USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Fall of the Roman Empire ~ October 14, 2003

Killeenroos.com ^ | October 14, 2003 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday...
Thank the Veterans who served in
The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom?
Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

 

ANCIENT WARFARE

Fall of the Roman Empire

Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire
All left Rome open to outside invaders
adapted from History Alive material

There were many reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Each one intertwined with the next. Many even blame the introduction of Christianity for the decline. Christianity made many Roman citizens into pacifists, making it more difficult to defend against the barbarian attackers. Also money used to build churches could have been used to maintain the empire. Although some argue that Christianity may have provided some morals and values for a declining civilization and therefore may have actually prolonged the imperial era.

Decline in Morals and Values

Caligula (Gaius Caesar)
 

Those morals and values that kept together the Roman legions and thus the empire could not be maintained towards the end of the empire. Crimes of violence made the streets of the larger cities unsafe. Even during PaxRomana there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome. Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests ate and drank until they became ill. The most popular amusement was watching the gladiatorial combats in the Colosseum. These were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on.

Public Health

Roman Aqueducts
 

There were many public health and environmental problems. Many of the wealthy had water brought to their homes through lead pipes. Previously the aqueducts had even purified the water but at the end lead pipes were thought to be preferable. The wealthy death rate was very high. The continuous interaction of people at the Colosseum, the blood and death probably spread disease. Those who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today. Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency of the general public.

Political Corruption

 

One of the most difficult problems was choosing a new emperor. Unlike Greece where transition may not have been smooth but was at least consistent, the Romans never created an effective system to determine how new emperors would be selected. The choice was always open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, the Praetorian Guard (the emperor's's private army), and the army. Gradually, the Praetorian Guard gained complete authority to choose the new emperor, who rewarded the guard who then became more influential, perpetuating the cycle. Then in 186 A. D. the army strangled the new emperor, the practice began of selling the throne to the highest bidder. During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors - 25 of whom were removed from office by assassination. This contributed to the overall weaknesses of the empire.

Unemployment

 

During the latter years of the empire farming was done on large estates called latifundia that were owned by wealthy men who used slave labor. A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods as cheaply. Many farmers could not compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. This not only undermined the citizen farmer who passed his values to his family, but also filled the cities with unemployed people. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 people in Rome alone. These people were not only a burden but also had little to do but cause trouble and contribute to an ever increasing crime rate.

Inflation

 

The roman economy suffered from inflation (an increase in prices) beginning after the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped conquering new lands, the flow of gold into the Roman economy decreased. Yet much gold was being spent by the romans to pay for luxury items. This meant that there was less gold to use in coins. As the amount of gold used in coins decreased, the coins became less valuable. To make up for this loss in value, merchants raised the prices on the goods they sold. Many people stopped using coins and began to barter to get what they needed. Eventually, salaries had to be paid in food and clothing, and taxes were collected in fruits and vegetables.

Urban decay

(archeological site)
 

Wealthy Romans lived in a domus, or house, with marble walls, floors with intricate colored tiles, and windows made of small panes of glass. Most Romans, however, were not rich, They lived in small smelly rooms in apartment houses with six or more stories called islands. Each island covered an entire block. At one time there were 44,000 apartment houses within the city walls of Rome. First-floor apartments were not occupied by the poor since these living quarters rented for about $00 a year. The more shaky wooden stairs a family had to climb, the cheaper the rent became. The upper apartments that the poor rented for $40 a year were hot, dirty, crowed, and dangerous. Anyone who could not pay the rent was forced to move out and live on the crime-infested streets. Because of this cities began to decay.

Inferior Technology

 

During the last 400 years of the empire, the scientific achievements of the Romans were limited almost entirely to engineering and the organization of public services. They built marvelous roads, bridges, and aqueducts. They established the first system of medicine for the benefit of the poor. But since the Romans relied so much on human and animal labor, they failed to invent many new machines or find new technology to produce goods more efficiently. They could not provide enough goods for their growing population. They were no longer conquering other civilizations and adapting their technology, they were actually losing territory they could not longer maintain with their legions.

Military Spending

 

Maintaining an army to defend the border of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant drain on the government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing and maintaining quality roads and aqueducts. Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which in turn led again to increased inflation.

THE FINAL BLOWS

St. Severinus and Odacer
 

For years, the well-disciplined Roman army held the barbarians of Germany back. Then in the third century A. D. the Roman soldiers were pulled back from the Rhine-Danube frontier to fight civil war in Italy. This left the Roman border open to attack. Gradually Germanic hunters and herders from the north began to overtake Roman lands in Greece and Gaul (later France). Then in 476 A. D. the Germanic general Odacer or Odovacar overthrew the last of the Roman Emperors, Augustulus Romulus. From then on the western part of the Empire was ruled by Germanic chieftain. Roads and bridges were left in disrepair and fields left untilled. Pirates and bandits made travel unsafe. Cities could not be maintained without goods from the farms, trade and business began to disappear. And Rome was no more in the West.
 

