Destruction Of Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire fell due internal and external forces. The demise of the empire was the result of civil unrest, migrating hordes, and a weak economy. Basically, decay from the inside and pressures from the outside caused the empire to collapsed.
First, numerous civil wars were fought during the waning days of the empire. The Crises of the Third Century, for example, transpired as one long series civil wars. The tetrarchy, created by Diocletian to stop civil wars, turned out to be nothing less than a tournament bracket of civil wars after his death. Worst of all the death of the winner of that tournament, Constantine, on the 22 of May 337 AD, triggered a chain of civil wars that lasted 24 years. Later, when a fresh ruling family had been established, splitting the empire in half, the eastern section became weak, leading to usurpers and over powerful generals. …show more content…
Next, the fact that the tribes beyond the frontier were seeking entry into the empire due to pressure from migrating hordes from the steppes.
This pressure caused the Romans system of assimilation to be overloaded and for the barbarians to form independent armies under their kings. These independent kings inexorably waging war against the Roman armies. The major defeat of the Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople by the Goths virtually annihilated the Western Roman army. This defeat meant that the eventual peace left the barbarians independent and armed. This development led to the Western Roman Empire having an excessive amount of its tax revenue diverted to these tribal kings who were running the tax system in the areas they had claimed as their own territory. In addition, the tribes began to attack each other, leading to a general sense of
lawlessness.
Finally, the collapse of the Roman economy became the death nail of the Roman Empire. The lack of tax revenue made upkeep of the roads nearly impassable. In addition, it made the army weak and unable to protect trade. The lack of proper roads and protection reduced the trade and this caused the local nobility to turn their focuses inwards to advance themselves and their estates to self-sufficiency. This, in turn, caused the nobility to become further resistant to taxation and conscription. This lead to a further depletion of the treasury, which weakened the armies and roads to become worse, which lead to the nobles to become additionally independent and the cycle continued. This detrimental cycle led to the collapse of the empire and the rise of the feudal system.
The Western Roman Empire, in its final stages of life, existed as a decayed mess. The roads were in shambles and the army weak and ineffective. The tax system was inept, corrupt, and constantly being diverted by independent barbarian kings. In summation, it was bound to fall.
First, numerous civil wars were fought during the waning days of the empire. The Crises of the Third Century, for example, transpired as one long series civil wars. The tetrarchy, created by Diocletian to stop civil wars, turned out to be nothing less than a tournament bracket of civil wars after his death. Worst of all the death of the winner of that tournament, Constantine, on the 22 of May 337 AD, triggered a chain of civil wars that lasted 24 years. Later, when a fresh ruling family had been established, splitting the empire in half, the eastern section became weak, leading to usurpers and over powerful generals. …show more content…
Next, the fact that the tribes beyond the frontier were seeking entry into the empire due to pressure from migrating hordes from the steppes.
This pressure caused the Romans system of assimilation to be overloaded and for the barbarians to form independent armies under their kings. These independent kings inexorably waging war against the Roman armies. The major defeat of the Emperor Valens at the Battle of Adrianople by the Goths virtually annihilated the Western Roman army. This defeat meant that the eventual peace left the barbarians independent and armed. This development led to the Western Roman Empire having an excessive amount of its tax revenue diverted to these tribal kings who were running the tax system in the areas they had claimed as their own territory. In addition, the tribes began to attack each other, leading to a general sense of
lawlessness.
Finally, the collapse of the Roman economy became the death nail of the Roman Empire. The lack of tax revenue made upkeep of the roads nearly impassable. In addition, it made the army weak and unable to protect trade. The lack of proper roads and protection reduced the trade and this caused the local nobility to turn their focuses inwards to advance themselves and their estates to self-sufficiency. This, in turn, caused the nobility to become further resistant to taxation and conscription. This lead to a further depletion of the treasury, which weakened the armies and roads to become worse, which lead to the nobles to become additionally independent and the cycle continued. This detrimental cycle led to the collapse of the empire and the rise of the feudal system.
The Western Roman Empire, in its final stages of life, existed as a decayed mess. The roads were in shambles and the army weak and ineffective. The tax system was inept, corrupt, and constantly being diverted by independent barbarian kings. In summation, it was bound to fall.