Decline of the Roman Empire Romes Economy declines

Decline of the Roman Empire § Rome’s Economy declines § Trade disrupted by piracy, neglect of roads and harbours, dangerous borders § Inflation (minted coins with less silver leading to a drop in value) § Overworked soil led to increasingly meagre harvests, farmers left their land § Disease spread, population declined

Military Upheaval § Germanic tribes - “barbarians” overwhelmed Roman legions guarding the northern frontiers § Discipline and loyalty had collapsed within the army § Mercenaries (paid foreign soldiers) had little loyalty to the Empire

Politics Decay § Lost sense of patriotism § Holding political office became less desirable § Armies proclaimed 50 generals to be emperors of Rome over 50 years (235284 CE) § 26 briefly won the approval of the Roman Senate – 25 died violently § Corruption in government weakened efficiency

Diocletian § 284 CE – became emperor and restored order to the empire § Governed as an absolute ruler § Doubled the size of the Roman armies § Set fixed prices for goods § Workers were forced to stay in their jobs for life (attempt to bring stability to agriculture and manufacturing) § Persecuted Christians

Division of the Empire § Empire too large and too complex § Divided into Greek-speaking East (Greece, Anatolia, Syria & Egypt) and Latinspeaking West (Italy, Gaul, Britannia & Spain) § Ruled by co-emperors and their assistant (tetrarchy) § Diocletian – Eastern Empire § General Maximian – Western Empire

Division of the Empire – 294 CE

Constantine § Civil war broke out § 312 CE – Constantine gained control of Western Empire § 324 CE – Gained control of Eastern Empire

Constantinople § Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium § Located on the Bosporus Strait, crossroads between East and West § “City of Constantine” § Present day Istanbul § Surrounded on three sides by water – it was easily defendable

Edict of Milan § 313 CE § Declared that the Roman Empire would be neutral with regard to religious worship § Roman Empire officially removed all obstacles to the practice of Christianity and other religions

§ Death of Constantine – 337 CE § Peace and unity established by Constantine did not last § Emperor Valentinian (364 -375 CE) divided the Empire to East & West and appointed his brother Valens as co-ruler (364 -378 CE)

§ By the 5 th Century CE the two parts of the Empire remain separate § The west became increasingly rural as barbarian invasions grew § Cities shrank to tiny walled fortresses ruled by military commanders and bishops § Failure of the central authority to maintain the roads and the danger from robber bands hampered trade and communication

§ The west was made up of isolated units of rural aristocrats and their dependent labourers § The only unifying institution was the Christian church § The pattern for the early Middle Ages in the west was formed § Massive barbarian invasions of the 5 th century ended effective imperial government in the west

“The Fall of Rome” § 476 CE – The barbarian Odoacer (or Odovacar) deposed the western emperor Romulus Augustulus § The eastern emperor Zeno recognized Odoacer as his western viceroy § By the end of the 5 th Century barbarians had overrun the western empire