Decline and Fall of Decline and Fall of Ancient RomeAncient Rome

Murder, Suicide, Old Age, or Murder, Suicide, Old Age, or Inevitable?Inevitable?

Murder?Murder?

1)1) Pressure from Parthians and Pressure from Parthians and Sassanids in the east (modern-day Sassanids in the east (modern-day Iraq and Iran)Iraq and Iran)

2)2) Provincial revolts, especially Jews in Provincial revolts, especially Jews in 66-70 and 131-33 CE (AD)66-70 and 131-33 CE (AD)

3)3) Pressure from barbarians along the Pressure from barbarians along the Rhine and the DanubeRhine and the Danube

4)4) Increasing military sophistication of Increasing military sophistication of barbarians as a result of contact withbarbarians as a result of contact withRoman armiesRoman armies

Murder?Murder?

5)5) Roman defeat at Adrianople, 378 CE Roman defeat at Adrianople, 378 CE (AD)(AD)

6)6) Sack of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth, Sack of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth, 410410

7)7) Invasion under Attila the Hun, 455Invasion under Attila the Hun, 455

8)8) Overthrow of emperor Romulus Overthrow of emperor Romulus Augustulus by barbarian mercenaries Augustulus by barbarian mercenaries under Odacer the German, 476under Odacer the German, 476

Suicide?Suicide?

1)1) Latifundia problem-plantations worked by Latifundia problem-plantations worked by slaves replace independent farmersslaves replace independent farmers

2)2) The Roman mob-former farmers become The Roman mob-former farmers become unemployed slum dwellers in the cities, unemployed slum dwellers in the cities, especially in Romeespecially in Rome

3)3) Bread and circuses-the Roman mob, dependent Bread and circuses-the Roman mob, dependent on government-provided jobs, food, and on government-provided jobs, food, and entertainmententertainment

4)4) Frequent civil wars, especially during the 200s Frequent civil wars, especially during the 200s CE, due to military interference in Roman CE, due to military interference in Roman politicspolitics

5)5) Increasing tax burdens based on costs of Increasing tax burdens based on costs of controlling urban mobs and military defensecontrolling urban mobs and military defense

Suicide?Suicide?

6)6) Increasing dependence on barbarian Increasing dependence on barbarian mercenary troops, similar to problems of mercenary troops, similar to problems of Chinese military defenseChinese military defense

7)7) Overextended borders, similar to ancient Overextended borders, similar to ancient ChinaChina

8)8) Overdependence on slave laborOverdependence on slave labor9)9) Conflict between traditional Greco-Conflict between traditional Greco-

Roman religion and a spreading Roman religion and a spreading Christianity introduced from the eastChristianity introduced from the east

10)10) Destruction of library at Alexandria by a Destruction of library at Alexandria by a Christian mob, 415 CEChristian mob, 415 CE

Old Age?Old Age?

1)1) General wear and tear of long-term General wear and tear of long-term imperial administration and defenseimperial administration and defense

2)2) Increasingly rigid social class structure Increasingly rigid social class structure and declining opportunities for and declining opportunities for advancementadvancement

3)3) Exhaustion resulting from ever-Exhaustion resulting from ever-increasing taxesincreasing taxes

4)4) Abandonment of traditional Greco-Abandonment of traditional Greco-Roman religion for Christianity; people Roman religion for Christianity; people place their hopes in life after deathplace their hopes in life after death

5)5) Increasing pessimism about life on earthIncreasing pessimism about life on earth

Inevitable?Inevitable?

1)1) Plague of 165-66 CE kills half the Roman Plague of 165-66 CE kills half the Roman empire’s populationempire’s population

2)2) Roman mines run out of gold and silver, Roman mines run out of gold and silver, starting in 160s; Roman emperors forced starting in 160s; Roman emperors forced to cut gold and silver content of Roman to cut gold and silver content of Roman coinagecoinage

3)3) Declining value of Roman coinage forces Declining value of Roman coinage forces ruinous inflation. Roman currency almost ruinous inflation. Roman currency almost useless as a medium of trade by 280s CEuseless as a medium of trade by 280s CE

4)4) Rome collapses into a barter economy by Rome collapses into a barter economy by 280s CE280s CE

Inevitable?Inevitable?

5)5) Climate change in central Asia Climate change in central Asia (colder and drier) starting in 160s (colder and drier) starting in 160s leads to increasing barbarian leads to increasing barbarian migrations and pressure on migrations and pressure on empire’s bordersempire’s borders

Something to Think AboutSomething to Think About

1)1) Do these causes work in isolation, Do these causes work in isolation, or reinforce each other?or reinforce each other?

2)2) Which causes do you think are most Which causes do you think are most important? Why?important? Why?

3)3) In spite of all these difficulties, why In spite of all these difficulties, why did ancient Roman civilization last did ancient Roman civilization last as long as it did? What legacies did as long as it did? What legacies did Ancient Rome leave to humanity’s Ancient Rome leave to humanity’s future?future?