The fall of the Roman Empire happened in three major stages:
An era of decline due to internal problems within Rome
- Political
- Economic
- Military
The Romans experienced political problems:
The empire was to large for one emperor to control
Emperors after the Pax Romana were weak
Citizens experienced a loss of confidence, patriotism, and loyalty to the Roman government
Emperor Diocletian's attempt to reform was realizing Rome was to large and dividing the Empire into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires
Which emperor split the Roman empire into the Eastern and Western Empires?
a. Constantine
b. Diocletian
c. Theodosius I
d. Augustus
What would be a major consequence of the division of the Roman Empire?
a. increased stability
b. equal distribution of resources
c. Independent development of the Eastern and Western Empires
d. Unification under a single ruler
Which social issue contributed to the decline of the Roman Empire?
a. increase in population
b. high morale among citizens
c. decline in civic pride and loyalty
d. Surplus of military recruits
The Romans experienced economic problems:
Outside groups disrupted trade
Rome had a trade imbalance (they bought more than they produced)
Poor harvest led to food shortages
The government raised taxes and printed new coins which led to inflation
The economic decline left many Romans poor
The Romans experienced military problems:
Germanic tribes outside Rome were gaining strength
The Roman military was growing weak; generals were challenging the authority of the emperors
To save money, Romans hired foreign soldiers but these "mercenaries" were not loyal to Rome
By 370 A.D., "barbarian" groups outside Rome, led by the Huns, began to attack