The Empire Crumbles

The Roman Empire may have declined because there were many weak and corrupt emperors after

Commodus, the army was filled with mercenaries, or because the Roman economy had weakened.

To halt the decline, the emperor Diocletian divided the empire in two.

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The Fate of Ancient RomeSection 3: The Fall of Rome

MapMaster: Invasions of the Roman Empire to A.D. 476

From Good Rule to Bad

The decline of the Roman Empire began with Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius. He contributed to

the destruction of senatorial power. He made a spectacle of himself. He was assassinated on the last

night of the year 192.

The Romans Accept Christianity

When Constantine won power in the Western Roman Empire, he allowed freedom of worship. He

worked to strengthen the Christian church and unite Eastern and Western factions. He moved the

capital to Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople.

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The Fate of Ancient RomeSection 3: The Fall of Rome

The Defeat of Rome

After Constantine’s death, Germanic tribes conquered and divided the Western Roman Empire.

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