the slow decline of the roman empire
DESCRIPTION
The Slow Decline of the Roman Empire . 400 years of history in one Powerpoint presentation. Augustus- The Exalted One. Friends, Romans and Countrymen lend me your ears HAVE CHILDREN…THE EMPIRE NEEDS THEM LIVE A MORAL LIFE…THOSE WHO DON’T WILL BE SENT ELSEWHERE PRAY TO THE GODS. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Slow Decline of the Roman Empire
400 years of history in one Powerpoint presentation
Augustus- The Exalted One
Friends, Romans and Countrymen lend me your ears
HAVE CHILDREN…THE EMPIRE NEEDS THEM
LIVE A MORAL LIFE…THOSE WHO DON’T WILL BE SENT ELSEWHERE
PRAY TO THE GODS
Augustus (Octavian) Caesar
Built foundation for the Pax Romana (an extended time of peace for Rome)
Eliminated taxes for goods crossing the border between provinces
AUGUSTUS
More on Augustus
Monetary Policy- The money supply- The Denarius
A Stable money supply makes for a strong nation
We need better roads, bridges and aqueducts
Lower Taxes!Helped to create the Pax Romana
PAX ROMANA
NOT A CHEESE BUT AN IDEA!!! When in Rome… All Roads lead to Rome… Built up Rome (“Rome was made of
bricks when I came, marble when I left…”)
Next!
A little matter of succession… Who should decide? Selected by the Senate? The emperor himself? Praetorian Guard? Been there, done that. All of ‘em.
(Drumroll please…) The Good Emperors!
Ruled from 96 A.D. – 180 A.D. (85 years) Mostly made decisions beneficial to Rome
(Including a welfare program for kids) Mostly military leaders Absolute monarchs, but known fo tolerance
and diplomacy
2 Bad Emperors- Incompetent Caligula
– I hereby name my horse- Co-Consul Nero
– Do you mind if I play my Fiddle??? While Rome Burns????
– Persecuted Christians, Killed the Christian Apostles, Paul and Peter
3 Good Emperors
Trajan 98 AD- 117– Selected rather than Born into it-– Stabilized the Roman Empire- First non-Roman
emperor (Spanish) Hadrian 120 CE
– Rome reaches it Geographic Pinnacle!!!– All the Way from North Africa to Hadrian’s Wall!
Marcus Aurelius 162-180 CE– The last of the Good Emperors– Tried to secure the Northern Borders against the
German Barbarians– Stoic!! Wrote Meditations
What goes up…
By 200 A.D. the empire was in trouble Pirates, raiders, and barbarians…oh my! Greedy folks…pouring out money for foreign
luxuries (spices, silk, etc) Say, is there any silver in this coin?
(eventually lost 98% of the silver in the money) HUGE INFLATION
Tired dirt
But wait, there is more bad news…
Barbarians at the GATE- Goths (nope, not the type in schools today) beat up the legions on the Danube
Persia captures the Roman emperor Valerian…uses as a permanent foot stool.
Have money? Will fight. (all soldiers mercenaries, some not even Roman)
The descent continues…
Patriotism takes a dive. Nobody cares about the “republic”
Army (armies) have too much influence on government
Praetorian Guard No one wants to be a politician…too much
at stake (if your people don’t give you enough tax money, you have to make up the difference. Gulp.)
Who do you call when your Empire is in Trouble
DIOCLETIAN!!! 284 – 305 CE– A Spanish born Emperor he tries to restore stability
Let’s divide it up!!! Empire is divided into for parts Secure the Borders Stop Inflation Restore the Gods An Emperor should look like an Emperor
THE DIVIDED ROME- Eastern and Western Capital
The Capital Moves!!! On to Constantinople
Moves the Capital from Rome to Byzantium which becomes known as “Constantinople”---today its’ Istanbul
Christianizes Rome
306-337 AD
Christianity becomes the New Religion
Battle of Milvian Bridge
The last Century – 5th
Attila the Hun not the one in the Disney Movie---on the outskirts of Rome– Pope Leo I makes a deal
Romulus Augustulus to Odoacer The last Roman Emperor- IN THE WEST
– 476 CE– Eastern Empire has another 1000 years
before it completely collapses– Visigoth ODOACER takes control
Goths and other BarbariansPants!!!
Western Europe ruled by Barbarians!!! A Sea of Instability
The East Still Lives