DECLINE & FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

I. CENTURY OF CRISISA. INTRODUCTION

1. PAX ROMANA BEGINS DECLINE BEGAN AT END OF GOOD EMPERORS2. BEGINNING OF PERIOD OF CIVIL WAR

…INTRO3. DID NOT KNOW HOW TO

COPE WITH CRISIS

B. ROME’S ECONOMY WEAKENS

1. PAX ROMANAa) PERIOD OF GOOD TRADEb) INCREASED WEALTH FROM GOLD AND SILVERc) GREW ENOUGH FOOD

2. ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

a) TRADE DISRUPTED BY INVASIONb) LIMITED EXPANSION = FEWER

SOURCES OF GOLDc) WEALTHY SPENT MONEY ON

LUXURY GOOD OUTSIDE OF EMPIRE

…ECONOMYd) RESULTED IN LACK OF GOLD

& SILVER

3. ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS

a) RAISED TAXESb) COINS MINTED WITH LESS

METAL

…SOLUTIONSc) INFLATION

(1) DECREASE IN VALUE OF MONEY(2) INCREASE IN PRICE OF GOODS

4. CAUSES FOR FOOD SHORTAGE

a) OVERWORKED SOILb) HIGHER TAXES LED TO

FEWER FARMSc) WAR DESTROYED FARM

LAND

C. MILITARY & POLITICAL PROBLEMS

1. INVASIONSa) GERMANIC TRIBES FROM NORTHb) PERSIA IN EAST

2. ARMYa) SOLDIERS LESS LOYAL &

DISCIPLINEDb) CIVIL WAR FOR CONTROL OF

ROMEc) USE OF MERCENARIES

D. ROMAN POLITICS1. CITIZENS LESS PATRIOTIC2. POLITICAL OFFICE BECAME

COSTLY

E. MORAL DECAY1. PEOPLE LOST FAITH IN

ROMAN GOVERNMENT & FAMILY

2. TURNED TO CHURCH FOR LEADERSHIP

II. EMPEROR’S ATTEMPTED REFORMS

A. DIOCLETIAN1. REFORMS

a) INCREASED SIZE OF ARMIES

b) SET FIXED PRICES FOR GOODS

…REFORMSc) FARMERS HAD TO REMAIN OF

FARMS (FEUDALISM)d) WORKERS REMAINED IN JOBSe) CLAIMED DESCENT FROM THE

GODS

2. DIVISION OF THE EMPIRE

a) DIVIDED EAST = GREEKWEST = LATIN

b) DIOCLETIAN RULED EASTc) EASTERN PART WEALTHIEST

3. RESULTSa) SLOWED DECLINEb) CIVIL WAR BROKE OUT UPON

DEATH

B. CONSTANTINE MOVES CAPITOL

1. GAINED CONTROL OF WESTERN ROMAN EMPIRE 312 A.D.

2. RESTORED EMPIRE 324 A.D.

…CONSTANTINE3. BYZANTIUM

a) MOVED CAPITOL TO BYZANTIUMb) LOCATED ON BOSPHORUS STRAIT

…CONSTANTINEc) SHIFTED POWER

CENTER FORM ROME

d) CITY RENAMEDCONSTANTINOPLE

III. WESTERN EMPIRE CRUMBLES

A. INTRODUCTION1. CAUSES FOR FALL

a) INTERNAL PROBLEMSb) SEPARATION FROM

EASTERN EMPIREc) OUTSIDE INVASION

2. GERMANIC TRIBESa) SETTLED ON NORTHERN

BORDERb) ADOPTED ROMAN CULTUREc) OVERWHELMED &

CONQUERED W. ROME

d. TRIBES(1) OSTROGOTHS(2) VISIGOTHS(3) ANGLES(4) SAXONS(5) VANDALS(6) FRANKS (7) MAGYARS

B. HUNS1. FORCED GERMANIC TRIBES

INTO W. ROME2. CONQUERED ASIA &

EASTERN EUROPE

C. GERMANIC INVASION

