- life in the fourth century
- country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection.
- new farming systems: peasants work for elite landlords on large farms.
- peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by the landlords.
- paying off debts and being "allowed" to live on the land, in exchange for endless back-breaking work.
- landowners hold local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire.
- foreshadowing feudalism.
The western empire crumbles
- Rome's power is decreasing, while barbarians gain power.
- western empire is too poor (neglected)
- Huns migrate to eastern Europe
- Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture the loot Rome itself in 410
- Vandals control Carthage and western Mediterranean
- other barbarian tribes:
- Ostrogoths in Italy
- Franks in Gaul
- Angles and Saxons in Britain
End of an Era
- from the beginning
- 500 BC - the monarchy is established
- 450 BC - the Twelve Tables are established
- ...through the glory days...
- 44 BC - end of the line for Julius Caesar
- 27 BC - 180 AD - the Roman Peace (Pax Romana)
- To the bitter end
- constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Roman Empire shattered and crumbling
- the last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
- barbarians got rid of him without bothering to kill him
- 476 - the last emperor is gone
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