Timeline

700 BCE - Rome Founded

509-27 BCE - Years of the Roman Republic

55 BCE - Julius Caesar extends Roman Conquest into central and western Europe.

27 BCE - Pax Romana begins.

200 CE - Peak of Roman territorial expansion and end of Pax Romana.

220 CE - Invasions by foreigners begin.

235-285 CE - Crisis period in Roman political leadership

410 CE - Rome is sacked by invading Visigoths (a Germanic tribe).

455 CE - Rome is sacked by Vandals (another Germanic tribe).

476 CE - Rome falls to Goths (another Germanic tribe).

1) (Contextualization) What two major events were happening in the Roman Empire before the time period covered in Document A?

2) (Contextualization) How would you describe the state of the Roman Empire leading up to the time period covered in Document A?

3) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

4) (Sourcing) Is the creator of this document trustworthy?

5) (Sourcing) How many Roman emperors ruled during the 50-year period covered by this chart? How many died a natural death? How many were victims of assassination or possible assassination?

6) (Sourcing) How might Roman citizens feel about the violent changes in their leadership?

7) (Sourcing) How might foreign invaders have felt about the strength of Rome with so many violent changes in Rome’s leadership?

8) (Corroboration) How does this document help explain the decline of the Roman Empire? Does this support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?

1) (Contextualization) What events were taking place in Rome at the time the documents were created?

2) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

3) (Sourcing) Is the creator of this document trustworthy?

4) (Sourcing) According to Vegetius, what led to the changes in Roman military armor and training techniques?

5) (Corroboration) How did the change in breastplates and helmets contribute to the decline of Rome?

6) What is conscription?

7) (Corroboration) In what ways could the failure to enforce conscription weaken Rome?

8) (Corroboration) Does Document B support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?

1) (Contextualization) How strong was Rome’s leadership right before the invasions started?

2) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

3) (Sourcing) Which different groups invaded the Roman Empire?

4) (Sourcing) Which three invaders came from Asia?

5) (Sourcing) Do the dates on the map suggest that the invaders were moving quickly to conquer Rome or was it more of a migration of people? Explain your thinking.

6) (Corroboration) How does this document help explain the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire?

7) (Corroboration) Does this document support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?

8) (Corroboration) What information can you use from Document B to help explain what was happening in Document C?

1) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

2) (Sourcing) Who was Ammianus Marcellinus?

3) (Sourcing) Is the creator of this document trustworthy?

3) (Sourcing) What does Marcellinus mean when he describes the HUns as being “glued to their horses”?

4) (Skeptical Reading) How does Marcellinus describe the Huns? Does his tone suggest that he admires them or not?

5) (Skeptical Reading) Use what you know about life in a Roman City, how might Marcellinus’ life influence the way he thinks about the Huns.

6) (Corroboration) How can you use this document to help explain the decline of the Roman Empire?

7) (Corroboration) Does this document support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?

1) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

2) (Sourcing) Who was Priscus?

3) (Sourcing) Is the creator of this document trustworthy?

4) (Sourcing) Where some Romans happy from being conquered by the Romans?

5) (Sourcing) What does the person talking to Priscus mean when he says. “The Climax of misery is to have to pay...for justice”?

6) (Corroboration) How can you use this document to help explain what caused the decline of the Roman Empire?

7) (Corroboration) Does this document support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?

1) (Sourcing) Is this a primary or secondary source?

2) (Sourcing) In the Gibbon passage, what natural disaster struck the Roman Empire in 366 CE?

3) (Sourcing) In the Stearns passage, what deadly illness arrived from Southern Asia?

3) (Corroboration) Describe one specific way that the two disasters above contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire.

4) (Corroboration) Does this document support a military, economic, or governmental reason for the fall of Rome?