WHAT WERE ROMES PROBLEMS?
POLITICAL~
When the last Severan ruler died in 235, Rome became very weak. For almost 50 years, army leaders would fight each other for the throne. During these 50 years, Rome had a 22 different emperors. However, poor leadership was not Rome's only problem.
SOCIAL~
Many Romans began to dishonor the old ideals of duty, courage, and honesty. Many government officials would take bribes. As problems increased, talented people often refused to serve in government. Wealthy citizens even stopped paying taxes. Less people attended schools, and a large number of the empire's people were now slaves. Wealthy Romans supported slavery because it was a cheap way to get work done.
ECONOMIC~
During the 200s, Rome's economy began to fall apart. Government began to weaken and law and order broke down. Crops were destroyed by soldiers and farmers began to grow less and less food, so hunger began to spread. As the economy worsened, people started buying less goods and shopkeepers lost money. Businesses closed and the number of workers dropped significantly. A plague, or disease also took its toll and killed 1 out of every 10 people in the empire. Prices also began to rapidly grow and many people stopped using money all together. They would barter, or exchange goods without using money.
MILITARY~
Meanwhile, invaders swept into the empire. In the west, Germanic tribes raided Roman farms and towns. In the east, armies from Persia pushed into the empire's territory. AS fighting began to increase, the government could no longer enlist or pay Romans as soldiers. The Germanic soldiers that they began to use were not loyal to Rome at all.
When the last Severan ruler died in 235, Rome became very weak. For almost 50 years, army leaders would fight each other for the throne. During these 50 years, Rome had a 22 different emperors. However, poor leadership was not Rome's only problem.
SOCIAL~
Many Romans began to dishonor the old ideals of duty, courage, and honesty. Many government officials would take bribes. As problems increased, talented people often refused to serve in government. Wealthy citizens even stopped paying taxes. Less people attended schools, and a large number of the empire's people were now slaves. Wealthy Romans supported slavery because it was a cheap way to get work done.
ECONOMIC~
During the 200s, Rome's economy began to fall apart. Government began to weaken and law and order broke down. Crops were destroyed by soldiers and farmers began to grow less and less food, so hunger began to spread. As the economy worsened, people started buying less goods and shopkeepers lost money. Businesses closed and the number of workers dropped significantly. A plague, or disease also took its toll and killed 1 out of every 10 people in the empire. Prices also began to rapidly grow and many people stopped using money all together. They would barter, or exchange goods without using money.
MILITARY~
Meanwhile, invaders swept into the empire. In the west, Germanic tribes raided Roman farms and towns. In the east, armies from Persia pushed into the empire's territory. AS fighting began to increase, the government could no longer enlist or pay Romans as soldiers. The Germanic soldiers that they began to use were not loyal to Rome at all.
WHAT CHANGES DID DIOCLETIAN AND CONSTANTINE MAKE?
Diocletian became and emperor and divided the empire into 4 parts after deciding it was to hard for 1 person to rule. He named officials to rule these areas, but continued to keep authority over all. He ordered for all workers to remain at the same job until they die. However, these reforms failed because people ignored the new rules and he didn't have enough power to make them obey.
Constantine became emperor in 312 after Diocletian retired from office. He issued several orders in order to aid the economy. The sons of workers had to follow in their fathers trades, the sons of farmers had to work the land their fathers worked, and the sons of soldiers had to serve in the army. HIs demands did not halt the empire's decline in the west so he was forced to move the capitol from to a new city in the east. The city become known as Constantinople and today he is called Istanble.
Constantine became emperor in 312 after Diocletian retired from office. He issued several orders in order to aid the economy. The sons of workers had to follow in their fathers trades, the sons of farmers had to work the land their fathers worked, and the sons of soldiers had to serve in the army. HIs demands did not halt the empire's decline in the west so he was forced to move the capitol from to a new city in the east. The city become known as Constantinople and today he is called Istanble.
WHO INVADED ROME AND WHY DID IT FALL?
Germanic groups named- Astrogoth's, Visigoths, Pranks, Vandals, Angles, and Saxons. Odoacer controlled Rome for almost 15 years until a group of Visigoths killed him and took over. By, 550, the Western Roman Empire had faded away. The Eastern Roman Empire is said ti had prospered and lasted nearly 1,000 years.
WHAT WAS ROME'S LEGACY?
Our world would be a lot different without the Roman Empire. For example, we wouldn't have many of the words we do or our knowledge of how our government should work. The same is true for our system of laws and how we decide to build things. Also, without the Roman Empire, Christian religion would not have spread.