Rome Essay Outline Sheet
Prompt: What were the most important factors in the establishment, maintenance and decline of the Roman
Empire?
Be sure to include factors that are from at least three of the following: political, economic, social, cultural and
geographic. Also, make sure to include specific historical information.
Introduction:
Background information (what facts help set the stage for what you would be writing about?):
Rome was founded in 753 BC by Etruscans, Greeks, and Latins. They settled on the
Tiber river and started to build a city. By 146 BC they gain control of most of Europe
and by 70 BC the empire had started to have internal issues.
Thesis:
The rise, maintaining control, and fall of Rome was caused by its
power.
Body Paragraph 1
Topic sentence (what will you be discussing in this paragraph and how does it help prove your thesis?):
The power of the Roman army helped them conquer people and also
led to their decline, also helped them maintain power.
Evidence/facts:
From the start Rome used its military strength to conquer foreign lands, this also helped them
maintain power.
The military was getting unstable by the end of Rome’s existence. Commanders
could have soldiers take over the government without resistance.
Analysis (why and how do those facts help prove your thesis):
With all the power they had they could easily conquer smaller nations
and expand. They could also suppress others to maintain power.
But with all that power come great responsibility, and Rome started
slaking o in the end. This led to the military turning on them when
they didn’t get what they wanted.
Body Paragraph 2
Topic sentence (what will you be discussing in this paragraph and how does it help prove your thesis?):
Their political power led to their rise, maintain control, and decline.
Evidence/facts:
Rome had a perfect government in the beginning that made sure no one had too much
power. They used this to rule conquered lands. This helped them maintain power for a
long time.
Towards the end Julius Ceaser made himself permanent dictator and changed the government.
When this happened the dictator now had absolute power.
Analysis (why and how do those facts help prove your thesis):
When Rome had the perfect government they could rule without
problems and expand very far, while also maintaining power.
In the end Rome’s government started to be corrupt and bad people could take
power, such as Nero, one of the worst emperors.
Body Paragraph 3
Topic sentence (what will you be discussing in this paragraph and how does it help prove your thesis?):
Romes economic power helped Rome rise, maintain control, and decline.
Evidence/facts:
They used slaves to work for free which helped them rise to power, and when
Augustus started minting universal coins it helped the government maintain control.
Towards the end in ation was starting to pop up and plebs couldn’t a ord day to day things.
Coins were less valuable and the gap between rich and poor was increasing.
Analysis (why and how do those facts help prove your thesis):
The slaves helped them rise to power because they didn’t have to pay
people to work and pro t was made. Coins helped maintain control because
the government could keep up with demand or stop minting if necessary.
With in ation prices went up people couldn’t a ord things and people were homeless.
Conclusion (Remember guidance for what is in a good conclusion):
In conclusion Rome’s economic, military, and political power helped it rise, maintain control, and
decline. The government was perfect but started to decline. The economy was good but when
things became scarce in ation happed and people couldn’t a ord things. The military was very
powerful, but when the commanders had absolute power they used it for bad. This is why
Rome’s power helped it gain power, maintain control, and led to its decline.