Why Did Rome Collapse?

[Guest Marius]

I don't think it was Cristianity. Why not?: Cristianity was crowing and by embrasing it Rome became more and more feared.

It think one of the big problems is the borders, tribes from one side to the other side of the border had already excisting relations and it was very easy to let warbands inside the Empire.

[Augur]

the Eastern Empire... During the Middle-Ages it was the closest naton that could be considered a "super power".

Actually, during the Middle Ages the dominant "super power" was the successive variations of the Islamic Empire, a dominance that eventually, under the Ottomans, obliterated the Eastern Empire. Which may explain why the once proud Constantinople has been called Istanbul for five centuries.

[Ceres]

"The fall of Rome was result of Emperor Constantine, his favour of the Christians, and his establishment of Constantinople as the new capital of the empire."

 

...Or that was my thesis of my senior research paper I just finished writing today... I really just like the word "Constantinople" and decided I should write a paper in which I can use that word several times.

[Virgil61]

I think that PerfectimusPrime has the answer that's closest to the truth and closer to the view that some [not all] contemporary historians hold. The civil wars and strife over succession in the 3rd century A.D. [235 and 284] resulted in a dramatic decrease in the quality of the Roman army. Legion versus legion was a particularly brutal affair as many of you know. Decades of nearly constant combat between legions led to fewer veterans to train new troops and resulted in a military formations and tactics that required less skilled legionairres to man the formations. By the 4th century the legions were a shadow of their former selves leading Diocletion to conduct a reform of the army which concentrated on greater numbers rather than quality.

 

Although I've got great respect for "The Decline and Fall..." I put little stock in Gibbon's claim that christianity was the cause. Certainly the pressure from barbarians and economic stagnation contributed, but in the end it was the lack of a decent policy of succession that resulted in the civil wars and the decline in military quality.

[Felix Marcellus]

I would have to say that Rome's downfall resulted more from corruption than any other single reason. The emperors were self serving. Setting the example for the officials under them to be the same. I don't know if this is true or not, but aren't there cases of local officials making their own little mini-treaties/pacts/agreements with foreign nations. I can't think of an actual incident of this, but I think I read about it somewhere.

[woad warrior]

i think it was barbarian invasion and civil wars

[woad warrior]

and they were spending to much $$$ on their gladiators etc.