1. DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE1

2. Political Fragmentation
Diocletian
Promoted by Praetorian Guard in 284 CE
293 CE – Reform – divided Empire into East and West
2 Senior Emperors Augusti, assisted by junior emperors Caesares
Also reformed bureaucracy, reorganized provinces, military reforms
Standing armies on frontiers
mobile units in provinces for rebellions
Cavalry becomes as important as infantry
Recruiting of Germanics and other non-Romans
Serious attempt to eradicate Christianity
Churches dismantled, scriptures burned, persecution, sacrifice to emperor or die – martyrs
Diocletian
A.D.
Divides the Empire – East and West

3. Political Fragmentation Cont’d
Constantine the Great CE
Constantine was a Caesar, fought other Caesar Maxentius for control at Milvian Bridge in 312
First Emperor to Convert to Christianity
Edict of Milan (or Edict of Toleration) frees Christians from persecution
Established Constantinople as new capital of Rome (Byzantium)
Built Hagia Sophia in 360 CE
Hagia Sophia

4. Political Fragmentation Cont’d.
Christianity is official religion
Advocate of the Nicene Creed (325 CE)
Statement of Christian Faith by bishops in Nicaea
Click here to go to an English Version of the Nicene Creed
Banned pagan worship
Closed pagan temples
Abolished Olympic Games 393 CE
Theodosius
A.D.

5. Declining Population
Archaeological Evidence – population decline all over Europe from CE.
Very low
Plague
Not enough farmers – food supply not secure
Taxation – couldn’t afford large families
Can’t defend selves – hiring barbarians and mercenaries

6. Plague and Pestilence The “Antoine Plague” 165 - 180 A.D.
Antoine plague AD in Rome
Up to 40% of the population dies
Smallpox or measles
AKA Galen’s plague – he described it
Brought back with soldiers from east
Gloucester – smallpox or epidemic of measles
The “Antoine Plague”
A.D.
Mass grave at Gloucester

7. Tax Revenue and Economy
More Coins, more inflation
Bread and circuses
Tax revenues sucked up by the army
Minted more coins to pay the army, inflation goes up, price controls
Farmers can’t make enough to be a farmer
Mosaic is from Pompeii – farmers making olive oil
Circus maxiumus – people – bread and circus, not DOING anything
No expansion, no more plunder and slaves
Farmers making olive oil in Pompeii

8. The Roman Army Political Corruption Loss of discipline
Mercenary armies, military anarchy
Blatantly corrupt – used for political power
Discipline gone – not making camps anymore
Drinking parties, flabby
Gradual decline over 900 years
Political Corruption
Loss of discipline
Use of mercenaries

9. Weak Emperors Barbarian Generals
General Stilicho – Tangled with the Visigoths under Alaric – ruling for Honorius
Romulus Augustulus
475 – 476 A.D.
Stilicho is a Gothic general in the Roman Army – essentially rules the West while Honorius (Theodosius’ son) is a boy
Beheaded in 408 CE after defeating the Visigoths, but agreed to pay Alaric to help feed the Italian peninsula
Alaric realizes he is not going to get paid and sacks Rome in 410
Alaric founds a capital at Toulouse in 418 and works out an elaborate way of sharing the land, est. own justice system
476 CE Odoacer (Visigothic general) deposes last emperor Romulus Augustulus
End of Western Rome
Alaric, King of the Visigoths, sacks Rome in 410 CE
Honorius – emperor at age 10 ( CE)

10. Barbarians Germanic Peoples
Visigoths, Saxons, Franks, Alammani, Burgundians, Vandals, Goths
Huns invade Rome 451CE under Attila
Sassanid Empire
(Persians)
Theodoric took power from Odoacer – invited him to dinner then sliced him from collarbone to thigh
"The wretch cannot have had a bone in his body," he is reported to have commented, surprised by the effect of his stroke.
Killed his wife, son and brother too.
Actually was a pretty good king, but made it clear he was Gothic
Sassanids had taken much of the middle east already
Theodoric the Great CE
First Gothic King of Rome

11. Barbarian Invasions
Battle of Adrianople – emperor Valens (just before Theodosius) lost important battle to Sassanid Empire

12. Former Roman Empire 526 CE

13. Legacies Christianity Architecture and Technology Law and Government
Language
Art, Literature, Philosophy
Icon of the Archangel Michael on enamel
Eastern Empire continues as Byzantium until 1453
Preserves Greco-Roman knowledge