Crash Course World History: The Fall of Rome

Introduction

• Host: John Green
• Key Topic: The fall of Rome
• Argument: Rome didn't fall until the 15th century

Traditional View: Barbarians at the Gates

• Rome conquered by "barbarians" in 476 CE
• Last Roman emperor: Romulus Augustus
• Odoacer, a barbarian (Ostrogoth, Hun, Visigoth, Vandal), deposed the emperor
• Previous sack of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth in 410 CE

Anti-Imperialistic Argument

• Rome's expansion sowed seeds of its destruction
• Governance difficulty due to wide empire
• Tacitus: Criticized Roman imperialism

Governance Strategies

1. Rule with an "iron fist"
   • Romans couldn't due to their identity of justice
2. Incorporate conquered people
   • Make them Romans, successful initially
   • Germanic warriors in Roman army led to decline

Military and Political Instability

• Mercenaries in Roman legions loyal to gold, not Rome
• Civil wars due to generals declaring themselves emperors
• 235-284 CE: 41 claimants to the throne

The Shift to the East

• Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) continued
• Constantine moved capital to Constantinople in 324 CE
• Reasons: Birthplace, language, and wealth in the east

Byzantine Empire

• Similarities with Western Roman Empire
  • Ruled by absolute military power
  • Wealth from trade and taxes
  • Urban, easier to administer
• Differences
  • Greek language
  • Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Justinian's Contributions

• Codified Roman law with the Digest
• Built Hagia Sophia
• Married Theodora, who expanded women's rights

Religious and Political Differences

• Split between Catholic and Orthodox Christianity
• Pope vs. Patriarch leadership
• Concept of Caesaropapism in Byzantine Empire

Conclusion

• Roman legacy continued in Byzantine Empire
• Influenced civil law and cultural imagination

Next Episode

• Topic: Emergence of Islam

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