Chapter 6: The Transformation of the Classical World

  • The 200 year period of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire ended with the murder of Emperor Commudus
  • Roman Empire was weakened in the 3rd century by internal and external conflicts
      * Emperors were weak and corrupt
      * Army kept switching their allegiances from emperor to emperor
      * Majority of the Emperors didn’t live long
      * Resources were strained
      * The Empire was too large to manage efficiently
      * High inflation rates
      * Emperor gained more dictatorial powers
  • The size of the army grew in the 3rd century
      * Soldiers were raised to the highest level of public power, no matter their birth
  • The Roman Empire faced internal violence and external threats from Germanic barbarians
  • Germanic society lived in small villages
      * Lived in patriarchal households
      * Pagans/Polytheistic
      * While husbands were at war, women managed the lands and household
      * Made up of clans
  • Imperial organization in the late 3rd century allowed for the empire to regain stability
  • Empire was divided into parts as it was too great to be ruled as a whole
  • There are many different theories on the fall of Rome, with it being impossible to pinpoint just one cause
      * Political, social, economic, or militaristic conflicts
      * Barbarian invasions
      * Decreased prestige of Senate
      * Abolishment of political rivals in upper classes
      * Christianity
  • Despite half of the Empire falling, the other half went on to survive for another 1000 years