The Fall of the Roman Empire

• Hostile tribes outside of the boundaries of the empire and pirates of the Mediterranean Sea disrupted trade.
• Having reached their limit of expansion, the Romans lacked new sources of gold and silver
• Desperate for revenue, the government raised taxes.
• The economy soon suffered from inflation, a drastic drop in the value of money coupled with a rise in prices.
• Agriculture faced equally serious problems 
• Harvests in Italy and Western Europe became increasingly meager because overworked soil had lost its fertility 
• Years of war had destroyed much farmland 
• Eventually, serious food shortages and disease spread and the population declined
• To defend against the increasing threats to the empire, the government began to recruit mercenaries
• Overtime, Roman soldiers in general had become less disciplined and loyal
• Feelings of loyalty eventually weakened among average citizens as well. 
• In 284, Diocletian, a strong-willed army leader, became the new emperor 
• Diocletian doubled the size of the Roman Army and sought to control inflation by setting fixed prices for goods