The Fall of Rome

Billy BarnardWorld History

The Roman Empire

Reasons for the Fall

• Over expansion• Economic• Invasions• Rise in Christianity

Over Expansion

Over Expansion Cont

• With the Empire so spread out, what could be major issues?

• Defense?• How can you keep all of the people in such an

expansive country happy? What are the results?

Economics

• What could be the major issues in the Roman economy?

• Hyperinflation• Inequality of money• Many people on

Welfare.• Leads to problems in

society?

Economics Cont.

• Why is this important?• Roman Aqueduct.• With the high inflation, and

corruption in the Roman civilization, necessities such as these went to the wayside and the people were left to fend for themselves.

• What are other necessities that will get neglected in a economic hard time.

Barbarian Invasion

• What does this picture show?

• This is the Sack of Rome in 410.

• By the Visigoth King Alaric.

• The importance of this can not be understated.

Invasion Cont.

• What did this do to the Roman people?

• Panic• Lack of Faith in the

government.• Lack of faith in the army to

protect them.• The mighty capital city of

Rome has fallen victim to barbarian armies, how would you a Roman citizen react?

Rise in Christianity

Christianity

• How could a religion be responsible for the fall of an empire like Rome?

• In short, not directly. The church has always had a massive influence in the way that the Roman Empire was maintained.

• Pope Leo the Great persuaded Attila the Hun to not attack Rome in 452.

Christianity Cont.

• The church played a huge role in the politics of Rome, Vatican City is in the city of Rome.

• This has pros and cons.• One huge con is that the

church gets involved in the politics and then the line between church and state is blurred and can weaken an empire.

Conclusion

The Fall of Rome plays a huge role in the History of the world, Why?

Which of these reasons for the Fall of Rome do you think is the most important reason?

Your assignment by the end of the week will to figure out a reason and using research justify why you think that is the reason for the fall of Rome.

Clicker Quiz!!

Which leader did Pope Leo the Great persuade to not attack Rome?

• A. Attila the Hun• B. Alaric the Visigoth• C. Xerces of Persia• D. Julius Cesar

What year was the First sack of Rome?

• A. 415 AD• B. 445 AD• C. 510 AD• D. 410 AD

What was the term for rapid loss of value in money?

• A. Aqueduct• B. Hyper Inflation• C. Hypo Inflation• D. Inflation

What necessity was neglected when the value of Roman coin went down?

• A. Defense• B. Aqueducts• C. Bath Houses• D. All of the Above

Which do you believe is MOST responsible for the Fall of Rome?

• A. Barbarian Invasion• B. Fall in Economy• C. Rise of Christianity • D. Over Expansion

Sources• http://www.sabbatarian.com/Paganism/Photos/ConstantineEmpire.jpg• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Rome• http://www.bgs.ac.uk/nigl/WebImages/RomanCoin.jpg• http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/mvigeant/univ270_05/jake_aq/images/pont_du_gard.jpg• http://www.memo.fr/Media/Alaric_Rome.jpg• http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/images/Europe/Italy/Rome_Sack455_01_full.jpg• http://www.hotspotsz.com/images4/christianity_250x251.jpg• http://www.regnumnovum.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/pope-saint-leo-the-great-02.jpg