LESSON 5.11 Why did the Roman Empire fall?
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to describe the power struggles within Rome that gradually destroyed its unity, economy and ability to defend itself from invasion.
Tune in The arch shown in SOURCE1 was commissioned by the Roman Senate and was erected in Rome to honour Emperor Constantine’s victory over his rival, Maxentius, in 312 CE. In 315 CE when the arch was completed, the Roman Empire appeared to be strong, but it was already showing signs of weakness.
SOURCE1 Some of the details on the Arch of Constantine
Discuss what you think could bring the empire down.
5.11.1 A weakening empire The Roman Empire started to weaken around 180 CE. Army generals fought for power, and trade declined. Barbarian raids also increased. In 284 CE, Emperor Diocletian split Rome into Eastern and Western empires with two emperors. He hoped this would make the government stronger, but problems continued. From 307 to 310 CE, six rival emperors fought for power. The winner, Constantine, built a new capital called New Rome, later named Constantinople (now Istanbul). In 378 CE, the Visigoths defeated Rome’s armies. Emperor Theodosius (379–395 CE) let them create a separate state within the empire as they promised to protect the empire. Theodosius reunited the empire in 394 CE, but the split became permanent after his death.
TOPIC5 Ancient Rome 165
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