The Fall of Rome
Student Names:
Part One: Reasons Why Rome Fell
1. Based on your own analysis, order the reasons for the fall of Rome from most (1)
to least (8) important.
Number
Reason(s)
Corrupt and incompetent
leaders
Economic troubles and
overreliance on slave labor
The rise of the Eastern
empire
Overexpansion and military
overspending
Government corruption and
political instability
The arrival of the Huns and
the migration of the
barbarian tribes
Christianity and the loss of
traditional values
Weak army with
mercenaries
Part Two: Make a Claim
2. After putting them in order, explain the logic behind your choice.
Why did you choose that as the most important factor behind Rome’s fall? Why
are the other ones less impactful to you?
Write at least 50 words on the topic.
Part 3 : Correct the Historical Inaccuracies
Each of the following statements contains subtle but significant historical
inaccuracies.
Rewrite the statement so that it is historically accurate.
1. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in 410 AD after the Vandals conquered
Rome and deposed the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus.
✎ Your correction:
2. Emperor Diocletian accelerated the fall of the Roman Empire by legalizing
Christianity and relocating the imperial capital to Constantinople.
✎ Your correction:
3. The Eastern Roman Empire, often called the Holy Roman Empire, fell at the same
time as the West due to identical military pressures from nomadic invaders.
✎ Your correction:
4. The Roman military’s decline was mainly due to a total ban on hiring non-Roman
soldiers, which left the empire unable to defend its borders.
✎ Your correction:
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