Of the four causes of the fall of Rome, which had the greatest impact? Be sure to discuss all four causes,
but specifically describe one as the greatest impact. Provide at least 3 examples of what you chose that
cause.
The Roman Empire was known as the largest and strongest empires in human history.
Once it stretched from British land to the west and Asia Minor area to the east. The empire
survived strongly with their great achievement such as Greco-Roman arts, technology, and
Roman’s language. However, since the third century AD, the empire faced with many causes
which bring to fall of Rome.
There were four causes of the fall of the Roman Empire, which are political, social,
economical and military factors. Politically, the Roman was unstable. The government became
corrupt and dishonorable to Rome and there were no true leaders, hence it occurred civil war and
moved the capital to Constantinople which made center of empire was no longer in Rome. Also,
as Roman devaluing the West, social problem was another issue. As the empire became too large,
Roman people lost interest in government, loyalty, patriotism to Rome. Furthermore the Roman
military became fall because soldiers including mercenary became less royal to Rome , but they
are loyal to their command. However, the most important cause was from economic collapse.
Economic reason is the major causes occurred to make Rome fail which can be lack of gold and
silver, raising taxes with inflation, and shortage of food.
One of the most important causes of failing Rome is drainage of gold and silver which
also affects other economic causes. From the textbook,” Mediterranean sea disrupted
trade…Having reached their limit of expansion, the Rome lacked new sources of gold and silver.”
With disruption of sea trade and Rome were not growing as it was before. The form of money
which made from silver as well as gold were not enough at Rome. It also affects to collect less
tax money,hence government revenue dropped significantly. This economic problem also affects
other economic cause such as raising tax.
In addition to drain of gold and silver, inflation which caused from increasing tax, which
is drastic drop in value of money coupled with a rise in prices. From the textbook, “As taxes rose,
however, the value of money declined…Emperor minted new coins with copper and lead as well
as silver.” They did not have enough silver and gold to make coin. As citizen found out their
coin has less valued material such as copper and lead, the value of money dropped which caused
inflation. Citizen has much more burden to buy things that they used to pay lower due to
inflation. Also, farmers have much burden because Rome government raised tax because paying
tax for themselves as well as they need to help landowner to pay their taxes.
Finally in Rome, short supply of food is another problem. From the textbook, “Harvests
in Italy and western Europe became meager because over-worked soil has lost its fertility…War
had destroyed much farmland.” When the empire was growing, the citizen was also growing.
However, toward the end of Rome production of food could not match population growth.
Because of many wars with destroyed land with low fertility, the harvest of food was dropped. In
addition there was the plague spread along with food shortage, which lead to signification weak
government empire. F
In conclusion, based on the above analysis with evidence, the ultimate cause of fall of
Rome was economic causes which critically affect weakening Roman power. Because
weakening of Rome’s economy from disruptions of sea trade, which lead to not enough gold and
silver, as government brought tax increase, the tax increase result was growing inflation with
shortage of food. All of these causes made weaken military which supposed to protect Roman
from foreign attack. Although Rome divided into west and east and Germanic tribe entered the
West of Rome which made West Rome fail, east Rome continue to remain as until middle age
period and were part of important part of European history.