic Tribe
• Sacked Rome in 455AD for treasures (vandalism)
• Some historians say the end of the Western
  Empire.
• Formed Kingdom in North Africa.

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Barbarians Influence

• Barbarians contributed to fall of Western Empire.
• Lombards last invaders in 6th century.
• Eastern Empire last until 1453 AD
• Many Barbarian tribes would influence future
  Europe
• Huns (Hungary), Franks (France), Anglo-Saxons
  (England) are examples.