Barbarians In The Roman Empire
Hannibal, leader of a Germanic Tribe
Marcus Aurelius
The Roman Empire declined and fell because of politics. However, the empire was strong at a point until the third century crisis happened. The last emperor before the crisis began was Marcus Aurelius, and the empire went from peaceful and Pax Romana to catastrophe and they called it “the anarchy.” There were both internal and external conflicts throughout the empire. The external problems were the violations of the borders by the Germanic tribes and, “full-scale war with Sassanian Persian Empire on eastern border,” (Nardo). There were also leadership conflicts because if barbarians were to attack, there wouldn’t be a leader to make order. Since barbarians did attack, it made Rome weak when
the barbarians were overpowering the cities.
The leader of a Germanic tribe was named Hannibal; he overpowered Rome and also made the economy to also be the cause of the fall because when they attacked they destroyed all of the countryside. This made the people move to the cities and cause too much population in the cities and also to have less job opportunities. Some internal conflicts were the followers of the second century leaders were ruthless, evil, and incompetent. There was also the breakdown of the military’s order, loyalty, and efficiency. They ran amok choosing and the setting out of emperors. The military also interfered too much within politics. It also caused political insecurity which interrupted trade, farming, and money steadily. It made poverty grow and life also became miserable, dangerous, and uncertain.
Commodus wanted to be a gladiator than be a strong emperor
Diocletian, saved Rome and made many reforms
Another reason why the empire fell because of politics was because of the emperor who had control during that time, Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius. “Commodus ascended throne at age eighteen or nineteen,” (Nardo) he was the total opposite of his father. He was hopeless, selfish, and he neglected governmental responsibilities and he spent the public money on luxuries for himself. He killed his sister Lucilla, and seduced his other sisters. His wife, he caught in adultery and then killed her in the woods. “He was prone to cruelty and excessive behavior,” (Lucius) he still wanted to expand the military; he became too obsessed to become a gladiator instead of a leader. He drove Rome into a bad direction. However, a man named Diocletian saw the empire ungovernable and took a chance to make some reforms. He divided the empire into two parts and called one side, Western Roman Empire and the other Eastern Roman Empire. Diocletian solved many problems during the third century crisis and he became one of the two greatest emperors who saved the Roman Empire. This made the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, temporary because he came and saved it from even more destruction. These were the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire, politically.
Marcus Aurelius
The Roman Empire declined and fell because of politics. However, the empire was strong at a point until the third century crisis happened. The last emperor before the crisis began was Marcus Aurelius, and the empire went from peaceful and Pax Romana to catastrophe and they called it “the anarchy.” There were both internal and external conflicts throughout the empire. The external problems were the violations of the borders by the Germanic tribes and, “full-scale war with Sassanian Persian Empire on eastern border,” (Nardo). There were also leadership conflicts because if barbarians were to attack, there wouldn’t be a leader to make order. Since barbarians did attack, it made Rome weak when
the barbarians were overpowering the cities.
The leader of a Germanic tribe was named Hannibal; he overpowered Rome and also made the economy to also be the cause of the fall because when they attacked they destroyed all of the countryside. This made the people move to the cities and cause too much population in the cities and also to have less job opportunities. Some internal conflicts were the followers of the second century leaders were ruthless, evil, and incompetent. There was also the breakdown of the military’s order, loyalty, and efficiency. They ran amok choosing and the setting out of emperors. The military also interfered too much within politics. It also caused political insecurity which interrupted trade, farming, and money steadily. It made poverty grow and life also became miserable, dangerous, and uncertain.
Commodus wanted to be a gladiator than be a strong emperor
Diocletian, saved Rome and made many reforms
Another reason why the empire fell because of politics was because of the emperor who had control during that time, Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius. “Commodus ascended throne at age eighteen or nineteen,” (Nardo) he was the total opposite of his father. He was hopeless, selfish, and he neglected governmental responsibilities and he spent the public money on luxuries for himself. He killed his sister Lucilla, and seduced his other sisters. His wife, he caught in adultery and then killed her in the woods. “He was prone to cruelty and excessive behavior,” (Lucius) he still wanted to expand the military; he became too obsessed to become a gladiator instead of a leader. He drove Rome into a bad direction. However, a man named Diocletian saw the empire ungovernable and took a chance to make some reforms. He divided the empire into two parts and called one side, Western Roman Empire and the other Eastern Roman Empire. Diocletian solved many problems during the third century crisis and he became one of the two greatest emperors who saved the Roman Empire. This made the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, temporary because he came and saved it from even more destruction. These were the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire, politically.