The Decree of Julius Caesar

The Decline of Rome

The Decline of RomeMain Idea:

Poor Leadership, a declining economy and attacks by Germanic Tribes weakened the Roman Empire.

The Decline of RomeWhat do you do when you face a difficult problem?

Do you try to solve it yourself? Do you ask other people for help?

The Decline of RomeIn this lesson we will learn about the problems the Roman Empire faced and how its leaders responded.

The Decline of RomeIn 180 C.E. Marcus Aurelius died.

His son, Commodus became Emperor.

The Decline of RomeMarcus Aurelius was a Stoic (patient) philosopher and one of the 5 Good Roman emperors.

His Stoic philosophical writings are known as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, which were written in Greek.

It was during the reign of Marcus Aurelius that the Marcomannic War broke out at the northern frontier of the empire.

The Decline of RomeThe Romans fought the Marcomannic War campaigns against a coalition of German tribes from 168-175they were on the verge of total victory when news arrived of a rebellion in the east.

The Decline of RomeMarcus Aurelius son, Commodus became Emperor after his father died and was very cruel and wasted much of Romes resources

Commodus was one of the excessive emperors who ate, drank, and spent too much money and really offended the Romans.

The Decline of RomeCommodus spent much of his time fighting as a Gladiator in the Arena.

He was involved in possibly as many as 1000 gladiatorial contests where his opponents had blunted weapons.

The Decline of RomeTowards the end of his reign he renamed the months of the year for aspects of himself.

He began claiming to be a god when he was killed, his body was hooked and dragged into the Tiber River, but his successor had him buried properly.

The Decline of RomeFinally in 192 C.E. Commodus was strangled to death in his own bath tube.

He had made himself unbearable on the eve of an appearance in the arena where he was to fight as Hercules, his ministers had him strangled in his bath by his wrestling partner and personal trainer, Narcissus.

The Decline of RomeNearly a century of Confusion and fighting for power followed Commodus death.

After Commodus, Emperors called the Severans ruled Rome.

The Decline of RomeThere were five Severan Emperors in the Severan Dynasty

The Severan Age was a time in the Roman Empire between 193 and 235...the dynasty was founded by the Roman general Septimius Severus, who rose to power as the victor of the civil war through 193.

The Decline of RomeMuch of the Severans time was spent putting down revolts and protecting the Roman borders from envisions.

The Severans stayed in power by paying the army well, but they ignored the growing problem of crime and poverty. (Part of the Imperial Palace complex on the Palatine Hill overlooking the Circus Maximus)

The Decline of RomeCircus Maximus - is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue located in Rome, Italy

The Decline of RomeQuestions:

1) Who was Marcus Aurelius?

2) What did his son Commodus spend much of his time doing?

3) How was Commodus killed?

The Decline of RomeQuestions:

1) Who was Marcus Aurelius?

Roman Emperor, regarded as the Scholar Emperor

2) What did his son Commodus spend much of his time doing?

Fighting as a Gladiator

3) How was Commodus killed?

Strangled in the bathtub by his wrestling partner

Political and Social Problems When the last Severan ruler died in 235 C.E., Romes government became very weak.

For almost 50 years, military leaders and generals fought each for complete control over the Roman Empire.

Political and Social Problems During this time of civil war Rome actually had 22 different Emperors.

Political and Social Problems Poor leadership was not Romes only difficultyfewer Romans honored the old ideas of duty, courage and honesty.

Many politicians and government officials began taking bides.

Political and Social Problems As problems increased, well educated people often refused to serve in the government.

Many wealthy people citizens even stopped paying their taxes.(Wealthy Roman Home)

Political and Social Problems With the government in shambles, fewer people attended schools and a large number of the Empires people were enslaved

Wealthy Romans supported slavery because it was a cheap way to get work doneas you can tell Rome was quickly falling apart.

Political and Social Problems Questions:

4) How many Emperors did Rome have in a 50 year period after 235 C.E.?

5) What were many government politicians and employees taking during this time of chaos (Here is a hint its illegal)?

6) Why would Romans support slavery? Political and Social Problems Questions:

4) How many Emperors did Rome have in a 50 year period after 235 C.E.?

22 Emperors during a 50 year period

5) What were many government politicians and employees taking during this time of chaos?

Bribes

6) Why would Romans support slavery?

It was a cheap form of laborFocus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpirePublic and Private slavery were common in the Roman society.

