Problems in the Republic

1. Problems in the Republic You will be given a number 1-8. This will be your group. 2. Working with your group, read the reason why Rome fell and write it in the classification chart. 3. You will be given five minutes per station. Then the paper will rotate. 4. The person with the most RED is the reader.

2. Reason 1: Invasions by Barbarians The simplest theory for why Rome collapsed involves a string of military losses against Rome’s enemies. By the 300s CE, Germanic tribes to the North of Rome had grown stronger and more numerous at Rome’s borders. In 410, King Alaric of the Visigoths attacked, looted, and burned the city of Rome. For the next several decades, Rome attempted to rebuild as it fought off other Germanic invaders. In 476 CE, the German King Odoacer overthrew the 14-year-old Emperor Romulus Augustulus and burned Rome. Many historians this year to be the official fall of Rome.

3. Reason 2: Economic troubles and slave labor Due to constant overspending to help fund its arms and rebuilding projects, Rome’s treasury was running low on gold. Heavy taxes on the poor prevented them from paying for basic goods like food, while the rich were able to continue their lives of luxury. Roman trade ground to a halt when a group of people called the Vandals conquered North Africa, costing Rome valuable resources and territories. The Vandals then began to prowl the Mediterranean Sea as pirates. This loss of territory also meant a loss of slave labor, something Rome needed in order to farm enough food to feed its people.

4. Reason 3: The Rise of the Eastern Empire In the late 200s CE, Emperor Diocletian (Die-o-clee-shun) made a bold move. He divided Rome in half to create a Western Empire and an Eastern Empire. His hope was that this would make Roman lands easier to govern and control. Unfortunately, the total opposite occurred. Rather than work together the Eastern and Western Roman Empires began to act as rivals. They argued over resources and military aid. Germanic tribes were intimidated by the strength of the Eastern Empire and therefore focused their attacks on the Western Empire.

5. Reason 4: Overexpansion and military overspending At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the Euphrates River in the East. It controlled the entire Mediterranean and several overland trade routes. However, the size of the Empire turned out to be one of its downfalls. Even with their excellent roads, the communication was too slow. Rome could also not raise enough troops due to a lack of people and a loss of money. Rebellions and outside attacks drained the Roman treasury as Rome was forced to spend more money on soldiers. This caused roads, buildings, and aqueducts to fall into disrepair.

6. Reason 5: Government corruption and political instability If Rome’s sheer size made it difficult to govern, ineffective and inconsistent leadership only served to magnify the problem. Being the Roman emperor had always been a particularly dangerous job, but during the wild 100s and 200s CE it nearly became a death sentence. Civil war thrust the empire into chaos, and more than 20 men took the throne in the span of only 75 years, usually after their predecessor was murdered. The Praetorian (pray-tor-ee-an) Guard—the emperor’s personal bodyguards—assassinated and installed new emperors whenever they wanted, and once even auctioned the spot off to the highest bidder. As the situation worsened, many Roman citizens lost trust in their leadership.

7. Reason 6: The Huns and the Barbarians When the Germanic tribes attacked Rome, they did not do so for fun or randomly. They did so out of necessity, because they needed to in order to survive. The Huns, a group of nomadic horseman from the East, invaded Europe and destroyed the Germanic tribes’ lands. These tribes fled into the Roman Empire, which let them in only reluctantly. The Romans treated the members of these tribes with extreme cruelty. One historian wrote how Roman officials forced starving Goths (a Germanic Tribe) to sell their children into slavery in exchange for dog meat. In 378 CE, the Goths revolted, defeated a Roman army, and killed Emperor Valens. The Romans were terrified and negotiated a quick peace treaty, but the damage was done. The Germanic tribes would continue to conquer Roman lands as they fled the Hun invasion.

8. Reason 7: Rise of Christianity Christianity is a major world religion and rose in popularity during the time of the Roman Empire. Romans originally sentenced Christians to death in the Coliseum--many were eaten by Lions or killed as martyrs for their faith--but eventually Roman Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 CE. Rather than solve problems, this act caused more. Roman citizens began to question which authority was superior: the priests of Roman temples like Jupiter or Venus, or the Christian priests. The problems this power struggles caused were less important than others, but they still contributed to the fall of Rome.

9. Reason 8: Weakening of Roman Legions The Roman Legion was feared across the world. Legionnaires, as soldiers in the Roman Army were called, were well-disciplined, well-trained, and well-armed, able to defeat a variety of hostile forces. However, during the late 200s and early 300s CE, their reputation began to decline. Roman Emperors could not afford to train and pay Roman citizens so they began to hire mercenaries. These soldiers were cheaper but lacked loyalty to Rome. Although they were fierce warriors, they were quick to turn on Rome if the Legion started to lose the battle, or they sensed a greater opportunity for glory elsewhere.