PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

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The fall of Rome
Though corruption and civil unrest over burdensome taxes probably helped to bring about Rome’s
decline, the most telling factor was the barbarian invasions. The Visigoths under Alaric plundered
Rome for three days in 410 AD and from this time Rome’s greatness began to collapse. The Visigoths
also invaded Spain but withdrew to Gaul and established a capital at the present city of Toulouse.
The Vandals and Goths originated in southern Scandinavia. After conquering Rome’s North African provinces
and Carthage in 439 AD, the Vandals invaded Italy and sacked Rome in 455 AD.
In many regions overrun by the barbarians, the local leaders lived as before, for they were needed to assist in
running the new kingdoms.
Many barbarians such as the Vandals were savage warriors who wanted to wipe out all traces of the Romans.
Other tribes wanted to preserve Roman buildings but did not have the expertise to maintain them. Over the years
of barbarian attacks the population of Rome fell from 1 000 000 to about 25 000.
While the Western Empire was the scene for years of power struggles among Germanic kings, the Eastern Empire
was ruled from the city of Constantinople and called the Byzantine empire after the fall of the Western Empire.
Constantinople was founded by the first Christian emperor, Constantine, in 330 AD as his new capital. Many
eastern emperors were capable rulers and one, Justinian, even won back some of the lost western provinces. The
Eastern Empire was rich and could afford strong armies which resisted the Germanic tribes and the Persians.
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