Some Causes of the Fall of Rome

Organize these options into the right categories

Groups:

(a) Political

,

(b) Social

,

(c) Military

,

(d) Economic

• Rome did not produce anything to trade to other areas of the world

• Most land owned by a few rich people (patricians) after the Punic Wars

• Corruption and bribery in the Roman Senate

• Bad emperors after Marcus Aurelius

• High taxes on the urban middle class

• Government spent more money than it had leading to inflation

• Bribery, corruption and too much bureaucracy (government)

• Deaths because of warfare, famine, and disease

• Roman citizens avoiding military service

• Civil wars, general instability and pirates after 180 C.E.

• Food shortages because of climate changes

• cities declined because they were more concerned with controlling other lands than making goods

• Christianity blamed for ruining the civic and moral spirit of Rome

• Wealthy Senators didn’t pay taxes

• Rome needed goods from its provinces (controlled lands) instead of being

  self-sufficient

• Army made smaller to the point that it could not hold off Barbarian invasions

• Mercenary armies not very loyal to Rome

• Creative energy of Rome was destroyed because the empire was so

  unified

• Division of the Roman Empire into East and West

• Constant civil wars and power struggles among Roman generals