For additional information, please click the links below:

Best of Gibbon's DECLINE & FALL of the Roman Empire

The Collapse of the Roman Empire

Fall of Rome

 

[Radix]

 

Spc. Justin Rush, 20, from Raymore, Mo., watches for any threats during a raid in Mosul, Iraq. Soldiers with 3rd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) executed a “cordon and knock” here Monday and found little evidence of the once thriving activity in weapons sales that has waned after nearly a dozen raids on the site.

 

 

 

Soldiers secure the area around the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad after a car bomb exploded Tuesday at the gates of the building, killing two people and injuring three.

 

 

 

 

A soldier gives directions as he secures the area around the Turkish on Tuesday.

 

 

 

A soldier directs cars at a checkpoint as Baghdad remains under tight security Monday after a car bomb hit the Baghdad Hotel, killing at least 6 and wounding more than 30 others.

 

 

 

The Navy’s Ceremonial Guard bow their heads Monday at the “The Lone Sailor” statue in Washington, D.C., during a ceremony to mark the Navy’s 228th birthday.

 

 

 

Members of a Navy honor guard march across the Navy Memorial Plaza at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Monday.

 

 

 

Army Staff Sgt. Adam Smith, 30, from Lawton, Okla., with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), keeps an eye on traffic Sunday as he leads a convoy through Mosul.

 

Objects in mirror are larger than they appear.

 

 

 

Spc. Andrew Impson, 21, from Tonkawa, Okla., with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), scans the side of Highway 1 in Mosul for bombs during an improvised explosive device patrol Tuesday morning.

 

 

 

 

Spc. Andrew Impson scans Highway 1 for bombs Tuesday. Soldiers use vehicle and foot patrols to search roadsides for bombs every morning.

 

 

 

Soldiers secure the Turkish Embassy where windows were shattered after a car bomb exploded near the gates Tuesday.

 

 

Thank you Troops for one more day at the office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[radu]

Still no water??? Bummer. I can pipe some down from NY for a small fee!!!!

Hubby just pulled in a minute ago so I'm off to help get that pump in. I'm sooooooo ready for a shower! LOL! Guess we saved that "small fee", huh? hehe! Bet we more than made up for it with the price of the new pump!! YIKES!

Catch ya in a bit!

[StarCMC]

http://www.amarinestory.com/index2.html

Check out this AWESOME website -- a story about a marine who was deployed in Enduring Freedom!

[StarCMC]

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Yesterday I spent all day running my 2 older kids around and taking my 2 yo to the doctor -- walking pneumonia and ear infection. Then I got to go -- bronchitis and sinuitis. Neddless to say I've been busy and not feeling great, but I'm getting better. I missed you all! :o)

[beachn4fun]

You two are soooooooooooo funny!

[StarCMC]

I hope you don't mind a little vanity on this thread, but aren't these just the cutest kids you've ever seen??

[beachn4fun]

That is so neat!

[Soaring Feather]

Where is my Little Diva????
Hey, Diva Mojo, I am missing you!!
Get your sweet self in here! LOL

[HiJinx]

They're a really good lookin' crew, but...

What's all that green stuff they're standin' on?

[StarCMC]

It's called GRASS -- not the same as weed! LOL!

[StarCMC]

Hey Jinxie - how's grandpa duty??

[SevenofNine]

Hey Tomkow I got word from Satan he is not too happy with Cubs

Because of Cubs might be going to World Series HELL FROZEN OVER

I just came from sport site that I hang out

Satan is not too pleased with Chicago Cubs

[HiJinx]

But, but...isn't that stuff supposed to be brown...?

(Sorry to hear about the flu, bronchitis, and whatever else -itis's are bugging your family. Hang in there, get to feelin' better soon, ok?)

[Hondo1952]

This why we are all here. If you haven't seen this check it out. Turn on your speakers.


http://www.cfpeople.org/military/911_Tribute.swf

[StarCMC]

We're gonna be fine -- nothing a pharmacy full of antibiotics won't fix -- I am feeling much batter today. I really missed this thread the past couple of days. I think I'm a FReeper Canteen junkie!

[Mr. Silverback]

The antennas, cannibals, and Tom Jones were so funny, they were worth reading twice! LOL!!!

Did I post those before and not realize it?

[HiJinx]

It's a cinch! All you gotta do is hold the little darlin', sing and coo to her, rock her, and give her back to Momma when she gets too fussy!

Actually, I enjoy trying to keep her happy and I know Mom likes having the time to do other things around the apartment.

And that's something that has worked out great. We bought the house because of the attached apartment 5 years ago...Mrs. HJs Mom stayed there her last 3 years...and now our oldest is living there. It just works out.

[Fawnn]

Did I post those before and not realize it?

I meant because gremlins caused a double post. (It was my failed attempt to make a joke about your joke. You didn't do anything wrong.)

(To the rest of you I haven't answered: Sorry, but I'm crashing already, so off to nap early. I got all stuff out and ready to start the writing/editing Web page stuff -- in between "coloring," of course -- and GROAN! the book edits arrived. Their timing sucks. LOL) ;)

Laterssssssssssss

[StarCMC]

GREAT WEBSITE -- THANKS FOR POSTING!! (Yes, I'm shouting!)

[tomkow6]

Hi, Radu!  Something's wrong with my Fat Cat!

 

 Do ya think I gave her too much catnip ?????