Why Did Rome Collapse?

[Winterhaze13]

In this forum I would very much want to discuss the topic that Historians have been debating over for years, The Fall of Rome? It is without a doubt the most debatiable subject in history.

[Primus Pilus]

Unfortunately, most people, including historians, would never place the entire blame on a single event. Each is a problem unto itself or may be a symptom of some other ill, but they collectively destroyed the western administrative system. I can't pick a single event even for the sake of argument, knowing that each played its own role. History may have been different even with mild alterations to any or each.

[Fafnir]

Although the Germanic invasions is one of the most obvious reasons why the Western Empire fell, their fall can be attributed to many more reasons then that. I believe that it was a combination of problems within and outside of the Empire that led to their ultimate demise.

 

- The Faffy One

[Ursus]

The constant civil wars took soldiers from the frontier posts. When a general won a civil war, he had to pay his soldiers - so he coined a lot of money, which debased the currency. Amidst the growing internal problems, the Empire was less able to maintain its border defenses, and the Germanic barbarians started taking up residence and carving out their own kingdoms. By the empire's end, people were paying a lot of money into a system that simply wasn't working, and many provincials preferred the simple overlordship of petty Germanic barbarian lords to the dysfunctional empire.

[pompeius magnus]

Christianity was the main cause. read my christianity topic in the temple section

[Guest tazman_31]

Your right. Christianity was the problem. They ended up going all soft towards the so call finders of god they rebeld and bam. They destroyed themselves!

[Lex]

Actually, I think it was to a large part due to the pathetic and careless emperors of the late empire. I mean, Honorius basically did nothing to prevent Alaric from entering Italy and Valentinian had his most capable military leader (Aetius) killed. So for me, it was down to extremely poor and careless leadership that led to the fall.

 

I believe that an able and brave emperor could have saved the West.

[Lacertus]

Rome repeatedly resisted to Germen, they became habitual "disaster", and if not set of the reasons which have arisen simultaneously, Rome could cope with them. I think, the Christianity was a principal cause of falling of Rome. It had weakened foundations of the strong state, had split it and has deprived of power. The christianity and Roman empire could not exist together.

[Iulius]

i chose civil wars brcaue they weakend and corrupted the romans to allow for the invasion by the germans

[Winterhaze13]

It looked as if the cost of defending such a vast empire became too much for Rome. Early on it looked as if they would be able to defeat any Germanic tribe in battle, but later on they became more capable militarily and Rome could not defeat all of them.

[Zeke]

There are several reasons why it fell. Germanic Invasion and the rebel generals being a big part. Christianity could have something to do with it as well.

 

Zeke

[Guest Scanderbeg]

I just can't see how it's possible to say that a religion brought down the Empire. Sure there wasn't as much a feeling of unity like before but look at the Eastern Empire? It stayed alive and well for a thousand years. During the Middle-Ages it was the closest naton that could be considered a "super power". All this and while at the sametime being heavily devout.

[Zeke]

Since this isn't the temple I will look at this through a non religious point of view. The Germans were the main cause of the empire's fall I mean you can't hold back all those restless Barbarians forever, I mean the forests of Germany (rainy and cold) can only hold so much! Though I belief religion had something to deall with it I won't go into it.

 

Zeke

[Guest Sextus]

i think that the germanic invasions were the consequence of a problem within the Empire. Its foundations were built on a strong military. By the 3rd century, a philosopher was complaining that the legions did not build a camp anymore at each station. It is true that by this date, the armies were composed by a lot of german soldiers. The financial problems and christianity added even more.

[Guest Scanderbeg]

edit:oops posted in the wrong topic.