1. Walsingham Academy Mrs. McArthur Room 111
History of the Ancient and Medieval World “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” Edward Gibbon (1776*)
Title taken from Edward Gibbon’s (1776) book of same name.
Walsingham Academy
Mrs. McArthur
Room 111
*"Another damned, thick, square, book! Always scribble, scribble, scribble! Eh! Mr. Gibbon?" (William Henry, Duke of Gloucester, upon receiving the second volume from the author, 1781)

2. Decline of Rome Political Causes 1. 2. 3. 4. Economic Causes
(in the West)
Political Causes 1. 2. 3. 4.
Social Causes
Economic Causes
Military Causes

3. In-Class Activities The Exhausted Empire
According to Salvian, how did Romans living in areas overrun by the barbarians feel about the barbarian conquests? Surprising?
What are 4 problems mentioned?
What does the image at top of text, pp. 173 suggest about Roman power?
Historians have offered many theories for Rome’s demise in the West. Consider some of the views offered on your sheet.
Which ones may be added to your graphic organizer?
Which ones need additional “arrow(s)”? Create and complete.

4. “The Decline”: Problems of Success
(and the theories)
Decadence and Disease
Size and complexity
Role of the “Other” (barbarians everywhere)
Christianity: Being Number One
Imperial Overstretch

5. Decadence and Disease
The problems of wealth: luxury, escapism, pleasure seeking
Fewer Romans: Falling birth rate
Ill Romans: e.g. lead poisoning, epidemics.

6. Imperfect Solution = Division (Diocletian)
Size and Complexity
Maintaining far-flung infra-structure (roads, aqueducts)
Problems of communication and coordination
Imperfect Solution = Division (Diocletian)
late 3rd century AD

7. “The Other”: Barbarians in our midst
Were all barbarians the same?
What impact did they have?
Can we manage without them?
“Rome did not fall, it was transformed.”
Attila

8. Barbarian Invaders

11. (from 5 to 30 million believers)
Christianity: Being Number One
4th Century: Triumph of Christianity
(from 5 to 30 million believers)
The Price of Success: Controversies and Heresies

12. Imperial Overstretch
Can cultures become exhausted? What happens when many are “bored?”
When things come unstuck: retreat and division
Retreat from Britain (407 A.D.)
Portions of empire lost to Roman control
What happens when there seems to be a loss: of will, of confidence, of shared vision?

13. “The Fall”: Defining Moments
(in the West!*)
410 A.D. Barbarian, Alaric, sacks Rome
476 A.D. Barbarian (Odoacer) deposes last “Roman” Emperor
*The Roman Empire lives on for another 1000 years in the East!
It is known as the Byzantine Empire.

14. it morphed into a new world order in western Europe.
Conclusion: Did Rome “fall?”
By the 5th century, something big and centralized had indeed broken up in the West.
But Rome’s culture and many of its images lived on-in religion, languages, customs, law.
Rome did not “fall;”
it morphed into a new world order in western Europe.

15. Assignment: due 12/12 Read text, pp. 173-174.
Define: Diocletian, inflation, Constantinople.
Read Infographic, Redefining the Empire and answer the questions, Thinking Critically, pp 175
Saturnalia Performance: Bibliography, personal performance log, script with highlighted part due at beginning of hour.
Reminders:
SCA: Recession, 5th Century Britain. Due 12/16
Open Book Quiz: The Bronze Bow: Wed. 12/14

16. Assignment: due 12/16 Read text, pp. 175-177.
Define: mercenaries, Huns, 378 and 476 C.E.
Summarize the multiple causes of Rome’s decline in the West by completing the graphic organizer on slide #2.
Check your knowledge. Follow link.
Reminders:
SCA: Recession, 5th Century Britain. Due 12/16

17. Assignment: due 12/16
Study the map, pp along with PP slides (Good Audio Summary : Follow interactive link.)
Answer the 3 questions, Thinking Critically.
What is the purpose of the timeline on pp. 179? According to the timeline, what do the dates 410, 455 and 476 tell us about Rome?
How does Jerome describe the Huns?