Downfall of Rome essays

Downfall of Rome essays Two brothers began to fight over who was going to settle on the great peninsula of Italy, Romulus and Remus both saw what this great fertile land had to offer. Eventually, Romulus won the fight by killing his brother. In 753 B.C., Romulus planted The Roman Roots where they started to grow into the giant Sequoia and develop one of the greatest civilizations in history. The city of Rome was founded. The empire was prosperous and strong, but eventually experienced a downfall, all starting with its division into two separate empires. The Western Roman Empire had internal decay in political and military issues, economics, and religion, thus causing the fall of Rome The political and military state of Rome started to become corrupted and declined after the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180 A.D.. When he died, his spoiled son, Commodus, took over. Commodus was a poor leader causing civil wars and tribes around the Mediterranean to invade. To deal with the invasions, by spend thousands of dollars on imported glass and silks and other precious item for himself and his palace. the size of the Roman army was increased. Serfs, one of the largest and lowest groups of the population, were not allowed to serve in the army. Patricians, high upper class and plebeians or middle class, looked at serfs as if they were "bound to the soil.... excluded them from political responsibilities.(The Course of Civilization) Many foreigners, especially Germans, took part in the army, as mercenaries. With outsiders joining the army, the army did not succeed. These people did not have the same drive as a Roman, to protect the empire. Rome had to bring in mercenaries and s upport the army which took money, money the empire didn't have. In order to raise money for the army, the government raised taxes. With these political and military issues, the empire weakened, and so did the economics. Economics of the empire hit an all time low with continued spe...