Collapse of the Roman Empire

By yewonjang
  • 27 BCE

    Start of Roman Empire

    Start of Roman Empire
    The Roman Empire is established in 27 BCE after the end of the Roman Republic. Octavian is appointed as "Augustus", meaning "first emperor" by the Roman Senate. Image URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus
  • Period: 27 BCE to 180

    Pax Romana

    Pax Romana translates to "Roman peace" and it was the time period of tranquility and minimal military expansion in the Roman Empire. This was the peak of the Roman Empire's land mass. It began during the reign of Augustus until the reign of Marcus Aurelius.
  • Period: 235 to 284

    Crisis of the Third Century

    The time period where the Roman Empire almost collapsed due to a combination of invasions, civil war, plague and economic depression. The crisis began in 235 AD when emperor Alexander Severus was assassinated. There were raids by Germanic peoples across the borders, generals of the Roman army fought each other for control of the Empire, the economy was getting ruined by hyperinflation, Rome's internal trade network started to deteriorate, there were revolts, and Christian persecutions.
  • 285

    Split into East and West

    Split into East and West
    The Roman Empire is split into Western and Eastern Roman Empires by emperor Diocletian because he deemed it impossible to govern all of the empire. Image URL: http://explorethemed.com/fallrome.asp?c=1
  • 313

    Edict of Milan

    Edict of Milan
    Eastern ruler Constantine declares official toleration of Christianity and ends Diocletian persecutions of Christians. This starts the rise of Christianity. Image URL: https://medievalmilanetc.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/the-edit-of-milan/
  • 378

    Battle of Adrianopole

    Eastern Roman Emperor Valens attacked barbaric Visigoths with the Eastern field army and was quickly slaughtered and defeated.
  • 395

    Death of Theodosius

    Death of Theodosius
    Theodosius I was a Roman Emperor who died after suffering from a disease in AD 395. Soon after his death, his army deteriorated and Goths continued their unrelentless raids. The Empire was left to his two sons who were both unfit to rule and led to disaster. Image URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodosius_I#Death_and_legacy
  • 410

    First Sack of Rome

    First Sack of Rome
    Rome was attacked by Alaric of the Visigoths. It was the first time in almost 800 years where Rome had fallen to a foreign enemy. It was shocking and St. Jerome wrote, "the city which had taken the whole world was itself taken."
    Image URL: http://www.history.com/news/6-infamous-sacks-of-rome
  • Period: 440 to 454

    Huns Attack

    The Huns raid north of Constantinople and demand higher payments of tribute. When Eastern Emperor Marcian refuses, Atilla and the Huns attack Gaul, until they are eventually defeated.
  • 455

    Second Sack of Rome

    Vandals from North Africa sack Rome. They knocked down all of the city's aqueducts, murdered some Roman citizen, looted some of the city's treasures, and damaged some objects of cultural significance.
  • 476

    Fall of Rome

    The official end of the Roman Empire when emperor Romulus Augustus is deposed by the barbarian general Odoacer.
  • 480

    Death of Last Western Emperor

    The last Western Roman emperor Julius Nepos gets assassinated.
    This is the unofficial end of the Western Roman Empire. A year prior, Nepos was plotting against Odoacer to try to regain control of Italy.