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Why Did Rome: The Fall Of Rome

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Many have wondered what caused Ancient Rome to fall, one of the most powerful empires in history, but there most likely isn’t a single reason for this mysterious event. These causes, although major or minor, did not make Rome fall in a single day. Over time they might have created a snowball effect ultimately leading to the end of Rome. The fall of the Roman Empire was caused by the constant threat of barbarians, restlessness of the rich, and corruption of the church. Since Rome was a gigantic, undoubtedly successful empire, making enemies was only natural. One of Rome’s enemies had been the ever growing barbarians. The writer Salvian writes, “So the poor are despoiled, the widows sigh, the orphans are oppressed, until many of them, born of families not obscure, and liberally educated, flee to our enemies that they may no longer suffer the oppression of public persecution” by this he was attempting to explain how such atrocities were being committed funneling Roman citizens to the barbarian population. Salvian later goes on to convey a powerful message about Roman citizens that would rather commit to an entirely new culture rather than be treated poorly in their own. Since Rome was using its resources on other things it did not have much to deal with the barbarians …show more content…
However, throughout the years Rome became a play-thing for these powerful individuals and lower class alike. Ammianus Macellinus states, “Yet when gold is pressed in their palm they will go with all activity as far as Spoletum!” By this he was telling how the city was afflicted by extreme greed. However, it wasn’t only the high class citizens who had their faults. Some would drink and gamble their life away without a care about what’s going on around them, such as the constant growth of Rome’s enemies. Because of the citizens the city focused more on entertainment rather than liberal

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