Ancient Rome The Fall of Rome. SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies.

Ancient RomeThe Fall of Rome

SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies from 700 BCE to 400 CE.

e. Analyze the factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

What was the Roman Empire?There were two periods of Roman

government.Roman Republic 509 BCE-30 BCERoman Empire 30 BCE-476 CE

What was the Roman Empire?Rome technically had an “empire” under the

Roman Republic.But the term “Roman Empire” refers to the

time period, beginning with Augustus, when Rome was ruled by emperors.

Roman RepublicRepublic = citizens can

choose (vote for) their leader.

Established 509 b.c.e.Only men with money

and property could vote.

Representative Democracy: The wealthy elected representatives to make laws for everyone.

Structure of the Republic

6

• Patricians= landholding upper class

• Plebeians= farmers, merchants, artisans, traders

• Senate= governing body

• Consuls= two patricians

Patricians

Plebeians

The Two EmpiresWestern (Roman) Empire Ended officially in 476

CE when the last emperor, Romulus Augustus, was deposed by a barbarian, Odoacer

Eastern (Byzantine) Empire Lasted until 1453 when the empire was conquered by the Ottoman Turks

Administration of a Vast Empire

Empire included over 100,000,000 people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and placesRome learned to

adapt its policies on a local level to fit the people of a given area

Citizenship gradually extended to all free men of the empire

Administration of a Vast EmpireSolid, strong

bureaucracy that kept things running smoothly the majority of the timeEmpire’s

administration run by countless proconsuls, procurators, governors, and minor officials

Four prefectures, further divided into dioceses, then into provinces

Administration of a Vast Empire

Strong infrastructureFacilitated movement by officials, soldiers, traders, travelers, etc.

Tyre

The Fall of RomeEconomic Reasons

Gap between rich and poor

Impoverished workers became tied to the land as coloni (sold as the land was sold)

Fewer members of the lower classes could afford to buy goods (no purchasing power)

The Fall of RomeEconomic Reasons

manufacturing and trade declined

Large estates became self-sufficient, further hurting manufacturing and trade

The Fall of RomePolitical Reasons

Decline in patriotismDemocracy did not

exist in realityCitizens lost their tie

(voting rights) to the state

Patriotism became based on loyalty to an emperor, not to Rome

Most emperors did not inspire respect or loyalty

Modern Mask-Rome: The HBO Series

The Fall of RomePolitical Reasons

East/West splitTwo empires

created problems regarding loyalty

No orderly successionMurders, forced

suicides, and civil wars frequently accompanied the transition from one emperor to the next

Modern Mask-Rome: The HBO Series

The Fall of RomeSocial Reasons

Population declineHungerPlaguesWar

Decline in intellectual cultureLack of dedication to

public service and intellectual pursuits

leisure time watching chariot races and gladiatorial contests

Ancient roman society by Ray

The Fall of RomeSocial Reasons

Religious divisionsEastern and Egyptian

cults took away the popularity and status of traditional Roman religion

New faiths (i.e.Christianity) directly questioned and challenged concepts such as imperial divinity

Ancient roman society by Ray

The Fall of RomeMilitary Reasons

Reliance on barbarian troopsNot ultimately loyal to

RomeCould not be counted

on to fight their fellow barbarians

Interested in obtaining booty, not defending Rome or furthering Rome’s interests

The Fall of RomeMilitary Reasons

Roman Republic Armies were servants of RomeRoman EmpireArmies made and unmade

emperorsThe sacking of Rome:The Visigoths (Germanic) 410-

hired by the Romans b/c of plague.

The Vandals 455476, The Germainic head of the

Army overthrew Romulus Augustulus

Considered the date of the fall of the W. Roman Empire

SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies from 700 BCE to 400 CE.

e. Analyze the factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

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