The Roman Empire
Welcome to Ancient Rome, which is well known for being just about the greatest civilization in recorded history! Ancient Rome started as a Roman Republic. As the Roman republic grew, many began to think that Rome would be better of with one all-powerful leader. These ambitious men turned it into a Empire. We are here to inform about the Roman Empire's rise, fall, and everything else in between.
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How it All Began
The great empire of Rome started off as a small village of Latins off the Tiber River. It was in the ideal location, as it was surrounded by seven hills, so no enemies could surprise them with an attack. the fertile land, warm weather, and plentiful rainfall of the place made farming a success. The Tiber River allowed people to travel and trade to other places and soon enough Rome was the centre of trade.
Before 'twas the Empire...
It was the Republic. The republic was a strange mixture of a republic and Greek democracy. It was ruled by three groups, the Senate, the Assembly, and the consuls. A boycott by the plebeians led to the addition of the tribunes.
The West and East Empire (the Byzantine Empire )
The Imperial Crisis was distinguished by constant civil war, as various military leaders fought for control of the empire. This crisis resulted in social unrest, unstable economy, an the eventual termination of the empire, which broke into three separate regions. The empire was reunited by Diocletian who established the Tetrarchy to maintain order throughout the empire. But the Empire was still just too large, if that is possible, so Diocletian divided the Empire into two, creating the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire, the latter also known as the Byzantine Empire.
The Fall of Rome
From 376-382 CE, Rome fought a number of battles against invading Goths. These battles are known today as the Gothic Wars. At the Battle of Adrianople, which took place on August 9th, 378 CE, the Roman Emperor Valens was defeated. This event was marked as a turning point in the dwindle and eventual sink of the Western Roman Empire. There are many theories as to why the great Empire fell. Some reasons that the Roman Empire may have fell are:
But while the West Empire may have fallen, the Eastern Empire was still running. It managed to cling to life for almost another millennium, until the Turks conquered it in the year 1453 BCE.
- They abandoned the Greek idea of democracy and became a dictatorship
- The army hired soldiers from disant provinces who had little to no loyalty to Rome
- Army generals fought for power
- Rome couldn't defend all of it's many long borders
- Wars disrupted the trade, and the economy slowed down
- The gap between the rich and poor led to constant social unrest
- Rome's dependence on slaves weakened the economy
- The spread of Christianity challenged the Roman rule
But while the West Empire may have fallen, the Eastern Empire was still running. It managed to cling to life for almost another millennium, until the Turks conquered it in the year 1453 BCE.