the fall of the Roman Empire

Constantine's Conversion

  • Roman emperor Constantine has a vision before the battle at Milvian Bridge 
  • Sees an image in the sky of a cross and the words "In this sign, conquer"
  • Orders troops to put a cross on shields 
  • Then they win!
Edict of Milan
  • Christianity becomes a religion which is recognized/approved by the emperor
  • It continues to gain strength
  • By 380, it becomes the empires official religion
Decline of the Roman Empire
  • While Christianity strengthens, Rome weakens 
  • Military is too weak to defend a huge area
  • Economy: taxes too high; widening gap between rich and poor; trade disrupted
  • Social: who cares about public affairs?; disloyalty; population decreases
  • Political: division of the empire(Constantine moved the capital to Byzantium)
  • The last Roman emperor was in 476
  • He was a 14 year old boy named Romulus Augustulus

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