The Fall of the Western Roman Empire

The Fall of the Western Roman Empire

        The Western Empire fell in the year of 476 A.D. Perhaps the premier cause for this decline was a massive economic crisis. The second  and third cause for the decline of the Western Roman Empire was the military overspending and the goverment was losing the loyalty of the Roman citizens.

        The decline initiated as a result of the economic crisis. Eevn as Rome was under attack from outside forces, it was also crumbling from within thanks to a severe financial crisis. Constant wars, overspending, and extreme taxation and inflation had widened the gap between rich and poor. At the same time, the empire was rocked by a labor loss. Rome’s economy depended on slaves to do the fields and work as craftsmen, and its military might had traditionally provided a fresh influx of conquered peoples to put to work. But when the expansion grounded to a halt in the second century, Rome’s supply of slaves and other war treasures began to dry up.

        The Roman Emoire streched from the Alantic Ocean all the way to the Eurphrates River in the Middle East, but its glory may have also been its downfall. With such a big space to control, the empire faced an administrative and logistical nightmare. Even with their excellent road systems, the Romans were unable to communicate quickly or efficiently enough to manage. Rome struggled to assemble enough troops and resources to defend its fontiers from local rebellions and outside attacks. As more and more funds were put into the military upkeep of the empire, technological advancement slowed and Rome’s civil infrastructure fell into decay.

        Rome’s size made it difficult to govern, so ineffective and inconsistent leadership on served to maginify the problem. Being the Roman emporer had always been a typically dangerous job, but during the second and third centuries, it nearly became a death sentence. Civil war put the empire into chaos, and more than 20 men took the throne in 75 years, usually after the murder of the one before. The political rot also extended to the Roman Senate, which failed to temper the excesses of the emperor due to its own widespread corruption and inability. As the situation worsened, civic pride disappeared and Roman citizens lost trust in their leadership.