PR-2237IRE Ancient Rome

Over hundreds of years the Romans had to repel
attacks by barbarian hordes. The Empire was so
large it became more and more difficult to defend and
was eventually divided into the Eastern and Western
empires.
Roman frontiers suffered constant raids and invasions
by barbarian tribes like the Vandals who, aided by the
Alans and Suebi, invaded Spain in 409 AD. The Vandals
then conquered the Roman provinces in North Africa
in 439 AD and in 455 AD, still led by their King Gaiseric,
they sacked and plundered Rome itself for two weeks.
In other parts of the Empire the Angles, Jutes and
Saxons from northern Europe invaded Britain from
Activity Box
The Fall of Rome
449 AD after the Roman
legions were withdrawn from
Britain to defend Rome. The
Franks, who gave us the
name France, and other
Germanic tribes had invaded
the Roman province of Gaul
in 406 AD and the Visigoths
under Alaric attacked Rome
several times between 400
and 410 AD. The Ostrogoths
had migrated westwards from A Hun Warrior
Asia in 370 AD to escape from
the Huns, the most feared invaders
of all. Under their leader, Attila, the
Huns invaded Italy in 452 AD and it
was only negotiations by Pope Leo I
that saved Rome from further
destruction. Attila died the following
year and the empire of the Huns
disintegrated. Later that century
Ostrogoths invaded Italy under their
king, Theoderic, and overran the
whole Italian peninsula.
Some historians believe that the
Roman legions in these desperate
times were not the disciplined, loyal
armies of the early years of the
Empire. Many legionaries were
mercenaries, paid foreign soldiers
from conquered nations, who did not
have the same loyalty to Rome as her
native sons.
Viewing Sample
Write a few sentences about one of the barbarian leaders—Alaric, Attila the Hun, Theoderic or Gaiseric.
Use any available reference resources.
Prim-Ed Publishing www.prim-ed.com Ancient Rome – 85 –