End of Marcus Aurelius’ reign as emperor (A.D.

161-180) brought about end of Pax Romana. Ruler’s after Marcus Aurelius had no idea how to deal with the giant empire and its problems.

A Century in Crisis

Hostile tribes and pirates disrupt trade.

Empire at limit of expansion and lacks new sources of gold and silver. empire raised taxes as a result empire minted coins with less silver

inflation resulted

Rome’s Economy Weakens

Agriculture faced serious problems

Harvests were increasingly meager because soil lost fertility.

Years of war destroyed farmland.Serious food shortages, disease, and population decline resulted.

Rome’s Economy Weakens

Roman military in disarray

less disciplined soldiers allegiance to commanders, not to Rome itself recruiting of mercenaries who were less loyal to

Rome Less loyalty among average citizens

Earlier Romans cared more about the Republic. Later Romans lose their sense of patriotism.

Military and Political Turmoil

Diocletian Reforms the Empire

Becomes emperor in 284. Severely limits personal freedoms. Doubles size of Roman army. Controls inflation by price fixing. Divides the empire

Greek speaking East (takes for himself) Latin-speaking West (appoints a co-ruler)

Kept overall control. Retired in A.D. 305, but civil war broke out. Four rivals competed for control, including the

commander Constantine

Emperors Attempt Reform

Constantine Moves the Capital

A.D. 312 Constantine gains control of the western part of the empire.

A.D. 324 he secures the eastern empire and the system of a single ruler.

A.D. 330 Constantine moves the capital from Rome to Byzantium on the Bosporus Strait between Europe and Asia.

The center of power shifts from Rome to the east.

Emperors Attempt Reform

Germanic Invasions

A.D. 370 the Huns move into Europe causing the Germanic peoples to flee into Roman territory.

A.D. 410 Germans invade and overrun Rome itself and plunder it for three days.Attila the Hun

In 444 the Huns unite under Attila and terrorize both halves of the empire.

In 452 the Huns advance against Rome, but fail in conquering the city due to famine and disease.

Attila dies in 453.

The Western Empire Crumbles

An Empire No More

14-year-old emperor Romulus Augustulus ousted by German by German forces in 426.

Roman power in the western half of the empire ceases to exist.

The eastern half of the empire comes to be called the Byzantine Empire, and flourishes for 1,000 years.

The Byzantine emperors ruled from Constantinople.

The Byzantine emperors saw themselves as heirs to the power of Augustus Caesar.

The Western Empire Crumbles