Decline of RomeDecline of Rome
The Greatest EmpireThe Greatest Empire
50 years – 26 Emperors
End of the Pax Romana
DiocletianDiocletian284 AD
ConstantineConstantine312 AD
Renames Byzantium - ConstantinopleConstantinople
Decline of Roman Empire
Hun push Barbarian tribesinto Roman Empire
out West…out West…
Decline of Roman Empire
Western Military Hires Germanic Immigrants Western Military Hires Germanic Immigrants
out West…out West…
Decline of Roman Empire Alaric IAlaric I
410
German mercenaries turn on RomeGerman mercenaries turn on Rome
out West…
Attila the HunAttila the Hun
Attila the HunAttila the Hun434
“the scourge of God”
Over ran most of Western Roman Empire collecting huge ransoms and extortion money from Rome
Attila and the ChurchAttila and the Church
• Roman Catholic church negotiated a truce with Attila.Roman Catholic church negotiated a truce with Attila.
• Church used it as propaganda for powerChurch used it as propaganda for power
• Led to control and power in the WestLed to control and power in the West
Fall of Western Empire476
Odoacer of Herulia German mercenary who became the first a German mercenary who became the first
barbarian King of Italy barbarian King of Italy
out West…
Political• Oppressive Government
• Division of Empire
• Internal Power Struggles
Military• No loyalty - Germanic• Germanic Invasions
Economic• Increase in taxes to support big
Government• Reliance on cheap/slave labor
Social• Decline of PatriotismDecline of Patriotism• Decline of Self-reliance of massesDecline of Self-reliance of masses
Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537
Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire
Hagia Sophia“oh, Solomon. I have surpassed even thee”
- Justinian
Hagia Sophia
Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire
– Stopped by the plague• killed up to 5,000 people per day in Constantinople• the Plague of Justinian killed as many as 25 million
people across the world
Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537
Back in ConstantinopleBack in Constantinople537537
Emperor JustinianEmperor Justinian– Hopes of taking back the great Empire– Stopped by the plague
Byzantine Empire could not afford to Byzantine Empire could not afford to maintain Western Europemaintain Western Europe
The new empire in the east
Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire