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In the A.D. 200s Rome's government weakened and began to fall apart. Soldiers and invaders destroyed crops and fields. People stopped growing crops and lost jobs and money. Then, a plague struck Rome. Many people started suffering from the inflation. They began to bater, or trade, goods.
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During this time a general named Diocletian became emperor. He introduced new political reforms. Since the empire was too big for one person to rule, he split it up into four parts. He named officials but ruled over all. To slow inflation, he set rules for the prices of goods and for workers to be paid in wages. His reforms ultimately failed and Diocletian did not have enough power to make them listen.
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After Diocletian retired from office, another general named Constantine became emperor. As the new emperor, he issued a new set of rules. The sons of the citizens had to follow in any job their father had once done. His changes did not stop his decline in the west. Constantine then moved the capital to a new city in the east called Constantinople. Modern-day Constantinople is now Istanbul.
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In A.D. 337 Constantine died. This caused fighting to break out again. Then a new emperor named Theodosius gained control and stopped the fighting.
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In the late 300s, the Huns invaded Eastern Europe and defeated the Ostrogoths, a Germanic group. The Visigoths, another Germanic group, feared the would be nest so they asked the Eastern Roman Empire for help. They settled into Rome and promised to be loyal to them. Not after a long time living there, there was trouble between the two nations.
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After their mistreatment, the Visigoths rebelled against the Romans. They defeated the Roman army in the Battle of Adrianople. After their defeat, Rome has to surrender land to the Visigoths.
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During A.D. 395 Rome split into two. The Western Roman Empire, with its capital as Rome. And the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital as Constantinople.
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Many of the different Germanic tribes knew that Rome could now not defend itself. More tribes started to cross Roman borders. In the winter, the Rhine River in Western Europe froze. Many Germanic tribes crossed the river and entered Gaul (modern day France).
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At this time the Visigoth leader, Alaric, and the soldiers captured Rome. It was the first time Rome has been captured in 800 years.
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A Germanic group names the Vandals enslaved Roman landowners then sailed to Italy. In A.D. 455 they renenterd Rome and spent days buring everything.
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During this year, a Germanic leader took control overthrowing the western emperor, Romulus Augustulus. He was the last ruler of the Western Roman Empire.
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By this time the Western Roman Empire was completely gone. Although it was gone, many different beliefs and ways are still with us today.
