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Reason why the Roman Empire fell
Reason why the Roman
Empire fell - Multiple Causes over 500 years
The Roman Empire lasted from 27 BC - 476 AD, a period
exceeding 500 years. The Decline of
the Roman Empire was due to many reasons but the
major causes of the decline are detailed in the following
sections. There was no specific order the reason why the
Roman Empire fell were due to different causes occurring
over a period of hundreds of years. Reason why the Roman
Empire fell? Multiple Causes over 500 years.
Reason why the Roman
Empire fell - Antagonism between the Senate and the Emperor
The Roman Emperor had the legal power to rule Rome’s
religious, civil and military affairs with the Senate acting
as an advisory body. The emperor had power over life and
death. As in the old sayings "Power corrupts and absolute
power corrupts absolutely" and ""Unlimited power is apt to
corrupt the minds of those who possess it". The powerful,
wealthy Roman Emperors inevitably became corrupt and many
lived a debauched and immoral lifestyle. The Roman Empire
saw divisions between the Senate and the Emperors. Either the Senate
didn't like the Emperor or the Emperors was at odds with the Senate.
Q. Reason
why the Roman Empire fell? Antagonism between the
Senate and the Emperor
Reason why the Roman
Empire fell - Decline in Morals
A decline in morals,
especially in the rich upper classes and the emperors, had a
devastating impact on the Romans. Immoral and promiscuous
sexual behaviour including adultery and orgies. Emperors
such as
Tiberius
kept groups of young boys for his pleasure, incest by
Nero who also had a
male slave castrated so he could take him as his wife,
Elagabalus
who forces a Vestal Virgin into marriage,
Commodus with
his harems of concubines who
enraged Romans by sitting in the theatre dressed in a
woman's garments. The decline
in morals
also effected
the lower classes and slaves. Religious festivals such as
Saturnalia and Bacchanalia where sacrifices, ribald songs,
lewd acts and sexual promiscuity were practised. Bestiality
and other lewd and sexually explicit acts were exhibited in
the Colosseum arena to amuse the mob. Brothels and forced
prostitution flourished. Widespread gambling on the chariot
races and gladiatorial combats. Massive consumption of
alcohol. The sadistic cruelty towards both man and beasts in
the arena.
Q. Reason
why the Roman Empire fell?
Decline in
Morals Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Political Corruption and the
Praetorian Guard
The
power of the Praetorian Guard,
the elite bodyguards of the emperor, led to political
corruption and grew to such an extent that this
massive troop of soldiers decided on whether an emperor
should be disposed of and who should become the new emperor!
The story of Sejanus, who was
the commander of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of
Tiberius,
illustrates the extent of their power. At one point the
Praetorian Guard sold at auction the throne of the world to
the highest bidder.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell? Political Corruption and the
Praetorian Guard
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Fast expansion of the Empire
The rapid growth of
the Empire led to the need to defend the borders and territories
of Rome. The people of the conquered lands, most of whom were
referred to as Barbarians, hated the Romans. Taxes on the
foreigners were high and constantly increased. Frequent
rebellions arose.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Fast expansion
of the Empire
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Constant Wars and Heavy Military
Spending
Constant warfare
required heavy military spending. The Roman army became
over-stretched. The barbarians, who had been conquered, and
other foreign mercenaries were allowed to join the Roman
army.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell? Constant Wars and Heavy Military
Spending
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Barbarian Knowledge of Roman
Military Tactics
The
knowledge that the Barbarians gained of Roman warfare and
military tactics by serving in the Roman army were
eventually turned against the Empire and led to the sack of
Rome by the Visigoths led by an ex-army soldier Alaric.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Barbarian
Knowledge of Roman Military Tactics
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Failing Economy
The Government was constantly threatened by bankruptcy. The cost of
defending the Empire, the failing economics, heavy taxation and high
inflation was another reason why the Roman Empire fell. The majority
of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire failed to share in
the incredible prosperity of Rome. The flow of gold to the
orient to pay for luxury goods led to a shortage of gold to
put in Roman coins. Roman currency was devalued to such an
extent that a system of bartering returned to one of the
