1. Decline of the Empire

2. Rome Loses Structure Pax Romana-
Roman Peace- no large foreign invasion
Started with Augustus
Lasted 27 BC-180 AD
Generals patrolled the borders successfully
No major social disorder within the empire
Foreign wars were still fought expanding the empire

3. Political unrest Diocletian and Constantine
Two rulers set up one-man rule
Reforms:
Farmers had to stay on their farms; ones who left were hunted down.
Town officials had to collect taxes, and pay the difference between what the state wanted and what they collected.
Government workers had to keep their jobs for life, and their children had to do the same job.
The Roman Empire was split by Diocletian, into west and east.
The new capital was Constantinople because the east was richer than the west

4. Foreign Invasion Visogoths- The Huns-Attila Vandels-
Germanic barbarians, being pressured by the Chinese Huns attacked Rome
Roman armies from all over the empire came to help
Left the borders unprotected
More Germanic armies invaded
The Huns-Attila
451 AD invaded but were defeated
Vandels-
Barbarian, German, invaded from south, sacked Rome

5. Foreign Invasion West Rome falls Eastern Roman Empire
Roman armies paid some German armies to help fight for Rome, they turned against the Romans and took control of the Western half the empire
Overthrew Romulus Augustulus, placed German Odoacer
Eastern Roman Empire
Would hold for another 1000 years

6. Christianity blamed?
Some blame the emergence of Christianity as cause for the Roman empire collapse
They state the Christianity made the Romans into pacifists making them unable to fight against the barbarians on their borders
Money used to build churches could have been used to maintain the empire

7. Decline in Morals Prostitution Excessive drinking and eating
32,000 in Rome
Excessive drinking and eating
Lavish parties
Alcohol
Lots of food
Gladiatorial games
Thirst for blood and entertainment
Human and animal sacrifice

8. Public Health decrease
Water brought to homes in lead pipes
Gladiatorial games-blood and death spread disease
Crowded cities
Not sanitary water and improperly cooked food.

9. Political Corruption Choosing new emperor upon death of old
Open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, the Praetorian Guard (the emperor's private army), and the army.
Praetorian Guard gained complete authority to choose the new emperor, who rewarded the guard who then became more influential
Then in 186 A. D. the army strangled the new emperor, the practice became selling the throne to the highest bidder.
During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors - 25 of whom were removed from office by assassination.

10. Unemployment and inflation
Wealthy farmers had slave labor, made product cheaper
Small farmers could not compete
Many lost farms and jobs
Crime rates increased
Lack of conquered lands, less gold coming in
Money spent to pay for lavish items
Gold used to make coins decreased, value decreased
Salaries paid in food and clothing, taxes in fruit and vegetables

11. Inferior technology Built infrastructure
But relied too much on human and animal labor, didn’t invent machines to produce good efficiently
No new conquered lands meant no new technology coming

12. Military Expenditures
Maintaining the military to protect the borders was very expensive
People lost desire to defend the empire
Armies had to be hired
City mobs or foreign armies
Expensive and unreliable