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ROMAN COLLAPSE

ROMAN COLLAPSE. Mosaic of Plato’s School. Third Century Anarchy. Instability based on succession devastating plague decimates population economic malaise Germanic tribes Persian resurgence loss of hope. Spiritual Upheaval. Gods, mystery religions and neoplatonism mithraism Christianity

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ROMAN COLLAPSE

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  1. ROMAN COLLAPSE Mosaic of Plato’s School

  2. Third Century Anarchy • Instability based on succession • devastating plague decimates population • economic malaise • Germanic tribes • Persian resurgence • loss of hope.

  3. Spiritual Upheaval • Gods, mystery religions and neoplatonism • mithraism • Christianity • religion in the empire • change from an emotionless civic religion • search for spiritual fulfillment. Mithras (sun) slaying the bull (night)

  4. Internal Problems • Political breakdown • end of independence of cities • bloated bureaucracy, expensive army • constant assaults from external threats

  5. Internal Problems • Social breakdown • lack of connection to/with Roman Empire • decreasing urban middle class • rising banditry and loss of entire provinces • decrease in trade and use of road system • Appian Way

  6. Roman Roads Via Appia

  7. Economic Collapse • Money is silver or gold • Lack of revenue • only tax citizens • expansion of citizenship • Include less silver in each coin to “create” more money to pay army • Merchants raise prices • Hyper-inflation • 1000% inflation between 256 and 280

  8. Rise of the Military • increasing external threats makes control of the military key to control of the Empire

  9. Rise of the Military • military gains an increasingly large role in selection of emperor • focus on defense stops construction in cities • aqueducts in 235 AD • 235-285 known as the period of the Barracks Emperors • 19 emperors, only 1 did not die violently.

  10. The Dominate • A series of strong emperors from the frontiers were successful in repulsing the Germans and Persians • regained lost portions of Gaul and in the East • these rulers changed the structure of the Empire into a more authoritarian state • court ceremonial • prostration, costume, make-up.

  11. Diocletian (284-305) • Produces stability • enlarges army • German invaders turned into soldiers. • Regiments society with caste system.

  12. Diocletian • two emperors • East and West, title is Augustus • each would have an assistant, title is Caesar • assistant and successor • known as the Tetrarchy • uses any tactic to preserve nation • price controls to combat inflation • persecution of Christians. Tetrarchy at time of Diocletian

  13. Diocletian’s division of the empire

  14. How are people living? • Slaves: 1 of 3 people is a slave • Employment: forced to have same job as parent to ensure economy would continue • Women: increased freedom, but except for widows, all still have lives controlled by men • Farmers • living at poverty level

  15. Peasant Survival

  16. Constantine (306-337) • Diocletian’s death - power struggle • founds Constantinople • dynastic state • legalizes Christianity.

  17. Crisis of the Fifth Century • Policies of Diocletian and Constantine delay destruction • East remains stronger economically • West faces economic exhaustion • remains agricultural • decrease in trade • no manufactured goods • aristocracy remains withdrawn from economy • inflation, population decline, increasing poverty.

  18. Crisis of the Fifth Century • Germans hired to fight Germans • revolts • Visigoths flee Huns • after being cheated, fight Romans, victorious at Adrianople (378), kill Emperor Valens • Visigoths under Alaric resume rampage • 406 recall of troops on Rhine to block Alaric • Vandals and others cross and occupy west • 410 Goths plunder Rome.

  19. Twilight of the West • Lost of Rome destroys Roman morale • continued pressure from east pushes Germans • Germanic peoples carve out own kingdoms in the west • Huns dominate central and eastern Europe • Rome only controls Italy • German generals actually run the country • 476 Odovacar deposes last emperor.

  20. The end of the Western Romans 476 CE

  21. Why did it end?

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