Crisis and division of the Roman Empire

Crisis and division of the Empire

The Roman Empire 235AD

The crisis of the third century• Expansion of the Empire ended in the 3rd

century AD, bringing in a deep crisis:– Political crisis. The Roman army was defeated for the

first time by the Barbarians. The borders were not safe and the military leaders began to have control over the emperors

– Economic crisis. As the conquests ended there were fewer slaves to work. Economic activity decresed. The Empire became poorer

– Social crisis. Taxes increased and this caused migration from the cities to the country. The Empire became rural

The division of the EmpireTo face external pressures the emperor Theodosius divided the Empire in 395AD into the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire

Division of the Roman Empire 395 AD

Western RomanEmpire

Eastern RomanEmpire

Who were the Germanic tribes?

• The Germanic peoples came from the coasts of the Baltic Sea

• They started moving southwards in the 5th century, attracted by the Roman life, in search of fertile lands and a better climate

Invasions of Germanic tribes

The Germanic peoples• They were organised in

tribes.• The authority was held by

the assembly of warriors, which chose the chief.

• They lived in wooden houses

• Farming and agriculture: they were forced to move constantly

Attilla the Hun

Visigoth

OstrogothFrank

Anglo - Saxon

Suevi

Alans

Early Middle Ages 450AD

The Byzantine Empire

Spread of Islam 700 – 850AD

768AD Carolingian Empire

Western Roman Empire (a weak Empire that was taken over by Germanic Tribes e.g. Franks in France and Visigoths in Spain,

Byzantine Empire (a strong Empire it lasted until 1453)

Roman Empire (split in two so it was easier to defend)

Arabia was full of different tribes that worshipped many gods

Spain is conquered by The Islamic Empire and is ruled by the Caliphate of Cordoba

Carolingian Empire formed by Charlemagne and was made “Holy Roman Empire” by the Pope. It was split into smaller Kingdoms as land was divided between a King’s sons

Muhammad preached Islam, united Arabia and conquered much of North Africa and West Asia

SUMMARY

Germanic invasions

• The pressure of the Huns on the Germanic Tribes (Suebi, Vandals, Alans and Goths) led these tribes to migrate and cross the Empire’s frontiers

• In 476AD the Heruli put an end to the Western Roman Empire