The Fall Of The Roman Empire Could Be Linked To Many Different Aspects: Army,
Citizens, Barbarianism Essay, Research Paper

The Fall of the Roman Empire Could Be Linked To Many Different Aspects: Army,

Citizens, Barbarianism

Personally I think that all these reasons are linked and headed by the

decline of the Roman emperor. The deficient Emperor role led to the lacking

military response to invasions,civil war and peasant uprisings.

ROMAN EMPIRE AND ITS EMPEROR

Ever since the adoptive system which was installed by Marcus Aurelius

was never reinstalled after his death,effective leadership in governing Rome was

lacking. It was clearly visible that the Roman Emperor was the backbone of Roman

stability and therefore the strength of the Roman army was also crucial in

ensuing the empire’s stability. But this stability was drastically altered when

corruption and ?necessary? errors were committed.

ECONOMIC, BARBARIAN AND MILITARY PROBLEMS

The Roman Empire was plunged into military anarchy and raided by

barbarous Germanic tribes causing a major burden from an economic standpoint.

Emperors, feeling pressure from all directions, resorted to manners which

depleted army and citizen moral. The personal dreams of empirical leaders was

never capable of re-stabilizing the Empire after the invasions. For instance,

Constantine created a ?substantial field force where he recruited many regiments

from Germany. He greatly increased the German generals? (1). ?Aurelius also

introduced the German element into the Empire. He established a precedent for

settling Germanic peoples, barbarians to the Romans, in Roman territory to try

secure peace?(2). He felt the only way to preserve the Empire was to host all

those who wished to live within its territory.

These German units under Roman commanders did not easily fall to the

traditional Roman discipline and command. The reluctance to submit to Roman rule

allowed Rome to lose the tactical superiority that it once had and enjoyed over

the German barbarians. This loss of tactical supremacy destroyed the elite,

disregarding their once owned power and thus causing change on top of the Roman

Empire elite. According to Andre Piganiol,?The destruction of the elite handed

over power to a new oligarchy of the newly wealthy and of high officials who

came from barbarous elements of the population?(3). Piganiol continues to state

that?conquered nationalities had in no way lost consciousness of their origin

and many were the means of resistance to the unifying will of Rome?(4)

Economically wise, the war against the Germans led to terrible financial

burdens on the Empire. ?To obtain funds for the military, emperors confiscated

goods, exacted forced labor, and debased the coinage by minting more currency

without an increase in the supply of precious metal.?(5) Through this the

citizens withdrew their loyalty to Rome which deeply affected the middle class.

In the Piganiol essay, Piganiol clearly emphasis the fact that the ?Roman state

went bankrupt in the third century because it was incapable of continuing to pay

its officials and it was incapable of paying its armies without recourse to

confiscations,monetary falsifications requisition in kind, unpaid services.?(6)

Another major move the emperor and his empire introduced the citizens of

Rome involved the citizenship issue. In approximately 212 AD, recruits had been

picked from among provincials, who were attracted by the promise of free

citizenship and its advantages. ?With citizenship no longer necessary for

enlistment, the poor, weak class of the empire were drawn to the army because of

the weapons and artillery?(7). Personally I think that the major reasons why

loser class societies were drawn to the artillery aspect of the army was so they

could steal the empires wealth. This behavior would probably lead to the

destruction of Roman cities, and destruction of farmlands and economic trade.

Civil war also played a negative role in the Fall of the Roman Empire.

This was made possible when emperors became afraid of their own troops and the

possible rebellion against them. Therefore the emperors to remain on their

throne were sometimes obliged to buy the emperor powers from soldiers and other

militia men. The lack of conventional loyalty and honor towards the emperor led

to a character change in the Roman soldier.

ROMAN SOLDIERS BEFORE AND AFTER

Before the Civil War the Roman soldier was considered as probably the

greatest fighting force in all of the Western World.

During the Pax Romana period, the Roman soldier used his superior

organization and training to conquer nations. He was extremely disciplined and

professional. He and his army were literally the wall which protected Rome.

Their fighting willpower would allow them to remain on the battlefield no matter

what and how long battles were needed for victory. ?They would join the army at

the age of eighteen. Their recruitment was localized and usually hereditary.

They were not allowed to marry while on service. Their employment included

police duties, checking and rounding up local raiders.?(8) ?The army had two

purposes, first to fight wars of conquest and satisfy the emperors desires for

glory, booty, and expanded territory. Second, to suppress the unrest in outlying

provinces.?(9)

But all this seemed to be changing later on in the empire with the

emperors change in attitude and the allowing of barbarous German tribes into the

army. Emperors resorted first to the population of the barbarous regions of the

empire regions, then to foreign barbarians. In the reserve army, the highest

regarded men were the barbarians units. These officers occupied the highest

ranks up to that of master of the militia. With all the favoritism toward the

German unit the Roman soldiers began to feel inferior and secondary in their

role of defending the empire. The military commanders began to use their

military troops to cease the thrown and its governing power. They began ?

neglecting its duty of defending its borders and disrupted the eternal life of

the Empire.?(10)

Although they continued to fight in well framed units, their overall

will to train and discipline required for fighting was almost unnoticeable.

