The Break-up of the Roman Empire

Group #3• Nicolas • Adrisha• Amber• Vanica• Blanca

Emperor TrajanIn the 2nd century A.D., Emperor Trajan stretched the kingdom’s territory to its maximum size, it stretched from Britain to Egypt, from Spain to Iraq. Once the kingdom expanded, securing the frontier had become an issue which future emperors had to address.

The Imperial Crisis The incapability of future emperors caused disaster in Rome.

The Imperial Crisis was the time when there was out-of-control inflation, at least two-dozen emperors ruled during this time, accomplishing nothing, and foreign tribes kept attacking Rome’s borders.

Emperor DiocletianJust as things seemed hopeless for Rome, in November of 284 A.D., Roman General Diocletian seized power and ordered the Roman Empire to be split into two parts, the east and the west sides. Diocletian ruled the east, while his colleague Maximian ruled the west.

Diocletian thought that the Roman Empire had grown too big over the years to be ruled by only one person. In 285 A.D., he named Maximian as junior emperor while himself being the senior emperor.

Quickly after, Diocletian promoted Maximian to be his equal. They both held the name of Augustus and ruled the split Roman Empire side-by-side.

Diocletian chose the city of Nicomedia to be his capital of his Eastern Roman Empire, whereas Maximum picked Milan to be the capital of his Western Roman Empire.

By 239 A. D., Diocletian decided to go a step further and resolve the issue of succession.

Diocletian chose Galerius. Resided at Sirmium (Serbia).

Maximian chose Constantius.Resided at Trier (Germany).

Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius ruled together. Diocletian called this tetrarchy or “rule by four”.

• Tetrachy lasted for almost a 100 years.

• Valentinian the second was ruler of the western empire.

• Theodosius was ruler of the eastern empire.

• They were brother-in-laws.

• On May 15, 392 A.D. Valentinian was found dead in his palace.

Valentinian

Theodosius

• Arbogast, a powerful Roman general was accused of the wrongdoing.

• People got even more suspicious when he propped up Eugenius as new emperor.

• Then Theodosius declared wars against them.

• Theodosius won and became sole ruler of the Roman Empire.

Arbogast

Eugenius

• A few months later he got sick and died.

• Then his 2 sons took over.

• Honorius had the east.• Arcadius had the west• They never reunited

again.

Honorius

Arcadius

The Western Roman Empire• Collapsed in 476 A.D.• A Germanic group leader

named Odoacer revolted that year. He overthrew Emperor Romulus Augustus (Orestes) and ended the Western Roman Empire for good.

• Not The Fictional Character From Romulus And Remus!

Romulus Augustus

Odoacer

Eastern Roman EmpireThe Eastern

Roman Empire, or

the Byzantine Empire, lived on

for nearly another thousand years.

Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom) was built in Constantinople between 532 and 537 under the auspices of Emperor Justinian I. Hagia Sophia is renowned for its interior dome.

When the Ottoman Turks arrived, the Eastern Empire began counting its final hours. Its last ruler, Constantine XI, did his best to fend off the Ottoman Turks' advances, but failed. On May 29, 1453, the Ottoman Turks captured the capital Constantinople, killed Constantine XI, and that ended the Byzantine Empire.