Sorting Reasons for the Fall of Rome Directions: For each reason for the end of the Roman Empire, type whether you think it is Political, Military, Economic, or Social in the box to the left.

Bad emperors after Marcus Aurelius (180 C. E.)

Creative energy of Rome was destroyed because the empire was so unified (everyone doing the same thing)

Army made smaller to the point that it could not hold off Barbarian invasions

Christianity blamed for ruining the civic and moral spirit of Rome

Food shortages because of climate changes

Most land owned by a few rich people (patricians) after the Punic Wars (the latifundia, when wealthy Romans seized smaller farms and formed large farms under one owner)

Rome needed goods from its provinces (controlled lands)
instead of being self-sufficient

Rome did not produce anything to trade to other areas of the world

The cities declined because they were more concerned
with controlling far off lands than making goods

Civil wars, general instability and pirates after 180 C. E.

Government spent more money than it had leading to inflation

Wealthy Senators didn’t pay taxes

High taxes on the urban middle class

Mercenary armies not very loyal to Rome

Roman citizens avoiding military service

Bribery, corruption and too much bureaucracy (government)

Deaths because of warfare, famine, and disease

Use of slave labor led to revolts

Government capital moved from Rome to Constantinople

Widening gap between the rich patricians and poor plebeians