Decline and Fall of Rome193 CE – 476 CE

Decline of Rome• After Marcus Aurelius’ death in CE 180, a period of conflict

and confusion followed.• Series of civil wars• Military government under Severan rulers; Septimus Severus paid

the military and no other officials• From 235 to 284, the military controlled who was emperor; there

were 22 emperors in 49 years; most were murdered

• Invasions in the east and north cause Rome to spread military too thin• Boundaries were restored near the end of the third century CE

• Plague hit Rome in the third century• Caused a labor shortage that affected both the military and the

economy• Military hired soldiers from other provinces; they did not

understand Roman tradition or custom

Reforms of Diocletian and Constantine• Two emperors in the third and fourth century tried

to bring Rome back to prominence through reforms• Diocletian (284 – 305 CE) • Instituted new

government structure• Rigid economic and

social system• State religion –

Christianity• Divided Roman Empire

into Four parts, each with its own ruler

• Constantine (306 – 337 CE)• Expanded

Diocletian’s government

• Enlarged government bureaucracies

• Enlarged army

Diocletian (284-305 CE)• Rome’s government and bureaucracy grew,

requiring a larger tax base to support it• New economic policies were put into place to fight

inflation (a rapid increase in prices).• Diocletian issued a price edict in 301 CE; it set wage and

price controls for the entire empire (it did not work)

• Roman workers were required to stay in their designated vocations as a result of Diocletian’s laws.• Bakers had to remain bakers for life, masons had to stay

masons, etc.• Jobs became hereditary, passed on through families• Free farmers declined, tenant farmers were bound to

their land but were bought out by large landowners who could offer cheaper prices on foods

Constantine (306 – 337 CE) • Began construction of new capital city for the

empire in Byzantium, a Greek city (eventually it was renamed Constantinople – which is now Istanbul in Turkey)

• Divided empire into two main parts: East – Byzantium and West – Rome

• Constantine built palaces, a forum, an amphitheater and other public buildings in Byzantium (at great expense)

• Policies of Diocletian and Constantine were successful in the short term, but could not be sustained

Fall of Roman Empire• Two capitals of Rome/Byzantium

(Constantinople) divided empire, weakened rule

• Invading tribes increased pressure on Western Roman Empire• Huns from Asia conquered the

Visigoths of Germany; • The Visigoths moved south to escape

the Huns;• Visigoths settled in Roman territory as

allies, but soon revolted; the Romans were defeated by the Germans in 378• In 410, the German Visigoths sacked

Rome• Vandals invaded from southern Spain

and Africa • In 455 the Vandals sacked Rome

Fall of Rome• In 476 CVE, the western

emperor, Romulus Augustus was deposed by his German army (remember they were hiring Germans as soldiers because of the plague?)• A series of German kingdoms

replaced the Western Roman empire• Eastern Roman Empire continued

to thrive with its capital in Constantinople

Theories of the Fall• Many theories have been proposed to explain the

decline and fall of the Roman empire, including:• Christianity’s emphasis on a spiritual kingdom weakened

the military’s values• Traditional Roman values declined as more non-Italians

gained prominence• Lead poisining through lead pipes/aqueducts caused

mental decline in the population• Plague wiped out 10% of the population, causing crisis• Rome was unable to put together a workable political

system

• Keep in mind that no single explanation can sufficiently explain complex human events that take place over a period of years

To think about . . .• Over and over again, empires rise,

expand beyond their control and decline.

• While the largest western empire, the Roman Empire was NOT the largest or most powerful in the world. The Han in China at this same time was much larger and powerful.

• Consider violence in the Roman Empire compared to that of today.

• The Eastern Roman empire was able to survive for another 1000 years