Lecture Notes: The Fall of the Roman Empire

Introduction

• Today's focus: Fall of the Roman Empire
• Once the richest, most powerful empire, controlling the Mediterranean, trading with China and India.
• Lecture explores reasons and events leading to Rome's collapse.

General Causes of Decline

• Success as a Penalty: Too rich, too powerful, leading to complacency.
• Historical Cycle: Natural decline over time, having lasted longer than any other ancient empire.

Crisis of the Third Century

• End of Pax Romana: Ended with Marcus Aurelius; son Commodus led to political instability.
• Political Conspiracies: Civil war and political violence; Septimius Severus eventually becomes emperor.
• Population Decline: Antonine Plague in 160s kills 5 million, creating population and workforce shortages.
• Sanitation Issues: High mortality due to poor sanitation, contributing to societal vulnerability.

Economic Challenges

• Complex Economy: Most complex until 1700, cash-based rather than barter.
• Dependency on Trade: Specialty goods from various regions, reliant on extensive trade network.
• Prone to Famine: Dependent regions struggled without local food production.

Military and Political Issues

• Barracks Emperors: Military leaders claim power, leading to unstable politics.
• Economic Strain: Increased military size and pay led to financial strain and currency debasement.
• Hyperinflation: Economic disaster caused by devaluation of currency.

Social Chaos

• Population Loss: Further worsened by Plague of Cyprian; unworked farmland led to food shortages.
• Urban to Rural Migration: City dwellers move to countryside, forming Coloni class.
• Rise of Banditry: Breakdown of law and order; increased banditry and barbarian raids.

External Threats

• Sassanid Empire: Powerful enemy in the east, frequently clashed with Rome.
• Germanic Tribes: Growing threat in the north, driven by climate-induced desperation.

Reforms by Diocletian and Constantine

• Diocletian's Reforms: Created Tetrarchy to stabilize politics, increased bureaucracy.
• Diocletianic Persecution: Targeted Christians as a threat to Roman tradition.
• Constantine's Reforms: United Empire under Christianity, moved capital to Byzantium (Constantinople).

Final Decline and Fall

• Germanic Dominance: Internal control increasingly ceded to Germanic tribes.
• Sack of Rome: Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410, Vandals in 455.
• Odoacer's Coup: End of Western Roman Empire in 476; Eastern Empire lasts until 1453.

Conclusion

• Rome's fall marked end of ancient era, beginning of Dark Ages in Europe.
• Europe took centuries to recover from the collapse.

Midterm Exam

• Take-home, open-note, not timed.
• Last topic included is the Fall of Rome.
• No consulting others, but written sources are allowed.