The fall of the Roman Empire

The fall of the Roman Empire made a huge impression on contemporaries. After the Visigothic invasion, the "Eternal City" (Rome) continued to exist, but, having lost its world significance, was emptied. The Roman forum, the place where human destinies were decided, was overgrown with grass. The cruel plundering of the city indicated the rapid fall of the Roman Empire as a whole. Few doubted the impending decline of the culture and social system of the state. Anticipating the disaster, Hippo Regia Augustine (Bishop of the city, one of the leading figures of Christianity in the early 5th century) began to create his famous work "On the City of God." In it, he reflected on the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms, including Rome. Augustine advanced the theory of the divine city, which will replace the existing empires on earth.

The causes of the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Great importance in the decline of the kingdom is given to the Great Migration of Nations (4-7 centuries). During this period, the Huns that left China moved to the west. They began to crowd the tribes that inhabited the territories on their way, forcing residents to withdraw from their seats and move to the territory of the Roman Empire.

The most belligerent and numerous at that time were the tribes of German vandals and ready. The Romans had long encountered them and repelled their attacks. At the same time, some Germanic tribes were federates (allies) of Rome. The Germans served in the army of the Empire, attaining a high position and holding very honorable posts.

Since the end of the 4th century, the advancement of the Germanic tribes began to take on the character of the invasion. It was more difficult and difficult to confront him.

The Goths inhabited the territory of the Black Sea Coast before they began to disturb the Romans. Since the 3rd century, other nationalities began to join the Gothic tribes. Thus, the association of barbarians was formed.

The Gothic tribes were divided into two groups: the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths. After the Huns attack in 375, the Goths were forced to cross the Danube. Thus, they were in the territory of the Roman Empire.

Gotam was allowed to settle as a federation. However, there was a famine in their tribes, people were dying. The Goths considered the Romans guilty of their troubles. A mutiny broke out. In 378, at Adrianople, the Romans were defeated. Their emperor disappeared without a trace.

In the beginning of the 5th century the Goths again marched on Italy. In 410, the siege of Rome began, causing famine, the spread of disease among the inhabitants. Gothic leader Alaric demanded a huge ransom from the townspeople. The Romans began to refinish their statues to make bars and give the leader ready. But Alaric, tired of waiting, took the city. For many centuries the seizure of the Eternal City took place for the first time. For three days Rome became almost extinct and half ruined.

In 455, vandals moved to Italy. They robbed and burned Rome for two weeks. Tens of thousands of residents were killed, the rest were taken into slavery. Captivated were the empress and her daughters.

The fall of the Roman Empire was swift. The state, weakening, could not provide protection to its subjects. Defenseless before the onslaught of enemies were the rich and the poor.

However, the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire were not only in the invasion of the invaders. According to one of the ancient historians, the inhabitants of the country have become for themselves the worst enemies. Slaves and poor people suffered from unbearable taxes. The lands came to desolation, people were dying of hunger. To survive, the population often switched to serving the barbarians, believing that it was better to be humble with other morals and not free than the injustice and cruelty in their country.

The fall of the Roman Empire is conventionally dated to the year 476, when the last ruler, the boy Romulus Augustine, was displaced.

St. Augustine in his work called the death of the kingdom a payment for all his terrible sins of the past. The father of the church did not see a single possibility of saving Rome.