1. Chapter 9 Lesson 3 The Fall of Rome
Objectives:
Explore how bad government contributed to the decline of the Empire
Understand the Fall of the Roman Empire.
Discuss Constantine’s role in support for Christianity.
Lean how northern invaders brought about the collapse of the Roman Empire.

2. 9.3 The Fall of the Roman Empire

3. 1. son of Marcus Aurelius; not qualified to rule the empire; his father believed he would grow to be a good emperor; allowed others to help run his empire but he made poor choices; his bold, extravagant and savage(brutal) ways were his downfall; didn’t go the Senate for approval; bribed the army; assassinated in 192 A.D.
1. Commodus came to power in 180 A.D.

4. 2. mercenaries
2. Foreign soldiers who serve for pay. They were motivated by money, NOT by loyalty or cause.

5. 3. inflation
3. An economic situation in which more money circulates, but the money has less value; when it is not controlled, money buys less and less; Roman coins became worthless.

6. 4. Roman emperor who worked to strengthen Rome; enlarged the army, built new forts at borders; improved the tax system; he divided the empire into two parts to make it easier to rule; he ruled the wealthier eastern part and appointed a co-emperor to rule the western part; ruled until 305 AD.
4. Diocletian
West East
Diocletian
Co-emperor

7. The Roman Empire after the split
The Roman Empire after the split. The Western Roman Empire is shown in red. The Eastern Roman Empire is shown in blue.

8. 5. won the power struggle among generals after the death of Diocletian; sole ruler of the Roman empire in the WEST; people were free to practice religion openly; eventually became emperor of both EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE AND WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE; worked to strengthen the Christian Church; moved capital to Byzantium in the EAST.
5. Constantine
West- Const.
East

9. 6. Shared rule of Eastern Roman Empire with Maximinus and then took complete control of ERE in 313 AD; will lose control of ERE to Constantine; agreed to tolerate all religions but continued to allow the persecutions of Christians in the east.
6. Licinius
West East
Licinius and Maximinus and then just Licinius; Then Constantine will rule over both parts.
Constantine

10. 7. “the city of Constantine”; empire’s capital; the power of the Roman Empire was now firmly in the East; it was formerly Byzantium.
7. Constantinople

11. 8. Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire EAST to this city; located in present-day Istanbul, Turkey; he enlarged the city and filled it with riches; dedicated the city as the “New Rome.”
8. Byzantium

12. Byzantium– Constantinople-- Istanbul

13. 9. Invaders from the north who attacked Rome’s borders and overran the empire; they looted and captured Rome; as a result, the Roman emperor was almost powerless; Romans called these people barbarians .
9. Germanic tribes

14. 10. barbarians
10. A wild and uncivilized person.

15. 1. He did not do anything as others worked to destroy the power and prestige of the Senate. He showed little use for the Senate by not seeking approval before he acted. He kept his power under control by bribing the army to support him.
1. What happened to the Roman senate under the emperor Commodus?

16. 2. What are the four causes for for the decline of the Roman Empire
2. What are the four causes for for the decline of the Roman Empire. Explain each one.
Weak, corrupt rulers-Rulers were successful generals, not politicians. The stole money and used for themselves and to pay for their own soldiers.
Mercenary army-motivated by money, not loyalty or cause. Would switch sides.

17. Size of the empire-empire had grown too large; enemies launched attacks all over the empire; Roman army spent time defending the empire instead of extending its authority(conquering new lands).
Serious Economic Problems-new sources of wealth were no longer available; empire struggled to pay for its army; food scarce; unemployment increased.
2. What are the four causes for for the decline of the Roman Empire. Explain each one.

18. In earlier times, the Roman army had been made up of citizen soldiers ready to defend their land.
After the rule of Commodus, the army was filled with mercenaries. Rome’s strength depended upon a strong army that was loyal to the nation---this was gone.
3. How did armies in earlier Roman times change AFTER the rule of Commodus?

19. 4. What are three ways Constantine supported Christianity?
Freedom of worship across the empire—can practice openly.
4. What are three ways Constantine supported Christianity?
Christianity became the official religion of the empire
Planned and paid for the construction of churches
Prevented a split in the church and kept it whole

20. 5. What happened in Rome after the death of Constantine?
5. He struggled to keep the empire together, but when he died invaders swept across Rome’s borders and overwhelmed the empire. The Roman army could not keep out the invaders.

21. 6. Who was Romulus Augustulus, and what was his fate?
6. The last Roman Emperor who ruled from AD 475 to He was only 14 years old. A German general removed him from power and he was sent to a farm to work. After him, no emperor ruled over Rome and the western part of the empire.

22. What effect did the fall of Rome have on the rest of the empire?
West-thrown into the Dark Ages; (Spain, France, England) Fall of Rome=Fall of Western Roman Empire (WRE)
The eastern part of the empire remained strong. Constantinople remained the center of another empire, the Byzantine Empire for 1000 years.
East-continues to thrive; Byzantine Empire