| The Roman Empire did not fall because it was overextended, and certainly it never ventured beyond Western Europe, the Balkans, North Africa, and Asia Minor. It fell because it would not fight its own battles, but protected its borders from barbarian incursion through a combination of tribute and the hiring of mercenaries, generally semi- civilized Germans who lived near the borders. It fell, also, because of a system of tax farming which encouraged exploitation, and inhibited enterprise. Finally, it fell because the leaders of the Empire became more concerned with court intrigue and hedonism than with honest administration and the fulfillment of duty. Ironically, Theodoric the Ostrogoth, who finally brought the Western Empire to an end, started to march on Rome due to a pay dispute with the Emperor. He was so in awe of Roman achievements that he refused to claim the title of Emperor, and allowed the Senate a sort of shadowy, honorary existence. Don't forget, though, that the Eastern Empire lasted until the fall of Constantinople in the 15th century, after a few centuries of incursions by Arabs and Turks. The Ottoman Turks finally dealt the death blow, and, again, decadence within had something to do with the inability to resist. Nevertheless, the Roman Empire existed, in one form or another, for about 15 centuries, and if one includes the Republic, Rome lived for a couple of millennia. Not bad....... |
