still discussing whether the current period resembles the end of the Roman Empire. Summarized in an article many years is difficult. But videos like "Do the Evolution" Pearl Jam of , summarizing the human experience in four minutes, I encourage to continue:
(drawings by Todd McFarlane)
The crisis of the Roman Empire
When we fall of an empire are always talking of defeats by the weapons, as empires are created and destroyed by force forever. But we are interested in this opportunity is to see the evolution of Roman society before and after these losses, since a regime change does not always have the same consequences. perhaps the concept of "Fall" is a simplistic interpretation of events which were lengthened centuries.
The construction of the Roman Empire became through military conquests, in which the conquered population suffered various degrees of looting and killing, as appropriate. Over time, these populations were "civilized" (relocated from their villages to cities, civitas, built by the Romans) and Romanized. As seen Later in America, was easier politically centralized conquer territories (the Gauls Vercingetorix ) that spread over several independent tribes (Hispanic). The resources of the territory and the population itself added to the wealth of the empire ... until the cessation of conquests.
The Roman armies was the most effective. Adapted quickly to his enemies. If it was that, for example, Hispanics were swords better than yours, copies. If the Dacians used scythes to cut the arms of the Legionaries in Rome a few weeks they sent new protections built in series. At this time the battles were won by the infantry; the arches were ineffective and was only a cavalry infantry moved faster.
The legionaries were Roman citizens forever. But others could get citizenship by serving as auxiliary troops for 25 years. In 212 the Emperor Caracalla granted citizenship to all residents of the empire, increasing fee income, but the Severan dynasty increased by 25% the number of soldiers and raised his salary by 100%. The Empire was beset by hyperinflation .
After the reign of Elagabulus tremebundo , At 235 the Emperor Alexander Severus is killed by his troops and began 50 years of chaos in which 25 emperors succeed. The generals warring among themselves without defending the borders from the incursions of the Goths. The eastern and western empire became independent a few years. Half a century of war caused a breakdown in communications and commerce.
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| Maximinus the Thracian, Legionnaire affected gigantism, and first emperor who never set foot in Rome. |
Each new emperor had to bribe his soldiers issuing new currency becoming less precious metal. The economy went into a crisis ever known. The production was local, and a new class of farmers tied to the land of the great lords, who became self-sufficient and wary of paying taxes to the empire. This crisis ends with the good situation of the majority of Romans and lays the first foundations of what will be the Middle Ages. There was even a plague. Appeared laws obliging every man to have the same job as his father (especially for soldiers). Diocletian
able to stabilize the empire politically and economically, but it is not the same structure that was a century earlier. Even have to change its administration and divide into four tetrarchy , because the empire is ungovernable by a single man. This eventually leads to a most effective partition into two empires.
Diocletian was the first emperor to retire and devote himself to cultivate his garden while the wars again and asked him to return. He did not. Power passed to Constantine, which imposed Christianity as official religion. The reason for this decision is the subject of debate and the actual weight that had Christians in his time. The first consequences of the state religion was not inclusive but exclusive of foreign cults and a new source of conflict. Christianity was divided into various sects fighting each other to achieve supremacy, play against the other religions.
Roman culture was changing. The Romans adopted barbaric customs. Some emperors were descendants of Germans and their soldiers proclaimed lifting them on their shields. The equipment of the army was losing quality. Barbarian mercenaries were hired or bribed their leaders not to attack. The barbarians were faithful to their leader and not the rule. In addition, most of the Germans became a form of Christianity other than the official (Arianism).
During the fourth century the legions lost their superiority. From Central Asia came Huns, who had discovered the bracket and could fight effectively on horseback dismounted without fear of a collision, and used the compound bow, able to traverse the mesh reinforcement. The Germans dropped the first, but adopted the use of the stirrup, and pushed by the Huns were launched against Rome. Germanic cavalry could defeat the Roman infantry, and the Romans soon adapt to the new form of warfare (the Battle of Adrianople in 378, marks the end of the legion).
There are over 200 theories on the causes of the decline of the Roman Empire. The facts are that between 235 and 400 there was a severe economic model, a resource depletion, loss of military, cultural and religious crisis, political fragmentation, depopulation, deforestation, increasing power of the upper classes and lower middle class, low communication ...
But the empire was still too big to fail. The barbarians nor thought possible or desired. But that's another story and will be counted in the following article.
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