Fall of the Roman Empire | World History | Khan Academy

Summary

This video script explores the decline of the Roman Empire, highlighting the transition from the Pax Romana to the Third Century Crisis, marked by instability and corruption. It discusses Diocletian's administrative split of the empire, the rise of Christianity under Constantine, and the empire's fragmentation by external pressures and internal factors. The script ponders the reasons for Rome's fall, considering division, economic stagnation, military allegiance shifts, and the influence of Christianity, before concluding with the empire's eventual dissolution into the Middle Ages.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Pax Romana, starting from 27 BCE to the reign of Marcus Aurelius, was a period of relative stability and peace for the Roman Empire.
• 👑 The reign of Commodus marked the beginning of a decline in the quality of Roman emperors, leading to increased corruption and instability.
• 🔍 The assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander in 235 CE initiated the Third Century Crisis, a 50-year period of chaos with 26 claimants to the throne and the temporary division of the empire.
• 🏰 Diocletian's ascension in 284 CE ended the Third Century Crisis and he is known for persecuting Christians and dividing the empire into East and West for administrative purposes.
• 👥 The tetrarchy system established by Diocletian included a co-emperor and second-in-command for each to ensure smoother succession.
• 🕊️ Constantine the Great embraced Christianity, legalizing it and moving the empire's capital to Constantinople, named after him.
• 📜 The Council of Nicaea and the Nicaean Code under Constantine established a uniform doctrine for Christianity.
• 🛡️ Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, marking a significant shift from Diocletian's persecution of Christians.
• ⚔️ The Gothic Wars, culminating in the Battle of Adrianople, saw the Visigoths decisively defeating the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens and sacking Rome in 410.
• 🏰 The capital of the Western Roman Empire was moved from Rome to Ravenna for defensive reasons during the rule of Theodosius.
• 🏛️ The Western Roman Empire effectively ended with the ousting of the emperor in Ravenna by the Germanic ruler Odoacer, leading to fragmentation and the onset of the Middle Ages.

Q & A

What does the term 'Pax Romana' refer to in the context of the Roman Empire?

The term 'Pax Romana' refers to the period of relative stability and peace in the Roman Empire, which lasted for the first 200 years after Augustus established the empire in 27 BCE until the reign of Marcus Aurelius.

How did the Roman Empire's stability change after the death of Marcus Aurelius?

After the death of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Empire's stability declined with the succession of less competent emperors, leading to increased corruption and instability within the empire.

What significant event marked the beginning of the 'Third Century Crisis' in the Roman Empire?

The 'Third Century Crisis' began with the assassination of Emperor Severus Alexander in 235 CE, which led to a period of intense instability and frequent changes in leadership.

How many claimants to the throne were there during the 50-year 'Third Century Crisis'?

During the 50-year 'Third Century Crisis', there were 26 claimants to the Roman imperial throne.

What was the main reason Diocletian decided to split the Roman Empire into East and West?

Diocletian believed that the empire had become too vast and difficult to administer, with too many borders to defend, which led him to split it into East and West for better administrative control.

What was the 'tetrarchy' system established by Diocletian?

The 'tetrarchy' was a system where Diocletian and his co-emperor each had a second-in-command, ensuring a smoother succession in case of death or retirement, to address the issues of succession wars during the 'Third Century Crisis'.

Which emperor is known for embracing Christianity and making it legal under Roman rule?

Emperor Constantine is known for embracing Christianity, convening the Council of Nicaea, and issuing the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity legal under Roman rule.

What significant change did Emperor Theodosius make regarding the status of Christianity in the Roman Empire?

Emperor Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, marking a significant shift from the earlier persecution of Christians under Diocletian.

What event is considered by most historians as the end of the Western Roman Empire?

The end of the Western Roman Empire is considered to be when the Germanic ruler General Odoacer ousted the emperor in Ravenna, effectively ending the Western Empire as it was known.

What factors contributed to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire?

Factors contributing to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire include the division of the empire, economic stagnation, the influence of the Huns causing migrations, the integration of Germanic tribes into the Roman military, possible effects of Christianity on unity and loyalty, corruption, and external invasions.