Notes

Document Based Questions: The Fall of Rome

1. Trade was faltering by the second century, and trade was limited to only luxuries and premium items. Power was only subjected to officials or wealthy landowners which could have caused an uprising among people belonging to the lower or middle class. The document also mentions how foreign trade was curtailed by the eastern traders which could illustrate the instability of the Roman government and the lack of attention to trade, possibly due to warfare.

4. The reason Rome faced so many problems with uprisings from the peasants or the lower-middle class was probably due to the high taxes and the unfair laws between classes. The austere rules and constant battles among the people could have contributed to the eventual downfall of the Roman Empire.

5. The map illustrates the migration of various nomadic groups into central Europe during the years of 350-476 BCE. Since most of the nomadic groups are migrating directly into Rome, this could have caused warfare and lost resources and funds due to the constant fighting and overtaking of Rome, which could have led to the downfall. War takes up a lot of time, money, resources, and people. Constant fighting could have drained Rome to their downfall.

6. Through the image as well as the text, soldiers are unhappy and they don't want to fight anymore. For example, the text states that fatigue and heavy armor could get soldiers slaughtered and killed by their leaders or the generals. This mistreating of soldiers could have either led to an uprising within the soldiers or the depletion of the army which could have made it easier for the nomadic groups to take over Rome.

7. This document highlights the peak of the pax romana when Christianity was most prevalent due to the influence of Constantine. Since the emperor and government was so focused on uniting the church and state, they completely forgot about the military and the importance of protecting their territory from nomadic invaders like the Huns. Additionally, since a large portion of the public and private wealth was being diverted to the church, people must have gotten unhappy especially those who do not support the spreading of Christianity and they could have rebelled and caused an uprising, weakening the government even further.