1. Ten causes for the Fall of Rome

2. 1. Barbarian Invasions
2. Decline in Morals and Values
3. Environmental / Public health
4. Excess military spending
5. Inferior Technology
6. Inflation
7. Political Corruption
8. Rise in Christianity
9. Unemployment
10. Urban Decay

3. 1. Barbarian Invasions
By the 4th Century AD many Germanic tribes were invading the Roman Empire crossing the Rhine and Danube Rivers.
In AD 378 the Visigoths (a Germanic group) defeated the Romans at the Battle of Adrianople.
By AD 476, the last Roman emperor was overthrown in Rome as a Gothic leader, Odoacer, captured Rome.

5. 2. Decline on Morals and Values
The flooding to the cities of migrants and unemployed led to rising crime rates.
Many wealthy Romans stopped paying taxes and became corrupt.
Increase in blood sports led to high crime and violence in the streets.

7. 3. Public Health Lead poisoning from lead pipes
Alcoholism was a growing problem
Contagious diseases spread through cities
Rise in homeless attributed to a declining economy.

9. 4. Excess Military Spending
The Romans had to spend a large portion of their tax revenues on defending the empire.
Foreign soldiers were hired and were expensive and were not reliable.
Constant barbarian attacks was a constant strain on the Roman treasury

12. 5. Inferior Technology
Romans relied on slave labor and did not create new forms of labor technology.
The Romans were no longer able to conquer other civilizations and adapt their technology.
Roman soldiers were fighting barbarians with increasingly better weapons, armor, and tactics.

13. Why didn’t Roman
Technology continue
To improve over time?

14. 6. Inflation Romans started putting less gold into their coins
Gold was used for luxury items and not coins and people stopped valuing coins.
People started to barter and this caused trouble in the empire.

15. Less gold in the coins decreased
The value and increased inflation.

16. 7. Political Corruption
No laws how to select an emperor led to civil wars and political assassinations
During a 100 year period, Rome had 37 different emperors and 25 were assassinated.
Wealthy leaders were able to pay for political office
The Praetorian Guard (Rome’s guard) were bribed to support certain leaders over others

18. 8. Rise in Christianity
Many historians feel that as the Romans became more Christian they became less warlike and were unable to defend the empire.
As Christians many Romans turned to Jesus and not the emperor as the leader.

20. 9. Unemployment
Small farmers lost land to large farms owned by wealthy Romans. These large farms were called latifundias.
Small farmers had to pay for workers larger farming plantations used slaves and had less costs.
Many farmers became unemployed and fled to the cities (making the cities overcrowded)

22. 10. Urban Decay
Most Romans were not wealthy and lived in small crowded apartment houses called an insulae.
The living conditions were dirty and this causes sickness
Some public buildings became expensive to maintain and started to fall apart
Places became abandoned as the poor couldn’t afford to live there anymore.

23. Detroit c. 2014