Fall of Rome: Internal Wekaness in the Empire

​The Fall of Rome: Internal Weaknesses of an Empire

By Josefine Pettit

Open Ended

What makes a place stop working? Think of old stores, restaurants, or other businesses that are not here today.

• Definition: Internal weaknesses - problems within an empire that lead to its deterioration
• Time Period: 3rd-5th centuries CE
• Background: Rome's decline occurred gradually over centuries
• Impact: Led to the eventual fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE

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​Understanding Rome's Decline

Hotspot

Looking at the map, what are some of the weak spots you see in the Roman Empire?

Autonomous military powers emerged
• Problems:

• Generals gained too much political influence

• Army loyalty shifted from Rome to individual commanders

• Military recruitment became difficult

• Increased reliance on foreign mercenaries
  • Result: Weakened defense capabilities and political instability

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​Military Challenges

Dropdown

Generals ​

Select answer

too much political influence. Army loyalty ​

Select answer

from Rome to individual commanders. Military recruitment became ​

Select answer

. Increased reliance on ​

Select answer

mercenaries


• Result: ​

Select answer

defense capabilities and political instability.

• Officials accepting bribes

• Unfair tax collection

• Misuse of public funds

• Political positions bought and sold
  • Effects on Citizens:

• Loss of faith in government

• Economic hardship

• Decreased civic participation

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​Corruption in Government

Multiple Choice

What were the ways in which the Roman Empire government was corrupted?

• Transparency in decision-making
• Public accountability
• Regular audits of government spending
• Bribery, nepotism, misuse of public funds, and legal exploitation.

• Limited access to education

• Poor distribution of news across the empire

• Language barriers between regions

• Loss of traditional Roman values
  • Impact:

• Cultural disconnection between provinces

• Reduced innovation and progress

• Weakened social cohesion

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​Education and Communication

Match

Match the following cause and effect with the problems in education and communication in the Roman Empire

• Limited Education

• Poor distrubution for news

• Language barrier

• Cultural Differences

Restricted access to knowledge

Delayed information spread

Miscommunication due to dialects

Different customs leading to misunderstandings

• Restricted access to knowledge

• Delayed information spread

• Miscommunication due to dialects

• Different customs leading to misunderstandings

• Military autonomy led to divided loyalties

• Government corruption weakened social trust

• Poor education and communication systems fractured unity

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​Review

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answers on how the Roman Empire government corrupted

• Corruption through power concentration, bribery, elite influence, and civic decline.
• Corruption through military expansion and conquest.
• Corruption due to public education reforms.
• Corruption from foreign trade agreements.

Poll

Wrapping up, in your own opinion, what do you believe was the internal weakness of Rome?

• The land was too big to manage

• Military Challenges

• Corruption in Government

• Education and Communication