When we discuss Rome, certain things cross our minds. Their prowess was all over the engineering aspects, advanced military, religious practices, and along with everything, the sheer brutality of the regime. The Roman Empire significantly impacted various parts of the world, and there are also certain cases where it has affected the region’s development. For your curious mind, it all started back in the 8th century BC when Rome was just a tiny town located in the central part of Italy on the Tiber River. In the later years, this town will grow into an empire encompassing all over the Mediterranean, northern parts of Africa, a majority of Western Asia, and most parts of Europe. Once Julius Caesar took it to the throne, Rome was on track to become a vast empire that would rule most of the world. Before this, Rome was just a republic for almost five centuries. The empire’s fall was also destined and started in the 1st century BC. As the kingdom was spread across multiple continents, it’s hard to jot everything down here. We are going to discuss the rise & fall of the empire here.
Roman Empire A Glimpse At Its Rise And Fall
Where Did It All Begin?
Augustus Caesar was the first emperor of the Roman empire in 27 BC, and he is the ruler who will go on to be known as the one who restored peace and made Rome a republic nation again. He came into power with the brutal killing of Julius Caesar and was the ruler who tirelessly worked towards the independent working of the political offices. His subjects could, once again, feel the morale rising. He ruled for an extended 56-year period, and though during his reign, there were times when he faced severe turmoil, he was always admired by his subjects.
The Path Of Success
After Augustus, many emperors came, and history offers us enough data to put them under good and bad heads. For example, the third emperor after Augustus was Caligula. He showed his ruthless and demented behavior quite a few times during his reign. Another example of the loathed emperor is Nero, who ended up draining the entire Roman treasury. The ones who raised their voices questioning him for these deeds were brutally assassinated. However, these factors weren’t affecting the Roman empire, and the biggest strength of their back-to-back victories was their solid military power. The regions included in the kingdom were given to the appointed controllers, and citizens had to pay their taxes. These taxes were the primary source of the Roman treasury and the behind-the-scenes player of the empire’s stability.
The Path Of Success
How Did It Crumble?
Well, when all of it was good and joyous, where did the Romans go wrong is the question that might be popping up in your mind. There was no particular reason, and if we were to discuss the downfall, we’d have to go through a series of events that can be held responsibly. The primary factors of the collapse were religion, no funds in the treasury, hunger for power, and the military. The decline in a strong military power resulted in losing more lands and becoming vulnerable to outsiders. Apart from these four factors, a few key ones are slavery and looting. As Romans progressed, they made some laws about abolishing slavery, which ended in an increase in unemunemploymentnd chaos in the government’s distribution system. Furthermore, corruption and political controversies collapsed the vast empire, starting with Britain and Italy in the last.
