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
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