1. 6.4: The Fall of the Roman Empire Mr. Marijanovich

2. 6.4 OBJECTIVES
1. Summarize the decline of the Roman Empire. 2. Describe the reforms of Diocletian and Constantine. 3. Trace the fall of the Western Roman

3. A Century of Crisis Marcus Aurelius - last emperor to rule during the
Pax Romana
Inept rulers followed

4. ROME’S ECONOMY WEAKENS
Hostile tribes on the borders
Pirates in the Mediterranean
No new sources of gold and silver
Needed money, so they raised taxes
Minted coins with less silver
Result was inflation
Drop in the value of money couple with rise in prices for goods
Crops failed
Famine, Disease, and Population decline

5. Military and Political Turmoil
Generals and soldiers became less loyal
Gave allegiance to commanders
To defend the empire, the Roman government hired mercenaries
Foreign soldiers who fought for money
Citizens were losing loyalty

6. Emperors attempt Reform
Diocletian
284 A.D
Army leader
Iron fist – he limited personal freedoms
Doubled size of the army
Worked to control inflation
Divided the empire into Greek-speaking East and Latin-speaking West
He ruled the East and appointed a co-ruler for the West
He was in charge
Got sick, left office
Civil war followed
Constantine took power

7. Constantine Moves the Capital
Took control of the Western portion
Continued Diocletian’s reforms
324 A.D. took control of the Eastern portion
Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium
Rename Byzantium - CONSTANTINOPLE
After his death, the East remained but the West was lost.

9. The Western Empire Crumbles
3 main causes for the fall of the West
1. Internal problems
2. Separation of the wealthy East
3. Outside invasion

10. Germanic Invasions The Huns Germanic peoples escaped by entering Rome
Central Asians who invaded Germanic areas on the borders of the Roman empire
Destroying everything in their path
Germanic peoples escaped by entering Rome
Romans called all invaders “barbarians”
Western Rome could not fight them off
Overrun in three days

11. Attila the Hun Soon the Huns themselves were a direct threat
Huns united for the first time under the leadership of ATTILA
100,000 soldiers
Terrorized both halves of the empire
Famine and disease stopped them
But Germanic invasions continued

12. An Empire No More Last Emperor of Rome: Romulus Augustulus
14 years old
Ousted by German forces in 476
Power gone in the Western half
Eastern portion took a new name: The Byzantine Empire
Survived and flourished
Preserved Greek and Roman culture for another 1000 years
Ruled Constantinople
Lasted until fell to the Ottoman Turks