Section+6-4+The+Fall+of+the+Roman+Empire

Section 6-4: The Fall of the Roman Empire

inflation- a drastic drop in the value of money coupled with a rise in prices. mercenary- foreign soldiers who fought for money. Diocletian- a strong willed army leader, became a new emperor. Constantinople- city of Constantine. Attila- a German rebel who took over the western side of the Roman empire.
 * Bold:**

- The Roman Empire faced many problems in the third century AD and they became to weaken.
 * Setting the Stage:**

- Emperor Marcus Aurelius ended Pax Romana. The following leaders had trouble leading the large empire and its problems. This made Rome start to decline.
 * A Century of Crisis:**

- Many things prompted the decline in Roman government. Hostile tribes and pirate dispersed trade. Rome lacked new resources of gold and silver because their Empire wasn't growing. The government rose taxes. Coins started having less and less silver in them. - Crops produce slowed in Italy the western Europe due to over used soil loose its fertilization. War also destroyed farm land. Disease spread and food shortages caused the population to decline.
 * Rome's Economy Weakens:**

- The Roman military start to weaken. The soldiers became less disciplined and loyal. They were loyal not to Rome but their commanders who fought for the throne. The government hired mercenaries who are soldiers who fight for money. - The feeling of loyalty also weakened among citizens. The Romans used to care so much about their republic they would risk their lives for it. The citizens lost their sense of patriotism.
 * Military and Political Turmoil:**

- The empire survived for 200 years only because reform minded emperors and the divisions of the empire into two parts.
 * Emperors Attempt Reform:**

- In 284 AD Diocletian became emperor. He limited personal freedoms. He restored order and strengthened the empire. He doubled the size of the military. He made ceremonies to present himself as a godlike thingy. - He felt the empire was to large and too complex for one ruler so he divided the empire into the Greek speaking east (Greece, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt) and the Latin speaking west (Italy, Gaul, Britain, Spain) He took the eastern half. His half had the great cities and trade centers and was far wealthier than the west. - because of bad health Diocletian retired in 305 AD.His plans for order failed. Civil war broke out. Four rivals started competing for power. One was Constantine.
 * Diocletian Reforms the Empire:**

- Constantine got leadership of the west he continued many of the social and economic policies of Diocletian. He also gained power of the east restoring one leader. - He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to the Greek city Byzantium. It stood on the Bosporus Strait good location for trade and defense purposes. - The power of the empire shift to the east. The city was protected by walls and imperial buildings. The city got renamed Constantinople. When Constantine died the empire broke apart again the east would survive the west will fall.
 * Constantine Moves the Capital:**

- It took a long time for it to happen. The final collapse was the worsening of internal problems the separation for thew wealthier eastern part and the invasions for the outside.
 * The Western Empire Crumbles:**

- Germans were also on the border of the empire and stayed at peaces with the Romans but a group of Mongols arose. - They kept moving through Roman providence's of Gaul, Spain and North Africa. The western empire was unable to support a army so the German overran Rome in three days.
 * Germanic Invasions:**

- The Huns were the reason why The western roman empire fell and they were a threat. The huns united under the rule of Attilia. With his 10,000 soldiers he terrorized both halfs of the empire. His armies took down 70 cities int he east but failed to beat Constantinople. - Attilia's forces advanced against Rome but disease kept them fro0m conquering the city. Though after Attilia's death the German forces weren't a threat the attacks continued.
 * Attila the Hun:**

- The last roman emperor a 14 year old boy name Romulus Augustulus was ousted by German forces. No one has ruled Rome since and the western power was lost. - the eastern half that came to be called the Byzantine Empire flourished. It kept Greek and Roman culture for another 1,000 years. - thought the western empire ended their cultural ideas did not.
 * An Empire No More:**