1. The Roman Empire Crumbles!!!

2. The Fall of Rome 180 AD Invasions Inflation Civil Wars Food Shortages Trade stops New Style of Warfare

3. Roman Order  Chaos The “Dark Ages” Begin! Medieval Period = Medi (between) + eval (the Ages) (time between the Classical Period and Renaissance)

4. Political and Military Causes During the Pax Romana - Not everyone has to fight Citizens pay for substitutes in army Govt. hires mercenaries Non-citizens (mostly German) No inherent loyalty

5. Political Disorder Poor emperors starting with Commodus 28 emperors from 192-284, most killed by own men civil wars – as generals try to seize power decline in trade / food & product production due to war merchants and artisans go bankrupt (out of business)

6. Social Causes Romans relied on outsiders to produce / work for them Decline in interest in public affairs (no voice in government) Low confidence in the empire Disloyalty and lack of patriotism Decline in population- disease & famine

7. Raising taxes: Govt. raises taxes on landowners Landowners raise rents to landless farmers Farmers leave to work in cities This plus warfare increases food shortage

8. Inflation – sharp rise in prices Govt. melts down coins, add cheap metal and mint more coins to pay army $ is worth less Prices on goods rise to make up for the decrease in coins value Fewer Goods and crops are being produced -  rising prices

9. Invasion 4th century – The Huns (Asia) attack Germanic tribes These tribes move into Roman territory rather than fight the Huns - led by Attila Huns have stirrups  greater momentum of force on horseback German tribes would rather fight Romans Visigoths Ostragoths Vandals Franks Angles Saxons *** Many Germans in the Roman army are reluctant to fight their tribes.

11. Emperor Constantine – becomes ruler in 300’s AD Capital at Byzantium (Constantinople) – modern day Turkey (Safe from attack by Germans) Declares jobs hereditary Legal for landowners to chain farmers to the land if necessary How does this compare to India?

12. Armies are not effectively protecting Roman lands Wealthy landowners retreat to estates and hire private armies for protection Some poor seek land and protection from landowners  serfdom The Western Part of the Empire is abandoned by the Emperors after the late 400’s AD

14. The Byzantine Empire

15. The Legacy of Rome In other words – what parts of our culture and history can we credit the Romans for???

16. Roman Catholicism Constantine made Christianity legal with the Edict of Milan (313 AD) Theodosius outlawed all other religions ( AD) The Bishop of Rome became the most powerful leader in the Western Empire when the Emperors moved the capital to the east Bishop of Rome  “Pope” (Peter the apostle was the first) The church became the most dominant power structure of the Middle ages – and the authority over the Church – the Pope – became more powerful than kings and ruled Europe in a sense

17. Latin Anywhere the Romans conquered, Latin influenced the local language Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, Romance languages Latin was a common language through which people of different nationalities could communicate  language of the Church and of scholars

18. Roads “All roads lead to Rome” The Romans set up a network that connected most of Western Europe These roads would be repaired and reused during the Crusades

19. Law In the 1400’s Europeans began studying ancient Roman law and adopting many of their principles of justice Equality under the law Innocent until proven guilty Only actions can be crimes, not thoughts or words (some exceptions – incitement) Led to a modernized law code based on Juries and the rights of the accused

20. Art The Romans continued and added to the the classical style begun by the Greeks This style is rediscovered by artists in the 14 th – 16 th century (Renaissance)

21. The Roman Arch & Engineering (Architecture = the Creation of Arches)