The Decline and Fall of Rome

A.D. 200s

1 CE

During the A.D. 200s, Rome's economy began to fall apart. As government weakened, law and order broke down. Roman soldiers and invaders seized crops and destroyed fields. Farmers grew less food, and hunger began to spread.

A.D. 235

1 CE

When the last Serveran ruler died in A.D. 235, Rome's government became very weak. For almost 50 years, amy leaders fought each other for the throne. During this time, Rome had 22 different emperors.

A.D. 284

1 CE

In A.D. 284 a general name Diocletian became emperor. To stop the empire's decline, he introduced reforms, or political changes to make things better. Because the empire was too large for one person to rule, Diocletian divided it into four parts He named officials to rule these areas but kept authority over all.

A.D. 312

1 CE

In A.D. 305 Diocletian retired from office. After a period of conflict another general named Constantine became emperor in A.D. 312. To aid the economy, Constantine issued several orders. The sons of workers had to follow their fathers' trades, the sons of farmers had to work the land their fathers worked, and the sons of soldiers had to serve in the army.

A.D.337

1 CE

Both Diocletian and Constantine failed to save the Roman Empire. When Constantine died in A.D. 337, fighting broke out again.

A.D. 300s

1 CE

In the late A.D. 300s, the Huns entered Eastern Europe and defeated the Ostrogoths. The Visigoths, fearing they would be next, asked the Eastern Roman emperor for protection. He let them settle just inside the empire's border, In return they promised to be loyal to Rome.

A.D. 378

1 CE

In A.D. 378 they defeated Roman legions at the battle of Adrianople. After that defeat Rome was forced to surrender land to the Visigoths.

A.D. 395

1 CE

In A.D. 395, the Roman Empire split into two separate empires. One was the Western Roman Empire, with its capita; at Rome. the other was the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople.

A.D. 406

1 CE

In the winter of A.D. 406, the Rhine River in Western Europe froze. Germanic groups crossed the frozen river and entered Gaul, which is today France. The Romans were too weak to force them back across the border

A.D. 410

1 CE

In A.D. 410 the Visigoth leader Alaric and his soldiers captured Rome itself. They burned records and looted the treasury. Rome's capture by Alaric was a great shock to the empire's people. It was the first time Rome had been conquered in 800 years.

A.D. 455

1 CE

In A.D. 455 they entered Rome. They spent 12 days stripping buildings of everything valuable and burning them. From these attacks came the English word Vandalism, which means " the willful destruction of property"

A.D. 476

1 CE

In A.D. 476 a Germanic general named Odoacer took control, overthrowing the western emperor, a 14-year-old boy named Romulus Augustulus.

A.D. 550

1 CE

By A.D. 550, the Western Roman Empire had faded away. Many Roman beliefs and practices remained in use, however. For example, Europe's new Germanic rulers adopted the Latin language, Roman laws, and Christianity. Although the Western Roman Empire fell to Germanic invaders, the Eastern Roman Empire prospered.