The was also mostly made up of mercenaries from tribes outside the Roman boarders due to the Roman people believing that it may have been the end of the world and deciding to get into the barbarians. Slaves were also unwilling to fight as they saw that there was nothing to be gained for themselves. Most of the mercenaries were also corrupt making it a rather foolish thing to give them the soul responsibility to guard Rome against the encroaching tribesmen.
In 284AD Diocletian divided the empire into two separate states, the eastern and the western. Although this seemed like a good idea at the time, it proved not to be so. When the barbarians attacked western Rome the east did not help protect it.
The empire was split due to Diocletian feeling that it was too large to administrate. It also turned out that the empire was too big to defend properly. This in turn made trade become unsafe.
This caused economic problems for the Romans.
During the 450’s Vandals devastated immense wheat fields that fed the Roman people, causing many of them to be unable to feed themselves and their families. Taxes also increased and the poor became the ones that carried the burden of paying them. This led to many people selling both themselves and their families into slavery. The middle classes disintegrated and made way for the poor to become poorer and the rich to become richer.
From this many social problems stemmed.
Attitudes of the Roman people began to change. The rich became greedier and lazier, while the standards of education and morals slipped.
In 306AD Constantine made Christianity the state religion. However, this morally righteous religion did not stall the demise of the already collapsing empire.
It was not long until the barbarians were able to break through the frontiers and make their way into the heart of the Roman Empire.
The barbarians were a nomadic people, seemingly content on herding reindeer, horses and goats. They lived upon the mountain slopes and grassy plains of Asia and migrated south during the winter to escape the bitter cold. However, after the Huns began to invade their traditional grazing grounds they were forced towards Roman lands.
By 400AD barbarians were starting to invade and capture the empire. Armies began to retreat from the outlying provinces; Britain was retreated from in 410. In the same year the Goths captured Rome. By 455AD this proved an important resource when it came to fighting the Vandals who plundered Rome and took 30,000 Romans into slavery.
The Western Roman Empire lasted another 21 years. In 476AD the Germans overthrew the last emperor, Romulas Augustus. Odocaer, their leader claimed himself the King of Italy.
In conclusion, the fall of the Western Roman Empire was brought on by many factors, and we can learn from the Roman’s mistakes in order to make a better future for all.
Bibliography
Boak, Arthur E. R., Sinnigen, William G. “A History of Rome to A.D.565”
Collier-Macmillan publishers, London
“History Alive”
“The Nomads”
“Understanding World History”
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Hoblye, L. F., “Steps in History” Book 1
London
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