December 12, 2019

Global I History Agenda:

1. DO NOW: Term Matching

2. NOTES #24: What caused the decline of

the Roman Empire?

ANCIENT ROME AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE

OPEN-STUDY GUIDE TEST
MONDAY
What caused the decline
of the Roman Empire?
Notes #24
 By the middle of the 200s, the
Roman Empire was becoming too
large to maintain.
 Invasions by Germanic tribes and the
Huns caused the Roman Empire to
spend huge amounts of money on
military defense and raise its taxes.
 These invasions also disrupted the
Roman Empire’s trade and, combined
with raised taxes, created unhappiness
among the Roman people.
 Political corruption within the Roman
government created instability and
further contributed to the Roman
Empire’s decline.

25 Roman emperors were

assassinated by the Praetorian
Guard over a 100 year span
Roman Praetorian Guard (late 100s–late 200s)
 By 285, Emperor Diocletian decided
to divide the Roman Empire in an
attempt to make control of the
empire more efficient.
 This division of the empire left the
Western Roman Empire too weak
and it eventually collapsed in 476.
 As a result of the Roman Empire’s
decline, Western Europe entered a
period of chaos and disorder.

“Dark Ages” or “Middle Ages”

 Meanwhile, the Eastern Roman
Empire was able to continue to exist
and became known as the Byzantine
Empire.