The decline of the Roman Empire is not due to any one thing. It was due to the decline in population, loss land, and deception. The expansion of its empire was a key factor in the acceleration. The entire Roman Empire was estimated to have had between 50 and 90 million people at its peak during Emperor Augustus. It made it difficult to control the empire and led to disunity. Unsteadiness and disunity led to the decline of the Roman military which rendered them invulnerable to invasions.
Second, government and currency were destabilized due to overexpansion. To ensure the income required, the Emperors used coins made from less-valuable metal to pay for their vast empire. However, this inflation made armies and officers less able to pay for the supplies that they needed. This left them vulnerable. Driving men, who competed to be emperor, caused instabilities in the government. The available military resources were used to defend against an outside attack in civil wars. Moral defilement could also be an explanation. The Romans invested their time and money into Gladiatorial battles. Nero and Caligula were notorious for lavish parties that saw guests drink and eat until they died. Retrieved from https://www.rome.info/history/empire/fall/.
The loss of strategic positions was another factor. The loss of several strategic positions was one example. In 439 AD Rome lost parts of northern Africa and left the Mediterranean Sea coast vulnerable. A few wealthy lands of the Western Empire were also lost to Eastern Empire during the 286 CE split.
The biggest reason Rome fell was its sheer size, making it impossible for Emperors to manage. It was too large to finance, protect and manage. Rome’s territory proved too vast to defend as its outskirts stretched over 4000 5100 miles. The military could not control the invading forces because the suburbs were too large. The rulers tried to raise funds by increasing charges but without the conquest-generated cash they were unable renew the empire’s Treasury. A third problem was that the Roman Empire is not easily managed by one individual. The area spans from northern Europe to Asia. The governors in each region were given proclamations and laws, but the Emperor could not ensure their implementation. This caused disunity among the people and the legislator in Rome. Due to the Roman Empire’s large size, rulers were unable to finance, defend and rule over it. This created the weaknesses that allowed roaming clans the freedom to attack.
Due to Rome’s enormous size, both the Eastern & Western Empires disintegrated. Individuals of many religions were also affected. In 286CE, Emperor Diocletian splintered the empire further between the Eastern realms and the Western realms. Wasson, D. “”Diocletian.”” (2014). Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Diocletian/. The Western half became powerless and defenseless as a result. It was impossible to defend itself. It also created instability in western half as it lost the military and financial support of the eastern Roman Empire. The trade between the two halves was also stopped. The Western Empire was left powerless and open to attack by outsiders after the division of its domain. The two halves of this realm were at war. Both the western and eastern realms had different impacts.
The conflict between these rulers was most visible among Theodosius 1’s, Arcadius and Honorius’s children. They ruled the Eastern and Western realms. The Western Empire was suffering from assaults, and the Eastern Empire didn’t do much to help them. The Eastern Empire helped the Western Empire even though the siblings lost control. The Roman Empire’s size made it too powerful for the western part. This left it unable to protect itself and allowed roaming clans access to Rome.
