Fall of Rome

One of the main contributing factors to the fall of the Roman Empire was the decline in quality leadership and management. The leadership and management of Rome was a strong asset in the times of the Roman Republic, Expansion of Rome and the early and middle stages of the Roman Empire. In 180 AD one of the last good quality emperors, Marcus Aurelius died, and in this year the Praetorian Guard in Rome sold emperorship to the highest payer . This started the decline in leadership and in during the next one hundred years Rome had 37 different emperors, 25 of which were removed from office by assassination  . Diocletian became emperor in 284 AD. He was a dictator who brought the army and Empire under control by splitting the Empire into and East and West Half, making it easier to handle .

It was not long after Diocletian retired in 305 AD that Constantine became emperor. Constantine moved the capital of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople  . The struggle against barbarian invasions continued and in 395AD Theodosius “the great”, Constantine’s successor, came to an agreement with the Goths. He gave them land inside the Roman Empire, in return the Goths would help the Romans fight against any further invaders  . When Theodosius died the leadership of the Empire was split between his two sons. The western half was ravaged by invaders. The Eastern half then became the Byzantine Empire, an Empire which would last for over a thousand years  . In August 410 AD, Alaric, leader of the Visigoths, sacked Rome thus ending the Roman Empire .

It was not one single one of these factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire but rather the combination of all these factors weakening the Empire until it could no longer stand the constant pressure of the attacking barbarians. Lots of these factors are also evident in the collapse of other ancient civilisations and some can even be found in the present day.