The document summarizes the key events that led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It describes the invasions by Germanic tribes and the Huns led by Attila in the 3rd-5th centuries that weakened the Western Empire. It also discusses the economic and political reforms that temporarily stabilized Rome but could not prevent its eventual decline. The document concludes that there was no single cause of Rome's fall but rather many interconnected factors that undermined the empire over time.

1. Are all Describe the
empires events
Section 4 – The Fall of
• Destined to
the Roman Empire to
• That led
fall? the fall of
the Roman
Empire

2. The Decline
• Invasions, civil war and plague
almost caused an economic
collapse of Rome in the 3rd
century.
• The reforms of Diocletian and
Constantine in the 4th century gave
a new lease on life for Rome.
• The two emperors greatly
increased the army and civil
service in attempt to save the
economy.
• Although temporarily successful,
these policies were unable to
revive Rome in the long run.

3. Constantine Divides the Empire
• Constantine’s biggest
project was the moving
of the capital from
Rome to his new city in
the East, known as
Byzantium, later called
Constantinople, “the
city of Constantine”.
• Today, it is the site of
modern day Istanbul,
Turkey.
• Byzantium was picked
for its perfect, strategic,
military position.

4. Eastern and Western Empires

5. The Decline
• Marcus Aurelias, the last of the
five good emperors died in 180
AD.
• Following his death, a series of
civil wars and revolutions took
place.
• For fifty years, the Roman
Empire was controlled by
whatever military strength was
powerful enough to seize it.
• During this period there were
22 emperors, many of which
had a violent death.

6. • As Rome was in a The Fall
weakened state, The
Western Empire (Rome)
came under increase
pressure from invading
Germanic tribes.
• Since the time of Julius
Caesar, the Germanic
people had gathered along
Rome’s northern borders
and existed in relative
peace with Rome.

7. Attila The Hun
• Led by Attila, a group of
Mongol nomads known as
the Huns, move into Europe
from Asia.
• Attila leads an army of
100,000 and terrorizes both
Eastern and Western
empires.
• He attacks and plunders
many cities and pressures
Germanic tribes.

8. The Fall of Rome
• In an effort to save
themselves from Attila,
Germanic tribes flee south
into Roman territory.
• By 410 AD, the Visigoths, a
tribe of Germanic
barbarians (non-Romans)
had attacked and overrun
Rome itself and plundered
it.
• Rome was so weak, it would
continue to be attacked and
overrun for years to come.

9. Attila The Hun
• Although he did not attack
Rome itself, it can be said
that Attila is indirectly
responsible for the
Germanic invasion and the
fall of Rome.
• According to legend, the
great conqueror Attila died
of a nosebleed while he
slept in 453 AD.
• Despite his death, the
invasions of Rome would
continue.

11. The Fall of Rome
• In 476 AD, the Western
emperor Romulus
Augustulus (who was only
14 at the time) was deposed
by a Germanic general.
• This date is most commonly
used as the official fall of
the Western Roman
Empire.
• Many German kingdoms
would replace the Western
Roman Empire in the years
to come.

12. The Eastern Empire
• Despite the fall of the Rome
and the Western Empire the
Eastern Roman Empire
would not only survive, it
would flourish.
• Known as the Byzantine
Empire, it would preserve
Greek and Roman culture
for another 1,000 years.

13. Why Did Rome Fall?
• Many theories have been proposed about the fall of
Rome.
 - Christianity influence on a spiritual kingdom
weakened the army
 - Traditional Roman values declined as more non-
Romans gained prominence.
 - Lead poisoning from water pipes and cups caused a
decline in population
 - Plague wiping out 1/10 of the population
 - Failure to advance in technology because of slavery
 - Unable to put together a workable political system

14. Conclusion
• There may be an element to
truth to each
• History is an intricate web of
relationships, causes, and
effects.
• No single event can sufficiently
explain the fall of one of the
greatest empires in history.
• The biggest problems may have
come from the acquiring new
lands and trying to maintain
control and govern them all.

15. Rome and the Roots of Western
Civilization

16. 1. Identify Roman achievements in
the arts, sciences and law.
2. Describe the legacy of the Greco-
Roman civilization

17. Cultural Blending
• Roman Empire tied hundreds
of territories together
• 146 B.C. Rome conquered Greece
Greece Rome
▫ Adopted Greek ways
• Greek, Hellenistic & Roman
culture combined into Greco-
Roman culture
▫ aka classical civilization

18. Adapting Greek Ways
• Took Greek and
Hellenistic models &
made them their
own
• Roman art and
literature began
representing the
ideals of:
• STRENGTH
• PERMANENCE
• SOLIDITY

19. Fine Arts - Sculpture
• Realistic
• Made of stone
• Practical purpose
• Intended for educating
• Developed bas-relief
sculpture
▫ Images projecting from
flat background
▫ Subjects: landscapes,
crowds, battle scenes
▫ Told stories

22. Fine Arts - Mosaics
• Designs or
pictures made
by setting small
pieces of stone,
glass or tile onto
a surface
• Common in
wealthy Roman
homes

23. Fine Arts - Painting
• Frescoes
▫ Large murals
▫ Painted on plaster
▫ Colorful
• Very few surviving paintings
• Most remaining found in Pompeii
▫ Preserved by ash from Mt. Vesuvius eruption

25. Philosophy and Literature
• Adopted much of Greek philosophy
• Stoicism popular because of its
emphasis:
▫ Virtue
▫ Duty
▫ Moderation
▫ Endurance

26. Literature
• Followed Greek literary • Virgil
forms and models ▫ Wrote the Aeneid
▫ Ex: epic ▫ Modeled off
• Used own themes and Homer’s epics
ideas ▫ Praised Roman
• Ovid virtues and
▫ Light, funny poet government
▫ Amores ▫ Seriousness of
▫ Written for enjoyment Roman character

28. Historians
• Livy
▫ Wrote multivolume history of Rome from its
beginning to 9 B.C.
▫ Incorporated legends, created national myth
• Tacitus
▫ Famous for presenting facts accurately
▫ Wrote about the good and bad in the Roman
Empire
▫ Criticized immoral leaders
 Ex: Nero

29. Rome’s Lasting Legacy
• Language = Latin
▫ Official language of Roman
Catholic Church til 20th
century
▫ French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian,
Romanian derived from
Latin
 “Romance languages”

30. Architecture
• Architectural marvel
• Arches
• Domes
• Built w/ concrete
• Used arches to
support bridges and
aquaducts
▫ Aquaducts =
carried water

37. Roman System of Law
• Most widespread, lasting contribution
• Romans came to believe laws should
be fair & equal to all (rich and poor)
• Judges began to recognize set
standards for justice
▫ Influenced by Stoicism
▫ Based on common sense

38. Roman System of Law
• Most important principals:
▫ All have right to equal treatment under law
▫ Innocent until proven guilty
▫ Accuser must provide proof, not the accused
▫ People should only be punishable for actions
 Not thoughts
▫ Unreasonable, extremely unfair laws can be set
aside
• Basis of legal systems in Europe, USA, etc.

39. Rome’s Lasting Influence
• Continued, added
Greek civilization
• Strong cultural
tradition
• Left an enduring
legacy even after
fall of Rome