The Roman Empire

Today’s Goal:

• Explain the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire and its legacies.

Crises in Rome – the End of the Pax Romana

• Disruption of trade– Invaders, pirates threatened travel

• Lacked gold/silver– Rome no longer expanding

• Meager harvests– Overworked soil, destroyed farmland

• Decline of military– Mercenaries– Christianity did not encourage war

• Loss of patriotism– Lack of Roman unity, poor conditions

Effects of Crises

• Coined more $ to fight economic downturn– Caused inflation instead (loss in value

of $ along with higher prices)

• Food shortages led to decline in population (less soldiers)

• Diseases spread• Gov’t raised taxes

Emperor Diocletian• How to fix army?

– Doubled size of Roman army

• How to fix inflation?– Set fixed prices for goods

• How to give more prestige to Emperor?– Claimed to descend from the gods,

ceremonies for himself

• How to control the size and complexity of the empire?– Divided empire into east (Greek-speaking)

and west (Latin-Speaking)

Constantine• Disorder after death of Diocletian• Constantine (same guy who converted to

Christianity & made it approved in the Edict of Milan) unified Empire again– Moved capital from Rome to Byzantium in east– Location was key for trade &

defense– City changed name to

Constantinople• Imperial buildings similar to

Rome• Massive walls

After Constantine• Empire divided into east and west again• Invasions by Barbarians

– Germanic peoples were pushed into Roman lands

– Huns (Attila the Hun) • Powerful chieftain, attacked and plundered Roman

cities• Could have conquered Rome, but failed due to

famine & disease

• Last emperor = Romulus Augustulus– Ousted by German forces

• Eastern empire becomes Byzantine Empire• Western empire crumbles & divides

Legacies of Rome• Greco-Roman Culture

– Classical– Mixture of Greek, Hellenistic, & Roman – Used Greek language, architecture, philosophy– Adapted, combined, and created new styles

from Greek & Hellenistic

• Used Roman art & literature to convey Roman values of strength, permanence, solidarity (gravitas!)

Legacies of Rome

• Roman art for practical purposes– Public education!– Sculpture– Bas-relief

(images project from flat background)

– Mosaics (pictures made from tiles)

Legacies of Rome• Latin was key for later culture

– Official language of Roman Catholic Church

– Adopted by different peoples, became French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian (Romance languages)

– More than ½ of English words have Latin basis Eureka!

Accio: Latin "I summon."

Legacies of Rome

• LAWS!!!– Equal treatment – Innocent until proven guilty

• Accuser has burden of proving guilt

– Punished only for actions, not thoughts

– No unfair, unreasonable laws

Legacies of Rome

• Technologies/advancements– Aqueducts (clean water to

cities)– Baths– Coliseum (use of arches)– Dome (i.e. Pantheon)