Rome's Decline
Political Cnfusion
During this time, the Roman army was very powerful, but, the government was weak.An emperor had to pay higher wages his soldiers just to stay in office.When the emperor couldn't pay them, the soldiers turned against him.Then some civil wars came out.Legion fought legion to put a new emperor on the thrown.In a span of 50 years, Rome had 22 emperors.Most of them were killed by their body guards or a soldier.
Roman society was also suffering.Many Romans didn't honor the traditional values of duty, courage, and honesty.Dishonest government officials took bribes, and few talented citizens wanted to hold government office.Many rich Romans stopped paying their taxes, then a large part empire's population consisted of Enslaved laborers.
A Weak Economy
A weak government led to a weak economy.Soldiers and foreign invaders disrupted trades and attacked farms.This lead to less food.The food prices then jumped up.The government then produced more coins.But the didn't have a big supply of gold and silver.This made the coins value reduce.Because the coins value reduced, people began to barter.(Trade goods instead of money).
Germanic And Persian Invaders
When Rome continued to struggle, Germanic invaders raided the western empire.While Persian invaders raided the eastern empire.People in Rome built walls for protection.With less money to use, the government hired Germanic soldiers.But the Germanic soldiers had no loyal for them.
Diocletian
In A.D. 284, A general named Diocletian became emperor.He made reforms to make Rome better.He built forts along its frontiers for protection, He split Rome into four parts, those four parts had their own leader, but, he held authority over all of them.He made workers work the same job till they died.But, the people ignored the rules and he couldn't enforce them.
The Fall Of Rome
When Diocletian left office, conflict broke out again until a general name Costantine became emperor.
Constantine
Constantine wanted a stable workforce and military.He made a reform that sons of soldiers were forced to serve in the army.Sons of farmers were forced to work on their father's land.Sons of workers had to follow their fathers trades.But, the empire still declined and he moved Rome to a new city called Byzantium and changed the name to Constantinople.When Constantine died a few years later, a man named Theodosius took power.
Theodosius
Theodosius found governing the empire difficult.Rome covered a vast area and faced threats from both inside and outside borders.He realized that Rome was too large to govern from one seat of government.He decided for when he died, The western and eastern become separate empires.
More Germanic Invaders
Many German tribes migrated from northern Europe and fought the Romans.A few, (like 3/4) were looking for better land and raising livestock and farming.Many were fleeing the Huns.The Huns were a tribe from Mongolia, Asia.Later, the Huns attacked a Germanic tribe in Eastern Europe.The Germanic tribe was called the Visigoths.The Visigoths asked Rome for protection.They let them settle just in Rome's border.Now the Visigoths were under the Roman army.The Visigoths then made a promised to be loyal to the empire.But the Romans treated them poorly.Tired of the way the Romans treated them, the Visigoths rebelled.They defeated Rome at Adrianople.The Visigoths victory brought more attacks on the Roman territory.Then, Germanic tribes invaded Gaul, which is currently France.Then, the Visigoths leader, Alaric, led the Visigoths into Italy and captured Rome.They then looted the city's buildings.The Vandals, which is another Germanic tribe, attacked Roman lands in Spain and northern Africa.They then sailed to Italy and entered Rome.They then overcame the Romans there.The Vandals spent 2 whole weeks destroying Rome.They burned buildings and seized valuables.The Roman empire was then forced out.Then divided into a Western and eastern side.
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