greatest civilisations the world had ever known.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Failing Economy
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Unemployment of the Working
Classes (The Plebs)
Cheap slave labor in
turn resulted in the unemployment of the the people of Rome who
became dependent on hand-outs from the state. The Romans attempted a
policy of unrestricted trade but this led to working class
Romans being unable to compete with foreign trade. The
government were therefore forced to subsidize the working
class Romans to make up the differences in prices. This
resulted in thousands of Romans choosing just to live on the
subsides sacrificing their standard of living with an idle
life of ease. The massive divide
between the rich and the poor increased still further.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Unemployment of
the Working Classes (The Plebs)
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - The 'Mob' and the cost of the
'Games'
If
the thousands of unemployed Romans became bored this led to
civil unrest and rioting in the streets. The 'Mob' needed to
be amused - the gladiatorial games had to be provided. The cost of
the gladiatorial games was born by the Emperors, and
therefore the state, and corrupt politicians who sponsored
the games to curry favor and support with the 'Mob'. The
cost of the gladiatorial games eventually came to one third
of the total income of the Empire.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
The 'Mob' and
the cost of the 'Games'
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Decline in Ethics and Values
Life became cheap -
bloodshed led to more bloodshed and extreme cruelty. The values, the
ideals, customs, traditions and institutions, of the Romans
declined. The basic principles, standards and judgments
about what was valuable or important in life also declined.
The total disregard for human and animal life resulted in a
lack of ethics - a perverted view of what was right and
wrong, good and bad, desirable and undesirable. Any
conformity to acceptable rules or standards of human
behaviour were being lost.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Decline in
Ethics and Values
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Slave Labor
The
number of slaves increased dramatically during the first two
centuries of the Roman Empire. The Roman's dependency on
slave labor led not only to the decline in morals, values and ethics
but also to the stagnation of any new technology to
produce goods more efficiently. Romans could rely on slave power for
all their needs, and this reliance inhibited technological
change and growth. The terrible treatment of slaves led to
rebellion and several Servile (Slave) Wars, the most famous
being the revolt led by Spartacus. In the later centuries of
the Empire and the advent of Christianity the attitudes
towards slaves changed. With manumission (the act of freeing
a slave) the number of slaves declined together with the
manpower that Rome depended upon.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Slave Labor
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Natural Disasters
During the time of the
Roman Empire there were not only foreign wars, civil wars, street fights,
fires and revolts there were also natural disasters such as plagues, famines and earthquakes.
As in all periods and societies the people looked for
someone to blame and different religions to turn to.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell? Natural Disasters
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Christianity
Christianity - Life
and the future seemed hopeless for the millions who were ruled by
Rome where an early death was almost inevitable. Christianity taught the belief in an afterlife
which gave hope and courage to the desperate. Eventually a
Roman Emperor,
Constantine the Great, proclaimed himself a Christian
and issued an edict promising the Christians his favor and
protection. Attitudes in the Roman Empire changed from being antagonistic to becoming pacifistic.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell?
Christianity
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - Barbarian Invasion
Rome had fierce foreign enemies.
There were great Barbarian armies consisting of warriors such as the Visigoths, Huns and the Vandals.
The final death blow to the Roman Empire was inflicted by
these Barbarians.
The city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths
in 410 and by the Vandals in 455 signalling the
disintegration of Roman authority and the Fall of the Roman
Empire.
Q. Reason why
the Roman Empire fell? Barbarian Invasion
Reason
why the Roman Empire fell - The Ancient City of Rome
So what became of the
Ancient City f Rome? The final destruction Rome occurred in
537 AD during a siege on Rome by the Goths. The aqueducts
which supplied Rome with water were destroyed. The people of
Rome could not survive without water and the population of
Rome fell by 90%.
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