Fall of the Roman Emipre

Fall of the Roman Emipre

The End of Pax Romana

• After Marcus Aurelius died, Rome began a steady decline and eventually collapsed.

• Military Generals began challenging Emperors

• Civil War broke out.

• Despite a short period of peace, Rome fell further into crisis and Civil war

Multiple Choice

What happened as a result of Military Generals challenging Emperors?

• Civil War broke out

• Generals immediately took power

• A peace treaty was signed

Economic Problems

• Civil War create huge financial problems

• Taxes were raised, which hurt the common people

• Money was now being made with copper.

• This cause inflation, which is the rise in cost of goods.

Multiple Choice

What was a negative effect of raising taxes?

• Too much money coming in for the government

• Hurt common people

• Not everyone paid their share of taxes

Foreign Invasions

• Tribes around Rome began to invade since troops were fighting Civil Wars.

• Germans invaded frequently, and soon adopted Greco- Roman culture.

• Germans were converting to Christianity.

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Multiple Choice

What people began to frequently invade Rome?

• French

• Huns

• Germans

Dividing of Rome

• Diocletian tried to restore peace.

• Divide empire in half, Eastern and Western.

• Appointed a co-emperor to rule Eastern half.

• Appointed junior emperors who would suceed them upon death.

Multiple Choice

Why were Junior Emperors appointed?

• To succeed the Emperor upon his death

• For the Emperor to have a helper

• As a favor for the nobility

New Rome

• Despite having junior emperors, there was a fight after the death of Diocletian

• Constatine proved victorious and became emperor

• Converted to Christianity later in life

• Built a new city, called Constantinople, in what is today Turkey.

Multiple Choice

What religion did Diocletian convert to later in life?

• Judaism

• Buddhism

• Christianity

The Huns Arrived

• Fierce warriors from Central Asia attacked Rome.

• They were the Huns, led by Attila.

• While Rome was able to defeat them, Germans were pushed deep into Roman territory.

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Multiple Choice

Where were the Huns from?

• Europe

• Africa

• Central Asia

The Germans Invade

• Germans reached the border of Rome

• Romans attacked the Goths, but were defeated.

• The Goths as a result invaded Rome

• Romans hired outside help to fight on their behalf

Empires Fall

• German began to push further and further towards the Capital.

• Eventually, several German groups attacked and were able to capture Rome.

• Eventually, the Western half collapsed and the Eastern half remained as the Byzantine Empire.

• One final point: Christianity became the official religion of Rome.

Multiple Select

What did the Eastern half of the Empire become known as after the fall of the Wesern half?

• Byzantine Empire

• New Rome

• Eastern Roman Empire