Decline Roman Empire

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The end is near. The Germanic Barbarians are storming the Imperial Palace in Rome. The leader walks into the throne room and decrowns the former emperor Romulus Augustus. The end of any empire is a significant moment in history. The end of the Roman Empire defines history. Over the centuries, although the system of government has changed, the Roman spirit and desire for power remained. The Roman Empire was expansive and powerful; some people think it was too expansive and massive. For the next one hundred years, the central government of the Western Empire was too weak to protect its people. The Empire was made weak because the people were demanding too much from it and enthusiasm and population were declining. Also, it was spread too thinly …show more content…

Western provinces around the Roman Empire copied Italian products like wine and oil, which in turn hurt and weakened Italy’s declining economy. The people were getting poorer, and “in these conditions, public morality steadily declined.” In the past, taxes were levied occasionally, but now taxes were created and levied to cover new expenses to maintain empire’s survival. Food supplies were dwindling, and “Romans were being destroyed by hunger.” Simultaneously, the military was weakening and Rome’s once mighty graspe on Europe was now frail. “The central government steadily lost control of these (Northern) regions, causing the empire to shrink until there was practically nothing left.” As the Empire shrunk, barbarians pushed towards the Italian Peninsula. They “[found] that they had no hostile force to encounter them, [and] became the most cruel of all men,” said the Greek Scholar Procopius of Caesarea, about 25 years after the events. After the death of Emperor Constantine the Great in 337 AD, no peace and stability remained in the Western Empire. The Empire used its remaining military forces to defend the city until the last emperor was easily dispatched off his throne, which unsurprisingly had no immediate impact. Romulus Augustus was overthrown on September 4th, 476 AD, which marked the end of the Western Roman Empire. The city of Rome came full circle; beginning with Romulus …show more content…

The general loss of population and enthusiasm caused Rome to fall because there were not enough people to enlist in the military. Rome lost all of its land and its economy was damaged due to the fact that it could not protect its outer regions with its weakened military. Although the structure of the Empire disintegrated along with the economy, the central government, and borders, the culture within the Empire did not change greatly even after the downfall. The remains, effects, and legacy of the Empire such as the roads and walls were still felt throughout Europe for hundreds of years to follow. The decline and fall of Rome led to the Middle Ages because of the power vacuum they left in Europe. The lesson that the Roman Empire can teach modern countries is that no matter how large and great the country is, it has to be able to maintain its greatness to be

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