Essay on The Fall of Rome - 860 Words

As of the second century, A.D., the Roman Empire measured nearly 3,000 miles from east to west and nearly 2,000 miles from north to south, with its total land area approximately one-half of the continental United States. Its population at this time, at its peak under Augustus, had increased from 50 million to as high as 70 million. At the time, only the empire of China had a populous that paralleled with the Roman Empire, and no other human group under a single government was as large as these two. The era of â€Å"decline and fall† began with the death of Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 180, in which the great age of the Pax Romana ended. There was evidence from scholars who have written hundreds of volumes on the problems the empire faced,†¦show more content†¦Rivals contested him as the ruler, however, he was relentless and reigned for some twenty years before voluntarily retiring to a palace at Split, in his native of Illyria (modern Croatia). When Diocletian’s guiding hand was removed, years of dreary fighting amongst rulers ensued, Constantine I emerged as the sole winner. By 324, he had disposed of all rivals, and for a brief period there was again, one empire and one emperor. Unlike Diocletian, Constantine ordered complete freedom of worship throughout the territories under his control (Edict of Milan) This was the beginning of the adoption of Christianity by the empire, however, it could not solve the immediate problems it encountered: rivalries and warfare among emperors and would-be emperors, the threat of barbarian invasions and the economic decline of the West. The destruction of the West was also due to high taxation and rising prices, which by the third century, turned the prosperous cities of the early empire to heavily fortified outposts whose citizens had lost all real self-government. Fortunately, due to the reforms of Diocletian and Constantine, the empire held off barbarian attacks for the most of the fourth century. There was brutal warfare between the Romans and their barbarian neighbors, however they were becoming similar in nature. After the Visigoths were permitted in 376 to be permitted to be admitted to Roman territory and being ruthlessly oppressed by corrupt romanShow MoreRelatedThe Decline Of The Fall Of Rome963 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the Fifth Century A.D. in Rome things began to change. One of the things that changed was the political power. At the beginning of the Fifth Century Rome was ruled by twelve different emperors (Lendering, J. 2002). Another thing that changed during this time period was Rome s economy. The economics changed because there were not as many people to do the work that needed to be done (Andrews. 2014). The last thing that contributed to the fall of Rome was the sociocultural factors. Some of theRead MoreThe Fall Of Rome And The Renaissance1482 Words   |  6 Pages The Dark Ages were the entire period between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance; they were in fact the start of universities and scientific foundations. During medieval times, mainly right after the fall of Rome, society had a fairly hard time; trying to figure out what to do, many peasants started to farm. Society prospered from what they could personally grow and harvest, and whatever animals they could use, both for hard work and for food. All of this went relatively well, until the plagueRead MoreThe Rise and Fall of Rome Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe rise and fall of one of the greatest empires known to man, the Roman republic, were caused by several key factors. Three of which were the decline of monarchy within the empire, foreign conquests and expansion of the growing empire, and political battles between powerful officials. The decline of monarchy which caused the rise of the republic was caused by the expulsion of the last Etruscan king. An ancient Roman tale tells of how the last Etruscan king, Tarquinius Superbus, was driven fromRead MoreThe Fall of Rome and Nazi Germany697 Words   |  3 PagesSocieties flourish and fall, all of them do. They fight and suffer and even kill to keep their society alive. As a result, societies like ancient Rome and Nazi Germany, eventually fall and crumble. Over time some of these societies recover, but are never the same again. Societies fail due to political corruption, loss of resources and war. These obstacles are hard to overcome, but not impossible. These obstacles weaken and tear at societies, until they finally break, turning them into a piece ofRead MoreWhy did Rome fall?892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Fall of Rome The Fall of Rome The Fall of Rome The Roman Empire was without a doubt the most powerful governing body in the Mediterranean ever. Why did Rome fall? There was not any single cause to the fall of Rome. It was many things occurring in succession to each other. After the Punic wars with Carthage, Rome acquired many new lands that it did not have before. During peace times it was easy to govern these areas but during war times it proved difficult. The government had to pay soldiersRead MoreThe Fall Of Rome And The Roman Empire1435 Words   |  6 PagesLength: 1398 words (4 double-spaced pages) Rating: Red (FREE) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Fall of Rome Did the Roman Empire deserve to Fall? No, The achievements of the Roman Empire were unmatched at its time. Many things it accomplished are ideas and ways of life that did not become widespread until after its fall. The Roman Empire would have made the advancement of people in Europe much faster. The Roman Empire was the most modern ancientRead MoreThe Fall Of Rome s Collapse1199 Words   |  5 PagesEvan Reilly Professor Latham Western Civ 1 12 December 2015 The Fall of Rome For hundreds of years the empire of Rome and its citizens fought with neighboring territories and expanded their territory until they had created a vast empire which included much of modern day Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Although many historians and professors claim the fall of the Roman empire was because of excess and corruption, invasions by barbarian tribes, military overspending, economic problemsRead MoreFall of Rome DBQ Essay815 Words   |  4 PagesThe Fall of Rome The great Roman Empire expanded across all of Europe and into the Middle East. Its military was one of the finest. With major trading in Africa and Britain, the economy flourished with brining many citizens a healthy income. With amazing advancements in culture and technology, Roman society was at its finest. During the Pax Romana, the Romans had 200 years of peace and good ruling by level headed dictators and emperors. Despite Rome’s greatness in all of these areas, Rome wouldRead MoreThe Fall Of Rome Roman Empire905 Words   |  4 Pages1:03 PM The Fall of Rome The Western Roman Empire was once at the pinnacle of civilisation, widely regarded as one of the largest empires in history. Their extreme wealth made them the pioneers in warfare, medicine, architecture, politics, culture and philosophy. At its peak in 117 AD, it spanned over 5,000,000 square kilometres, and had a population of almost 57,000,000 people. In spite of its sheer power and level of innovation, The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 AD. The fall of the WesternRead MoreDid Rome ever Fall?504 Words   |  2 PagesThe â€Å"Fall of Rome† is a popular phase used by many critics in an attempt to explain how and when exactly the Roman Empire fell apart. Scholars however fail in providing an accurate and reasonable event for when the Roman Empire truly fell. Did Rome ever truly fall? The Roman Empire encountered many economic problems, faced a lot of political instability, and gained many new religions within its society. As time went on, it transformed and gained a new id entity. However, the true Roman Empire, it’s