Emperors continued to play a negative role in the allotment of foreigners to

take control. In Piganiol’s essay he mentions that the, ?emperors disarmed the

citizens and trusted the defense of the empire to mercenaries.?(11) Valens was a

clear example of the corruption in the higher class of the empire. He was active

in suppressing the lives of officers, whereby he defrauded men of their portions,

clothes and military equipment.

Favoritism towards the barbarian units of the army, corruption towards

the state and its people, gives ample reason why such a revolt in the Roman

army occurred. Towards the end of the empire the Roman army’s qualities

deteriorated. The legions failed to defend borders, the army began to consist

predominately of the peasants (citizenship issue). The change in the soldiers

attitude explains in the lack of loyalty to Rome and the lack of leadership in

military leaders.

In conclusion, the Roman army defeated itself. It began as a powerhouse

but by some uncontrollable and ignorant errors it collapsed. It was violated

internally by the emperors and their soldiers and externally by the barbarous

tribes. The lack of soldier loyalty to Rome, began with the lack of Rome loyalty

towards soldiers. By allowing citizenship to almost anyone it negated the

importance the higher class society had in Rome. Almost anyone could be a Roman

soldier, almost anyone could have access to arms and almost anyone could use

these arms in their favor. The allowance of the German entrance in the army

introduced doubt in the mind of the veteran soldiers. Therefore, Rome hurt

itself. One does not know if it could have continued its dominance, but one

could clearly say that its dominance brought its disappearance.

END NOTES

1) Lynn Hunt, Thomas Martin, Barbara Rosenwein, R.Hsia, and Bonnie Smith. The

Challenge of the West: Peoples and Cultures from Stone Age to 1740. Toronto: D.C.

Health and Company, 1995.

2) Ibid

3) Piganiol, Andre. ?The Causes of the Ruin of the Roman Empire.? Decline and

Fall of the Roman Empire: Why did it Collapse ?: Donald Kagan. ED. Donald Kagan.

Massachusettes: D.C. Health and Company, 1962, p.87.

4) Ibid, p.87

5) Marvin Perry, Myrna Chase, James Jacob, Margaret Jacob, Theodore Von Laue.

Western Civilization: Ideas, Politics & Society. Boston: Houghton Miffln

Company, 1996.

6) Piganiol, Andre. ?The Causes of the Ruin of the Roman Empire.? Decline and

Fall of the Roman Empire: Why did it Collapse ?: Donald Kagan. ED. Donald Kagan.

Massachusettes: D.C. Health and Company, 1962, p.88.

7) Marvin Perry, Myrna Chase, James Jacob, Margaret Jacob, Theodore Von Laue.

Western Civilization: Ideas, Politics & Society. Boston: Houghton Miffln

Company, 1996.

8) Jones, A.H.M. A General History of Europe: The Decline of the Ancient World.

London: Longman Group Ltd. 1966

9) Lynn Hunt, Thomas Martin, Barbara Rosenwein, R.Hsia, and Bonnie Smith. The

Challenge of the West: Peoples and Cultures from Stone Age to 1740. Toronto: D.C.

Health and Company, 1995.

10) Marvin Perry, Myrna Chase, James Jacob, Margaret Jacob, Theodore Von Laue.

Western Civilization: Ideas, Politics & Society. Boston: Houghton Miffln

Company, 1996

11) Piganiol, Andre. ?The Causes of the Ruin of the Roman Empire.? Decline and

Fall of the Roman Empire: Why did it Collapse ?: Donald Kagan. ED. Donald Kagan.

Massachusettes: D.C. Health and Company, 1962, p.88.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jones, A.H.M. A General History of Europe: The Decline of the Ancient World.

London: Longman Group Ltd. 1966

Lynn Hunt, Thomas Martin, Barbara Rosenwein, R.Hsia, and Bonnie Smith. The

Challenge of the West: Peoples and Cultures from Stone Age to 1740. Toronto: D.C.

Health and Company, 1995.

Marvin Perry, Myrna Chase, James Jacob, Margaret Jacob, Theodore Von Laue.

Western Civilization: Ideas, Politics & Society. Boston: Houghton Miffln

Company, 1996.

Piganiol, Andre. ?The Causes of the Ruin of the Roman Empire.? Decline and Fall

of the Roman Empire: Why did it Collapse ?: Donald Kagan. ED. Donald Kagan.

Massachusettes: D.C. Health and Company, 1962.

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