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Rome: The fall of the Western Roman Empire
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True or false? During the fifth century the city of Rome gets its wheat from the province Africa.
What was that? That was the Roman Empire splitting. When Theodosius died the Roman Empire was divided into two: The Western and The Eastern Roman Empire. And it will get worse. Yes...
The Western empire will fall. It has less than a hundred years remaining. How come such a large empire can fall? This is not due to one event, it's something that has taken place over a long time. In the second century, during the reign of Traianus, the Empire is at its biggest.
Just look how big. It's almost impossible to keep such a large empire together. A lot of soldiers are needed along the borders, and that's expensive. While the Romans were conquering new areas, they got money from the spoils of war, but now when the empire is no longer expanding, this money must come from within the empire. Taxes increase.
Particularly on farming. Also, without wars of conquest there are no prisoners of war. Fewer prisoners of war means fewer slaves. Slaves work, among other places, on the farms. Fewer slaves means that the farms produce less food.
But the farm owners still need to pay their taxes. During the crisis of the third century, the empire is badly mismanaged. Taxes increase even more. Finally the citizens can't afford to pay any more. The empire has difficulty paying the army.
The borders are weakening. When Diocletianus divides the empire into four areas, the city of Rome stops being the most important place in the empire. Constantine and the emperors following him invest more in the Eastern half. Theodosius fortifies Constantinople and strengthens the army in the east. But the western part is somewhat forgotten.
Who are these? Ah, it's a tribe from Central Asia that rides in and raids Europe in the 370s. The Huns. But here, north of the Empire live some Germanic tribes: Goths and Vandals. The Goths flee the Huns, to the south.
This is Valens and Valentianus, who are emperors at this time. Wotcha, Caesar! Is it okay if my Goths move into the Roman Empire? The Huns are bloody scary! Will you help us defend ourselves against the Huns then?
Of course! They move in. But the governor of this area treats the Goths badly. They endure very harsh conditions. Finally they rebel.
Valens dies in the fighting. Now more Goths cross over the border, as do other tribes. The Goths consists of several groups, like the Visigoths. Theodosius hires Visigoths as soldiers. This is their leader: Alaric.
Alaric is angry! He has fought on Theodosius side, and lost many men. He believes a reward for him and his men is appropriate. But they don't get one... So Alaric's Visigoths leave the army.
But what are they doing? They are looting Greece! How can the Romans stop him. He can't be allowed to ransack the whole empire. To calm Alaric down, the Romans give him this area, eastern Illyricum.
The Visigoths are also promised food - which doesn't arrive! Infuriating! They march into Italy and surround the city of Rome. The Romans give in and pay a ransom. The Visigoths leave again.
But they are not satisfied. In the year 410, they march against Rome again. This time they sack the city. Alaric wants to go here, the province of Africa. This is where the city of Rome gets all it's wheat, and Alaric wants to get control of that.
Without wheat the Romans will starve. But a storm damages Alaric's fleet, and he dies soon after from fever. Now the western empire can relax... but not for long. Because now the Vandals conquer Africa, and stop the Romans' wheat.
I am hungry. And: in the year 450 the Vandals sack the city of Rome. Poor Romans. Now there's not much left of the empire. Europe is mostly made up of Germanic kingdoms.
In 476, the Germanic people depose the emperor. This marks the end of the Western Roman Empire, and the period we call Antiquity. Now is the start of the Middle Ages. Wait... what about the Eastern Roman Empire?
It remains a great power; the Byzantine Empire.