Bellringer: 2/19 and 2/22
1. Pick up the papers at the door.
2. Take out your Pompeii primary source
worksheet.
Agenda:
Objectives: Describe the fall of Rome.
Categorize
and describe the causes of the fall of Rome.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Bellringer
Notes: Fall of Rome
Worksheet: Rome Cause and Effect
Glossary Work Time/Study Guide
Annotations
The Fall of Rome
Setting the Stage for
Rome’s Fall
• During the 3rd century C.E., the sources of
prosperity and peace that existed during Pax
Romana disappeared.
What were the “immediate causes” of
Rome’s fall?
1. Migrations
by Germanic
tribes
2. Invasion of
the Huns
Fall of the
Western
Roman
Empire
Who were the Germanic Tribes?
• Barbarians!
• Gothic tribes
(Visigoths):
– lived along the
Danube
– Entered Rome
– Fought and defeated
the Romans at
Adrianople in 378
– Sacked Rome in 410
Who were the Huns?
• Fierce Mongol nomads from central Asia. They began
invading the regions of the Rhine and Danube rivers
around 370 A.D., destroying all in their path!
Who was Attila?
• The Huns powerful
Chieftain (leader)
Political Issues
• Political office seen
as burden, not reward.
• Military interference
in politics.
• Civil war and unrest.
• Division of Empire.
• Moving of capital to
Byzantium.
• Decline in interest in
public affairs.
Social Issues
• Decline in interest in
public affairs.
• Low confidence in
empire.
• Disloyalty, lack of
patriotism, corruption.
• Contrast between rich
(patricians) and poor
(plebeians).
Economic Issues
• Poor harvests.
• Disruption of trade.
• No more war plunder.
• Gold and silver drain.
• Inflation.
• Crushing tax burden.
• Widening gap between rich
and poor and increasingly
impoverished Western
empire
Military Issues
• Threat from northern
European tribes.
• Low funds for defense.
• Problems recruiting
Roman citizens; recruiting
of non-Romans.
• Decline of patriotism
and loyalty among
soldiers.
Political
Social
Economic
Military
•Political office
seen as burden,
not reward.
•Military
interference in
politics.
•Civil war and
unrest.
•Division of
Empire.
•Moving of
capital to
Byzantium.
•Decline in
interest in
public affairs.
•Decline in
interest in
public affairs.
•Low confidence
in empire.
•Disloyalty, lack
of patriotism,
corruption.
•Contrast
between rich
and poor.
•Poor harvests.
•Disruption of
trade.
•No more war
plunder.
•Gold and silver
drain.
•Inflation.
•Crushing tax
burden.
•Widening gap
between rich
and poor and
increasingly
impoverished
Western empire.
•Threat from
northern
European tribes.
•Low funds for
defense.
•Problems
recruiting
Roman citizens;
recruiting of
non-Romans.
•Decline of
patriotism and
loyalty among
soldiers.
Rome’s Final Years
• The Roman Empire holds
on for about 200 more
years under the
leadership of two
individuals:
• 1. Diocletian
• 2. Constantine
DIOCLETIAN
CONSTANTINE
1. Diocletian
•
•
•
•
Doubled the size of the army
Set fixed prices for goods
Persecuted Christians
Divided the Empire in half –
East and West because he
thought it was too big to
control
– Rome splits into Eastern vs.
Western Empires
2. Constantine
•
•
•
•
Controlled the Western Roman empire
Continued Diocletian's reforms
He renamed Byzantium to Constantinople.
Edict of Milan allows Christianity in Rome
Rome’s Last Emperor:
Romulus Augustulus
• A 14-year-old boy named
Romulus Augustulus.
– Ironic: Rome came full
circle in a way
• 476 AD: Deposed by a
German general named
Odoacer and sent into exile.
How was Rome divided after
its fall?
WEST
EAST
BYZANTINE
EMPIRE
ROMAN
EMPIRE
What territories/regions did Rome lose to the
Byzantines?
Name: ________________
Major Events in Rome
Block: _____ Date: ______
Directions: The following chart lists the causes and effects of certain events in Rome. Fill in the blanks.
CAUSE
EFFECT
Rome’s economy relied heavily on trade.
Rome establishes their republic. The republic was
divided into two groups: Patricians and Plebeians.
The Plebeians were citizens and could vote, but
were not allowed to hold positions of power.
Large estates were created when aristocrats took
over state owned land and bought out small
peasant owners. These large estates are also called:
latifundia.
Rome gains control of the western Mediterranean
Sea.
Julius Caesar names himself dictator for life and
makes drastic changes in Rome (i.e. grants
citizenship to many, expands the senate) and the
senators fear that they might lose their influence.