1. VANDALSa) INVADED ROME FLEEING HUNSb) MIGRATED THROUGH ROMAN PROVINCES TO N. AFRICA (CARTHAGE)

…VANDALSc) ROME UNABLE TO STOP

INVASION

2. VISIGOTHSa) LED BY ALERICb) INVADED LOOTED CITY OF

ROME

D. ATTILA THE HUN1. DIRECT THREAT

a) UNITED UNDER ATTILAb) ATTACKED BOTH PARTS OF EMPIREc) FAILED TO ENTER CONSTANTINOPLE

2. HUNS IN THE WESTa) ADVANCED AGAINST ROMEb) WEAKENED BY FAMINE &

DISEASEc) WITHDREW AFTER

NEGOTIATION WITH LEO Id) GERMANIC INVASIONS

CONTINUED

3. EFFECT ON ROMEa) ROME LEFT IN FAMINEb) POPULATION DECREASED TO

20,000

E. AN EMPIRE NO MORE

1. AUGUSTULUSa) LAST EMPEROR SENT INTO EXILEb) NO MORE EMPERORS FOR WESTERN EMPIRE

2. EASTERN EMPIREa) BECAME BYZANTINE EMPIREb) PRESERVED GREEK &

ROMAN CULTUREc) FELL IN 1453 TO OTTOMAN

TURKS

IV. LEGACY OF GRECO-ROMAN CIVILIZATION

A. INTRODUCTION1. GREEK LEADERSHIP IN CULTURAL ADVANCES

a) ROMANS LEARNED GREEK LANGUAGE

…INFLUENCEb) GRECO-ROMAN CULTURE -

MIX OF GREEK, ROMAN, & HELLENISTIC CULTURE

B. ROMAN FINE ARTS1. CHANGES TO GREEK

SCULPTUREa) REALISTIC PORTRAITSb) PRACTICAL IN PURPOSE USED FOR EDUCATION

2. BAS-RELIEFa) IMAGES PROJECTED FROM

FLAT BACKGROUNDb) USED TO TELL STORIES

(HISTORY)

3. MOSAICSa) PICTURE MADE USING

PIECES OF GLASS, STONE, OR TILE

b) USED TO DECORATE HOUSES

4. FRESCOESa) WALL MURALSb) POMPEII VOLCANO

PRESERVED FRESCOES

C. LEARNING & LITERATURE

1. VIRGILa) WROTE AENEIDb) MODELED ON HOMER’S ILIAD & ODYSSEY

V. LEGACY OF ROMEA. LATIN LANGUAGE

INFLUENCES1. LATIN REMAINED LANGUAGE OF ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

…LATIN2. DEVELOPED INTO ROMANCE

LANGUAGES3. HEAVILY INFLUENCED ENGLISH4. REMAINED COMMON LANGUAGE

OF EUROPE INTO 1500’S

B. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

1. CONTINUED TO USE LATIN2. CHURCH BECAME EXAMPLE

OF MORAL AUTHORITY

…CHURCH3. LOYALTY TO CHURCH MORE

IMPORTANT THAN LOYALTY TO ROME

4. CHURCH BECAME UNIFYING FORCE IN WESTERN EUROPE

…CHURCH5. CHURCH TOOK THE PLACE

OF ROMAN GOVERNMENT

C. ARCHITECTURE1. ARCH, DOME, CONCRETE

a) USED IN ROMAN ARCHITECTURE (COLISEUM & PANTHEON)

…ARCHITECTUREb) ARCHES

(1) USED TO BUILD AQUEDUCTSC) CULTURAL DIFFUSION

(1) PRACTICAL DESIGN STILL USED TODAY

(a) U.S. & STATE CAPITOLS

D. ROMAN LAW1. STANDARDS

a. EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAWb. INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

…STANDARDSc. ACCUSER HAD TO PROVE

GUILTd. PUNISHED ONLY FOR

ACTIONSe. UNFAIR LAWS COULD BE

OVERTURNED