Public slaves were owned by the statethey took care of important buildings and served government officials.

Focus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpireSome educated public slaves were used to help organize the governments of conquered areas.

Focus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpirePrivate slaves on the other hand were owned by individuals, they were often forced to work long hours and could be sold at any time.

(Roman slave collar, slave masters put these on their slaves to make sure they did not get lost)

Focus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpireWealthy Romans had hundreds or even thousands of enslaved peoplemost enslaved people worked on farms.

Most enslaved people were menmost likely due to great strengthsome became gladiatorsenslaved women made clothing and cooked massive meals.

Focus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpireConnecting to the Past Questions:

1) What was the difference between public and private enslavement?

2) Which jobs were probably considered the most desirable by enslaved people?

Focus on Everyday Life: Slavery in the Roman EmpireConnecting to the Past Questions:

1) What was the difference between public and private enslavement?

Public Slaves were owned by the state and private slaves were owned by an individual.

2) Which jobs were probably considered the most desirable by enslaved people?

Answers may be different, however jobs such as groundskeepers or personal assistants would have been easier. Economic and Military ProblemsAround 200 C.E., Romes economy began to severely fall apart.

As government weakened, Romes law and order broke down.

(Roman Moneychanger with his "bank" (bench) for counting)

Economic and Military ProblemsInvaders began spilling into the lands, sacking farms, seizing crops and destroying the homeland.

Farmers grew less food and hunger began to spread throughout the Empireeven the Roman military was unable to help.

Economic and Military ProblemsAs the economy worsened, people bought fewer goodsArtisans produced less and shopkeepers lost money.

Many businesses closed and the number of workers dropped sharply.

Economic and Military ProblemsMany workers had to leave jobs and serve in the army.

Then Rome was hit with a plague.

Economic and Military ProblemsPlague is a disease that spreads very fast through an area, country or continent.

This particular plague killed one out of every ten people in Rome.

Economic and Military ProblemsBetween 166 and 266 C.E. the Roman Empire was hit by two separate plagues, each one nearly as deadly as the more famous Black Death of the Middle Ages.

The first one, known as the Antonine Plague, which lasted eighteen years and killed millions of people all over the empireit may have even killed the famous Marcus Aurelius the last of the Good Emperors. (Antonine was similar to Smallpox)

Economic and Military ProblemsThe second Plague broke out in 251 C.E. and raged for fifteen years right in the middle of the dreadful Economic and Military crisis that we are discussing.

It is believed that the two diseases were Smallpox and Measles, both potent killers.

Economic and Military ProblemsRoman also began to suffer from inflationwhich is the rapidly increasing of prices on all goods.

Inflation happens when money losses its value How do you think this happened in Rome?

Economic and Military ProblemsThe weak economy meant fewer taxes were paid to the Roman government.

With less money coming in, the Roman government could not afford to defend its territories and had to find a way to pay its soldiers and officials.

Economic and Military ProblemsOne way for the government to get the money it needed was to make their gold coins using less gold...they would actually use other metal instead of actual gold.

By putting less gold in each coin, the government could make extra coins and pay for more things.

Economic and Military ProblemsPeople soon learned that the coins did not have as much gold in them, and the coins began losing value.

Prices ended up going up and many people stopped using money altogether.

Economic and Military ProblemsThey began to barter or exchange goods without money.

Barter is a system of trade based around needing itemsno money is ever exchanged. For example if I grow apples and my neighbor grows pearsinstead of buying them off each other we would just trade for them!

Economic and Military ProblemsMeanwhile, invaders swept into the Empire.

In the west, Germanic tribes raided Roman farms and towns.

Economic and Military ProblemsIn the east, armies from Persia pushed into the empires territory.

As fighting increased, the government could no longer enlist and pay Romans as soldiers.

Economic and Military ProblemsThey began using Germanic warriors in the Roman Army.

However these Germanic soldiers were not loyal to Rome or its leaders and would often times fly from battles

Economic and Military ProblemsQuestions:

7) What does the term plague mean?

8) What is inflation?

9) What does the term barter mean?

10) What was Rome doing with its gold coins?

Economic and Military ProblemsQuestions:

7) What does the term plague mean?

A disease that spreads very fast through an area, country or continent

8) What is inflation?

Rapidly increasing of prices on all goods.

9) What does the term barter mean?

