The Roman Empire was indeed a marvelous and spectacular empire. As with most empires of such size, an immense downfall often followed prosperity. The Roman Empire was no different. In the third century A.D, the Roman Empire encountered many issues which consequently caused its degeneration. Such issues included the lack of solidarity between Roman citizens and the Roman Empire, the tremendous spread of Christianity, and excessive taxation. In tandem, these problems accelerated the fall of Rome. Extensive analysis of these factors can help us to gain a better understanding of exactly why the Roman Empire fell. .
The passage in document 1 is an excerpt from a textbook, "The Course of Civilization." It speaks about how many citizens of ancient Rome felt disconnected with their government, and even indifferent as to whether or not they felt it worth saving! As more and more individuals found themselves disenchanted with the state of the empire, less and less was being done to strengthen it. Fewer people were serving in the army, which forced the drafting of prisoners of war, and the hiring of German mercenaries. Conditions later in the life of the empire made citizens lose their sense of patriotism. By the 200's, Romans were forced to pay for costly public circuses and baths out of their own pockets. Obviously, such things would cause a huge decrease in the loyalty of citizens. .
Few institutions spread as rapidly as Christianity did less than 2000 years ago. As more people in ancient Rome began to accept Christianity, internal discrepancies grew within the empire. Document 2 is a passage which outlines some of the effects of the growth of Christianity. For example, much of the government's money was set aside for charitable causes, or for the use of the Church itself. In addition, the teachings which are intrinsic to Christianity went against the overall attitude that was necessary for successful functioning of the military.
