Transformation of the Roman Empire THE PROBLEMS OF "BARBARIANS" AND CAUSES FOR THE "FALL"

Transformation of the Roman Empire THE PROBLEMS OF "BARBARIANS" AND CAUSES FOR THE "FALL"

OVERVIEW: The Roman Empire collapsed as political entity in the 5th century, but the eastern part survived The Transformation of the Roman Empire is the 'Decline and Fall' of the Roman Empire

THE PROBLEMS OF BARBARIANS: 1. CELTS: Various population groups living in many parts of Europe, north of the Mediterranean region from the Late Brone Age onward. Next phase of Celtic development was carried out by a group known as the La Tène culture. The migration of various Celtic tribes was to escape the wars, they were famously attacked in Gaul by Julius Caesar in 1st century BCE by the Germanic tribes. Many Celtic tribes spread eastwards. The Galatians, colonied areas of central Asia Minor which brought them into direct conflict with the Hellenistic kingdoms and Rome.

Celts Cont. Celtic Armies first came to attention when the Gauls, led by their king Bran, attacked Rome in 390 BCE, again in 279 BCE when they looted Delphi on their way to Asia, and again in 225 BCE when they were continual mercenary allies of Carthage in the Punic Wars. They gained reputation with the Latin and Greek writers for being fierce warriors and skilled horsemen who also fielded chariots in battles (Julius Caesar faced the chariots when he invaded Gaul). Celtic warriors were known for their long hair and depicted in Greek art with long swords and their distinctive long shields (wooden panels covered in decorated hide).

THE PROBLEMS OF "BARBARIANS" 2. GERMANS: The Germanic tribes lived in Scandinavia and the land between the Elbe and Oder Rivers and pushed west, driving the Celts out. Also, the German tribes also pushed from the lower Elbe region to the upper Elbe region occupying what is now southern Germany. Most serious threats to the Roman Empire began with the eastern Germanic tribes, particularly the Goths. The Empire was weakened, and the Goths challenged the Romans for control over the mouth of the Danube River at the Black Sea. The Goths controlled the area north of the Black Sea and the Romans had conquered a territory north of the Danube (Dacia). This is the region of present day Romania.

Germans Cont. The attacks of the Goths began in 247 A.D. and in 251 A.D. Lured the Roman army under the command of the Emperor Decius into a region and defeated it. But then, the Romans under Claudius I were finally able to defeat the Goths in 269 A.D. and brought peace to the region. In 270 A.D. Emperor Aurelian withdrew Roman troops from Dacia leaving it to the Goths. The Danube became the northern frontier of the Roman Empire in eastern Europe. In 324 A.D. Emperor Constantine brought a treaty with the Visigoths that made them confederates of the Empire meaning in return for annual subsidy, the Visigoths agreed to help defend the Empire. Dacia was again counted as part of the Empire but controlled and defended by the Visigoths. In 476 C.E. Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors in the west, was overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first Barbarian to rule in Rome.

THE PROBLEMS OF "BARBARIANS": 3. STEPPE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY HUNS: A nomadic tribe prominent in the 4th and 5th century, they came from somewhere between the eastern edge of the Altai Mountains and the Caspian Sea. Their invasions of the regions around the empire encouraged the Great Migration from 376-476 CE. This disrupted the status quo of Roman society, and their various raids and insurrections weakened the empire. Between 395-398 CE, the Huns overran the Roman territories of Thrace and Syria, destroying cities and farmlands in their raids but showing no interest in settling in the regions and at the same time some Huns were serving in the Roman army. The Romans ended up paying off the Huns for peace rather than face them on the field.

1. Germans Causes for the "Fall" In AD 375 the Huns defeated the Ostrogoths and Visigoths. In an attempt to escape from the Huns, the Germans crossed into Roman territory.... The Romans were now forced to do a deal with the Goths who were given permission to live within the borders of the Roman Empire under their own rulers. Crossing the Volga River, they conquered the Ostrogoths in eastern Europe. Fearing that the Huns would attack them also, the Visigoths implored Roman authorities for sanctuary in the empire.... By that time other German tribes--the Franks, Vandals, and Burgundians-- were moving into the empire.

Causes for the "Fall" 2. Military For most of this period, emperors were not chosen on the basis of their ability or honesty, but simply because they were born in the right family. For every great leader, such as Augustus, there was a tyrant like Caligula. For every Claudius there was a Nero; for every Vespasian, a Domitian. Rome struggled to get enough troops and resources to defend its frontiers from rebellions and attacks. As more and more funds were funneled into the military upkeep of the empire, technological advancement slowed and Rome s civil infrastructure fell into disrepair

Causes for the "Fall" 3. No Fixed System of Imperial Succession The Roman Empire was a very vast region stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates River. Because of this, it was difficult to communicate and to govern, ineffective and inconsistent leadership only served to magnify the problem. The Roman Empire had no imperial system, meaning the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.

WORKS CITIED: HIST 210: The Early Middle Ages, 284 1000. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://oyc.yale.edu/history/hist-210/lecture-6 University of Oxford. (n.d.). The Fall of Rome (Online). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/courses/the-fall-of-rome-online Emperors. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/emperors.html Cartwright, M. (2016, June/July). Celts. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://www.ancient.eu/celt/ The Economic History of the Western Roman Empire: The Invasion of the Western Roman Empire by Barbarian Tribes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2018, from http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/barbarians.htm Mark, J. J. (2018, April 25). Huns. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from https://www.ancient.eu/huns/ Andrews, E. (2014, January 14). 8 Reasons Why Rome Fell. Retrieved September 26, 2018, from