A system of trade based around needing items

10) What was Rome doing with its gold coins?

Made gold coins with smaller amount of gold in them

What were Diocletians Reforms?In 284 C.E. a Roman General names Diocletian became Emperor.

To stop the Empires decline, he introduced reforms, or political changes to make things better for everyone in Rome!

What were Diocletians Reforms?The Empire was just too large for one person to rule, Diocletian divided the land into four different parts.

The idea was to have appointed officials in charge of these four different areas, while he kept supreme authority over the entire Empire.

What were Diocletians Reforms?Diocletian also worked to boost the economy.

To slow down inflation, he issued rules that would set prices of goods and the wages of all Roman workers.

What were Diocletians Reforms?To make sure more goods were produced, he ordered workers to remain in the same jobs until they diedalmost like slavery but with money.

Diocletians reforms were a complete disaster and failed.

What were Diocletians Reforms?The people ignored the new rules and Diocletian did not have enough power to make the Roman citizens obey.

What were Diocletians Reforms?Questions:

1) Who was Diocletian?

2) Why did he want to create reforms in Rome?

3) How did he divide the Roman Empire?

4) How did Diocletian try to reverse the decline of Rome? What were Diocletians Reforms?Questions:

1) Who was Diocletian?

A Roman General who became Emperor

2) Why did he want to create reforms in Rome?

These political changes were going to make things better in Rome

3) How did he divide the Roman Empire?

He divided the Empire into 4 different parts to make it easier to control

4) How did Diocletian try to reverse the decline of Rome?

He issued rules that stated how much items cost and how much workers could be paid. Who was Constantine? In 305 C.E. Diocletian retired from his position of Emperor.

After a period of great conflict, another general names Constantine became Emperor in 312 C.E.

Who was Constantine? To aid the economy, Constantine issued several orders.

The sons of workers had to follow their fathers trades.

The sons of farmers had to work the land that their fathers worked

The sons of soilders had to serve in the army.

Who was Constantine? Constantine's changes did not halt the empires decline in the west.

As a result Constantine moved the capital of the empire from the dying city of Rome to a new city in the east.

Who was Constantine? He chose the site of the ancient Greek city of Byzantium.

There he built a Form, a large amphitheater called the Hippodrome and many other lavish sites.

Who was Constantine? The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a spectacle that was the sporting and social center of Constantinople

Who was Constantine? The city became known as Constantinoplenamed after Constantine.

Today the city is located in modern day Turkey and has been renamed to Istanbul.

Who was Constantine? Questions:

1) Who was Constantine?

2) What were some of the changes that Constantine made in order to aid the economy?

3) What ancient Greek city did Constantine make the new capital of his Empire?

Who was Constantine? Questions:

1) Who was Constantine?

A former Roman General who became Emperor of Rome

2) What were some of the changes that Constantine made in order to aid the economy?

Sons of workers, farmers and soldiers all had to follow in the footsteps of their fathers

3) What ancient Greek city did Constantine make the new capital of his Empire and what did he rename it?

Greek city of Byzantium and he renamed it Constantinople

Biography of Constantine The Great Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to become a Christian, although he was not baptized until near his death in 337 C.E.

He first came to believe in Christianity many years earlier, when he was just a military leader.

Biography of Constantine The Great Constantine believed he had seen a flaming cross in the sky that said, By this sign thou shall conquer.

The next day his army was victorious in a major battle and he believed that the cross he saw was a call to the Christian God.

Biography of Constantine The Great During his reign, Constantine granted new opportunities to Christians and helped advance the power of the early Catholic church.

He encouraged discussion about the acceptance of the holy Trinity and boosted the political positions and power of bishops within the Roman Government.

Biography of Constantine The Great Even though Constantine had many political and religious successes, his life was filled with controversy and tragedy.

Constantine married a woman named Fausta and his eldest son from a previous marriage was named Crispus.

Biography of Constantine The Great Fausta accused Crispus of crimes and claimed that he was planning to seize the throne from himself.

Constantine was so shocked that he had his son killed.

Biography of Constantine The Great Constantine later discovered that Fausta had lied because she wanted her own son to be in line for the throne.

Constantine then had his wife, Fausta killed.

Biography of Constantine The Great Then and Now:

Constantine believed that freedom of religion was important for the success of his empire and made sure that Christians could no longer be persecuted.

What part of the United States Constitution protects freedom of religion?