| There were several causes of the downfall of the Roman Empire. The division of the Empire hurt, by creating undue rivalry and inadequate coordination of policy. Allowing the Praetorian Guard to affect succession was a recipe for pandering Emperors. The general moral decline of the upper classes led to a perverse toleration of occasion moral imbeciles on the throne. But the two main problems were, first, overtaxation to bribe the Roman mob and keep it from insurrection (Bread and Circuses), and to promote luxury at the court. Add to the overtaxation of the productive the propensity to use tax farmers, contractors who were often ruthless and greedy in exacting their assessments, and the economy suffered greatly, as did morale. The second main problem was the decline of civic pride and the martial spirit, and the increasing reliance on semi- barbaric, mercenary German tribes and bribery to secure the Roman frontiers. Eventually, in fact, the fall of Rome derived from a dispute over pay between the Western Emperor and the Ostrogoths. Theodoric sacked the City, but such was his awe of Rome that he refused to claim the title of Emperor. Instead, he had himself made senator. Not until Charlemagne did anyone claim the crown..... |
