The Failure of Rome’s Economy and the Fall of the Roman...

The failure of Rome’s economy contributed majorly to the fall of Rome. The Roman Economy during the late Republic and Early Empire was based heavily on Agriculture and Commerce. Agriculture in ancient Rome was not only a necessity, but was idealized among the social elite as a way of life. Cicero had considered agriculture to be the best of all Roman Occupations (Sarudy). There had been a lot of trading between the provinces of the empire, and all regions of the empire were largely economically interdependent. Egypt was also important in providing wheat to Rome. Shipments of Egyptian wheat may have amounted to 20 million modii (an Ancient Roman measurement) or more annually. Twenty million modii of wheat was nearly enough for up to half†¦show more content†¦Emperor Domitian, who ruled from 81 A.D. to 96 A.D., had left the Roman Empire in a nearly balanced economy during the greater part of his reign. It is estimated that Domitian’s annual income was more than 1,200 million sestertii (Roman Currency) which over one-third would presumably have been spent maintaining the Roman army. The other major of major expense was the extensive reconstruction of Rome (Domitian). An Emperor that greatly impacted the Roman economy was Nero, who ruled from 54 A.D. to 68 A.D. When complaints arose that the poor were overly taxed, Nero attempted to repeal all indirect taxes. The Senate convinced him that this action would bankrupt the public treasury. In result, Nero cut taxes from 4.5% to 2.5% (Bluejayblog) Government taxes were also ordered to become public. In order to lower the cost of food imports, Nero declared that merchant ships were tax-exempt. After Rome burned in 64, Nero enacted a public relief effort to restore Rome. For a few construction projects, he created the large Domus Aurea and attempted to have a canal dug at the Isthmus of Corinth. However, these projects had cost vast amounts of money which quickly drained the economy. Eventually dur ing Nero’s reign, he had devalued Roman Currency for the first time in Roman History. Weight reduced of the denarius from 1/84 per Roman pound to 1/96 per Roman pound (3.90 grams to 3.4 grams) (Comparette). Weight of the aureus dropped fromShow MoreRelatedThe Rise Of The Roman Empire1611 Words   |  7 PagesRome was an empire with extremely high aspirations and expectations from. Its founders chose to steal women from neighboring villages, in order to grow its population. These aggressive and expansionary ideologies remained within the personalities of every Roman, living inside the great empire 755 years later. And yet despite its vast military presence and growing cities and towns, the Roman Empire and its capital still succumbed to a barbarian takeover. This was widely regarded as one of the greatestRead MoreEssay about The Fall of the Roman Empire1275 Words   |  6 PagesThe Fall of the Roman Empire A reason that leads to Romes inability to remain self-sustaining as an Empire was its lack of technology. Technological advance did not increase at a rate proportional to the increase of the people per square mile. This lead to the inability of the Romans to become self-sustaining. Once again the slave trade was a reason that their technology levels failed to increase. The bulk of work done in the Roman Empire was always carried out by the slaves. This providedRead MoreChristianity And The Fall Of The Western Roman Empire1349 Words   |  6 Pagesand the fall of the Western Roman Empire as it related to theatre but I was intrigued to learn more. It didn’t seem sensible that the fall of the Western Empire would be placed, even a little, on the rise of Christianity during that time. It didn’t seem sensible for two reasons. The first reason is that Jesus Christ, in whom the Christians believed, had been born, lived, and crucified over 400 years before the Empire fe ll. His lifetime spanned only until the second emperor of the Roman Empire, beforeRead MoreThe Fall Of The Roman Empire1419 Words   |  6 PagesThe Roman Empire was a powerful governing body of extensive political and social structures throughout western civilization. How did this empire fall and were internal factories responsible? Slow occurrences in succession to one another led to the fall of the empire rather than one single event. The fall of the Roman Empire was a combination of both internal and external pressures, not just one, leading up to the complete decay of the cities—Rome and Constantinople. However, one could argue how oneRead MoreHow Did Civil War Affect The Fall Of Rome?1761 Words   |  8 Pagesthe following question; how did civil war effect the fall of Rome? The time period of focus will be between 235 and 476 CE. The location will be Rome, Italy, the Mediterranean Sea, and the surrounding areas once held by the Roman Empire. This investigation will a ddress the following issues; what were the effects of civil war and how these effects contributed to the fall of Rome. This topic is important from a historical standpoint because the fall of Rome transformed Italy and surrounding countriesRead MoreEssay on Roman Influence on Byzantine Empire and Islamic Societies1584 Words   |  7 PagesMother of the World â€Å"The mother of the world has been killed,† stated a 5th century historian, bereft and appalled when the news of Rome’s fall had reached ear. Certainly his words hold truth, for Rome - the dauntingly colossal Empire engulfing the Mediterranean and all territories around it; the source of artistic, intellectual, and cultural ascendancy; the influential factor of brilliance in so many of the coexisting societies of the western world - was truly the predecessor and creator of allRead MoreThe Rise of Four Empires in 300 B.C. to 200 B.C. Essay922 Words   |  4 PagesThe great empires that flourished between 300 B.C.E and 200 B.C.E. can all be broken down into the four factors the contributed to their rise. Although each empire faced prolonged periods of conflict, all four empires succeeded in imposing unity and order among the people. The rise of these empires can be attributed to four specific factors crucial to their construction. The factors crucial to the rise of the great empires included having a centralized form of leadership with enforced uniform legalRead MoreAncient Bc : Rome As A Collection Of Small Wooden Huts2725 Words   |  11 PagesRome began as a collection of small wooden huts on a group of 7 hills near the River Tiber in central Italy. Legend says however, that Romulus and his twin brother Remus founded the city of Rome on the 21st of April 753 BC. According to the legend, Rome’s origins can be traced back to Aeneas, who, after the destruction of Troy, approached the coasts of Latium and founded the city of Alba Longa after marrying the daughter of the Latin king. When Proclus, the last king died, he left the reign to hisRead MoreThe Fall Of The Roman Empire1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe Fall of Rome HIST534 A001 Sum 15 American Military University David Provencher (ID# 4358187) July 30, 2015 The fall of the Roman Empire is one of the most discussed and debated events in ancient history. Many historians site the date of 476 A. D. as the day the empire ended, but there are also many that say that the 476 A.D. date is subjective because it took many years of internal problems and neglect for the empire to come to an end. Even from the beginning of the Empire underRead MoreHist10412 Essay1952 Words   |  8 PagesModule title: World History Module code: HIST10412 Module leader: Dr Nicholas Morton Seminar leader: Amy Fuller Assignment title: Essay: To what extent would you agree that economic growth is always the primary factor underpinning the rise of any Empire? Explain your answer with reference to at least two case-studies Word count: I confirm that this is my own work and that I have complied with University Assessment Regulations. Yes To be completed by the marker: 1st marker: 2nd marker: Assessment