Fall of Rome

As powerful as Rome was, it was plagued with different issues that began to affect the Empire.

They had so many big territories that were split into smaller units for so many people to manage.

Another thing that happened was that they did not enforce their rules very well.

Initially, certain factors contributed to their greatness such as the number of their Army, their economy too was booming very well, their leaders were very competent and the health of the Roman population.

These factors altogether ensured that the Roman Empire was in charge but it was not forever.

One of the major factors that led to the downfall of Rome was that Barbarians were taking some of their territories gradually unknown to those in the inner city of Rome.

Then they also started experiencing some changes that could not be reversed. The people of Goths and some other people staged wars with them.

Later on, the armies of the Western Empire became few and were not as effective as before.

Furthermore, there was no rule in the central that was strong enough to bind the whole Empire together.

The Barbarians had also established their power in most of the Western Empire.

Facts about the Fall of Rome

  • The fall of the Roman Empire was a gradual one, it did not happen all of a sudden. What really happened was that they had failed to enforce their rules. They lost power control over the West region and had just very small power in the Eastern region.
  • The Roman Empire underwent series of multiple crises during the third century. The Sassanid Empire inflicted three mighty defeats on the Roman armies and were a potential threat to the Roman army for centuries unending.
  • Another factor that led to the fall of the Roman Empire was that they were also fighting themselves, this is what we refer to as civil wars, not only that, barbarians were also invading their territories. Likewise, a lot of people died as there was a wide outbreak of plague.
  • We should also know that another important cause of the fall of the Roman Empire was that some officials were also corrupt, wicked and supported bribery and overcharging the people.
  • As a result of the different and various issues and violence surrounding the government, the Emperors lost control over the whole Empire gradually because bribery was the order of the day.
  • Under one of their leaders named Constantine, the city lost their revenue from local taxes, then under Constantius II they lost their endowments of property.
  • The fall of Rome was also largely due to the fact that the numbers of the soldiers and their effectiveness greatly reduced during the fourth century. Some of the soldiers were also corrupt and practiced extortion.
  • A major civil war under the reign of a man called Theodosius caused so many great losses. There was another man called Arbogast who fought with him and had the intention to remove him from power, but he was defeated by Theodosius.
  • In addition, it was after his death that the Empire ceased to be under the control of just one man anymore. His young sons both became Emperors and they both lacked the ability to rule as it ought to be done.
  • In 410, a man named Alaric invaded Rome and they had no access to food for three days. Before now, Rome had never fallen flat on their faces to an enemy like this before since the battle of the Allia which happened 800 years earlier.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON THE FALL OF ROME

  • In what year did a man named Alaric invade Rome?
    Answer: 410
  • Under whose reign did a civil war occur that caused so many great losses?
    Answer: Theodosius.
  • The Roman Empire underwent series of multiple crisis during what century?
    Answer: The Roman Empire underwent series of multiple crisis during the third century.
  • There was another man named ———– who fought with Theodosius and intention of removing him from power. What name is he called?
    Answer: Arbogast.
  • What name is given to those that were gradually taking the territories of Rome?
    Answer: Barbarians