Ten Minute History - The Fall of Rome (Short Documentary)

Division of the Roman Empire

• Year of Division: 395

• Emperor Responsible: Theodosius I (Theodosius the Great)

  • Defeated the Goths

  • Made Christianity the official religion by banning other religions

• Inheritance:

  • Arcadius: Eastern Roman Empire (Constantinople).

  • Honorius: Western Roman Empire (Mediolanum).

• Perception of Division: Not officially divided - rulers saw themselves as co-rulers of a single empire.

Population and Urbanization

• Total Population: About 40 million.

• Rome: Largest city with a population between 350,000 and 500,000.

• Eastern Urban Centers: Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Corinth - more urbanized than the west.

Feeding the Masses: The Grain Dole

• Grain Dole: Wheat imported from North Africa and Egypt to feed Constantinople.

  • Significant cost to the imperial treasury.

• "Bread and Circuses": Strategy to maintain peace through food and entertainment.

  • Wealthy sponsored entertainment; gladiatorial combat was banned in 404 after a monk's protest.

Military Expenses and Challenges

• Army Size: 400,000 - 500,000 men, causing financial strain.

• Challenges: Corruption, rebellion, financial crises, and barbarian invasions.

  • Non-Latin or Greek-speaking groups referred to as "barbarians."

    • Notable barbarian groups: Celts, Franks, Vandals, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Huns.

Leadership and Power Dynamics

• Western Empire Leadership: Nominally Honorius; real power held by Flavius Stilicho (Vandal descent).

  • Many barbarians recruited under the condition they fight for Rome.

Significant Invasions

• 378: Battle of Adrianople; Fritigern (Goth) revolted and defeated Emperor Valens.

• 401: Alaric's first march on Rome; defeated by Stilicho.

• 406: Radagaisus invaded Italy; also defeated by Stilicho, later leading to Vandal invasions of Gaul.

Decline of Western Authority

• 407: Usurper Constantine III declared emperor in Britain, invaded Gaul; Stilicho blamed and executed in 408.

• 410: Alaric sacked Rome for the third time, severely damaging its prestige.

  • Alaric was a Christian who spared churches.

Territorial Losses and Succession

• 411: Constantine III abdicated and was later killed.

• 313: Arcadius dies; Theodosius II succeeds.

• 423: Honorius dies, Valentinian III becomes emperor; both empires facing challenges with barbarians.

Eastern Empire Stability

• Eastern Empire prospered, economic boom until the 6th century.

• Barbarian pressures in the West: Intensifying demands from Visigoths and Vandals.

• Valentinian III: Puppet of general Aetius.

Interaction with Huns

• 440s: Rise of Huns under Attila; he invades the West.

• 451: Battle of Catalaunian Fields; Aetius defeats Attila but at great cost.

  • Attila dies in 453, leading to disintegration of the Hunnic Empire.

Final Years of the Western Empire

• 454: Aetius assassinated; chaos ensues in the West.

• 455: Rome sacked again, this time by Genseric (Vandals).

• 457: Majorian becomes emperor, seeks to reconquer lost territories with Ricimer’s help.

  • Ricimer later rules through puppet emperors until 472.

The End of the Western Roman Empire

• Orestes: Declared his son Romulus Augustulus emperor.

• 476: Odoacer deposes Romulus, marking the end of the Western Roman Empire.

  • Julius Nepos remains a nominal figure.

• Emergence of new kingdoms: Vandals, Visigoths, Franks, and Odoacer's kingdom in Italy.

Legacy of the Roman Empire

• Eastern Empire remains strong and urbanized; continues to dominate the eastern Mediterranean for two centuries.

• Collapse of the West: Viewed as a combination of many weaknesses leading to inevitable decline.

• Roman legacy influences future monarchies throughout the centuries.

Closing Remarks

• Acknowledgment of viewers and sponsorship information.