The+Fall+of+the+Roman+Empire

The Fall of the Roman Empire

Bold:
 * 1) Inflation- A drastic drop in the value of money coupled with a rise in prices.
 * 2) Mercenaries- Foreign soliders who fought for money.
 * 3) Diocletian- A strong-willed army leader, who later became the new emperor.
 * 4) Constaninople- The city of Constantine.
 * 5) Attila- With 10,000 soliders Attila terrorized both sides of the emperor.

People:
 * 1) Diocletian- A strong-willed army leader, who later became the new emperor.
 * 2) Attila- With 10,000 soliders Attila terrorized both sides of the emperor.

Ideas/Events:

A CENTURY OF CRISIS:
 * The end of the rein of emperor Marcus Aurelius ending the two centuries of Pax Romana.
 * In 3rd century AD sveral factors lead to the weakening of Rome's economy like tribes disrupting trade.
 * Harvests in Italy and western Europe had become meager because the over-used soil had lost its fertility.
 * Eventually food amount decreased and the population declined.

MILITARY AND POLITICAL TURMOIL:


 * Over time Roamn soliders became less disipline and loyal.
 * Mercenaires cost less but didn't have loyalty to the empire.
 * Romans became indifferent to the outcome of teh empire in the long-run.

EMPERORS ATTEMPT REFORM:


 * Surprisingly Rome lasted for another 200 years because of reform-seeking emperors.
 * Diocletian limited personal freedoms, and also claimed to be a desendent from Gods.
 * Diocltian divided Rome into two parts, Greek speaking east, and Latin speaking west.
 * He took the east half of the empire and it had the best cities and trade centers.
 * When Diocltian retired civil war broke out immediantly.
 * Constantine gained control of the empire.

CONSTINTINE MOVES THE CAPITAL:


 * In 312 AD Constantine got control of the western half of the empire.
 * In 324 AD he controlled both halfs bring back the idea of a single ruler.
 * Constantine's biggest mistake was the he moved Rome's capital to a Greek city called Byzantium. Witch was later called Constantinople.

THE WESTERN EMPIRE CRUMBLES:


 * The Roman's empire decline took many years.
 * The Huns moved into the Roman region and started destroying everything in they're path.
 * The huns united for the first time in 444 with they're cheif Attila the Hun.
 * The huns attacked and plunnered 70 cities, but to scale the high walls of Constantinople.
 * The huns never conquered Rome in 452 AD or ever.
 * The hunser were no longer a threat when the leader Attila died in 453 AD.
 * The Germanic attacks continued after the Huns.
 * The last Roman emperor was a 14 year-old boy anmed Romulus Augustulus who was outsted by the German forces in 476 AD.
 * The eastern helf of the empire lasted but the western half didn't.
 * The eastern half flourished and was called the Byzantine empire.
 * The Byzantine empire lasted until 1453 AD when it fell to the Ottoman Turks.