Decline of RomeDecline of Rome

The Greatest EmpireThe Greatest Empire

50 years – 26 Emperors

End of the Pax Romana

DiocletianDiocletian284 AD

ConstantineConstantine312 AD

Renames Byzantium - ConstantinopleConstantinople

Decline of Roman Empire

Hun push Barbarian tribesinto Roman Empire

out West…out West…

Decline of Roman Empire

Western Military Hires Germanic Immigrants Western Military Hires Germanic Immigrants

out West…out West…

Decline of Roman Empire Alaric IAlaric I

410

German mercenaries turn on RomeGerman mercenaries turn on Rome

out West…

Attila the HunAttila the Hun

Attila the HunAttila the Hun434

“the scourge of God”

Over ran most of Western Roman Empire collecting huge ransoms and extortion money from Rome

Attila and the ChurchAttila and the Church

• Roman Catholic church negotiated a truce with Attila.Roman Catholic church negotiated a truce with Attila.

• Church used it as propaganda for powerChurch used it as propaganda for power

• Led to control and power in the WestLed to control and power in the West

Fall of Western Empire476

Odoacer of Herulia German mercenary who became the first a German mercenary who became the first

barbarian King of Italy barbarian King of Italy

out West…

Political• Oppressive Government

• Division of Empire

• Internal Power Struggles

Military• No loyalty - Germanic• Germanic Invasions

Economic• Increase in taxes to support big

Government• Reliance on cheap/slave labor

Social• Decline of PatriotismDecline of Patriotism• Decline of Self-reliance of massesDecline of Self-reliance of masses

Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537

Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire

Hagia Sophia“oh, Solomon. I have surpassed even thee”

- Justinian

Hagia Sophia

Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire

– Stopped by the plague• killed up to 5,000 people per day in Constantinople• the Plague of Justinian killed as many as 25 million

people across the world

Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537

Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537

Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire– Stopped by the plague

Byzantine Empire could not afford to Byzantine Empire could not afford to maintain Western Europemaintain Western Europe

The new empire in the east

Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire