The Fall of Rome and a response from Gibbon

"The incapacity of a weak and distracted government may often assume the appearance, and produce the effects, of a treasonable correspondence with the public enemy. If Alaric himself had been introduced into the council of Ravenna, he would probably have advised the same measures which were actually pursued by the ministers of Honorius. 1 The king of the Goths would have conspired, perhaps with some reluctance, to destroy the formidable adversary, by whose arms, in Italy, as well as in Greece, he had been twice overthrown. Their active and interested hatred laboriously accomplished the disgrace and ruin of the great Stilicho. The valor of Sarus, his fame in arms, and his personal, or hereditary, influence over the confederate Barbarians, could recommend him only to the friends of their country, who despised, or detested, the worthless characters of Turpilio, Varanes, and Vigilantius. By the pressing instances of the new favorites, these generals, unworthy as they had shown themselves of the names of soldiers, 2 were promoted to the command of the cavalry, of the infantry, and of the domestic troops. The Gothic prince would have subscribed with pleasure the edict which the fanaticism of Olympius dictated to the simple and devout emperor. Honorius excluded all persons, who were adverse to the Catholic church, from holding any office in the state; obstinately rejected the service of all those who dissented from his religion; and rashly disqualified many of his bravest and most skillful officers, who adhered to the Pagan worship, or who had imbibed the opinions of Arianism. 3 These measures, so advantageous to an enemy, Alaric would have approved, and might perhaps have suggested; but it may seem doubtful, whether the Barbarian would have promoted his interest at the expense of the inhuman and absurd cruelty which was perpetrated by the direction, or at least with the connivance of the Imperial ministers. The foreign auxiliaries, who had been attached to the person of Stilicho, lamented his death; but the desire of revenge was checked by a natural apprehension for the safety of their wives and children; who were detained as hostages in the strong cities of Italy, where they had likewise deposited their most valuable effects. At the same hour, and as if by a common signal, the cities of Italy were polluted by the same horrid scenes of universal massacre and pillage, which involved, in promiscuous destruction, the families and fortunes of the Barbarians. Exasperated by such an injury, which might have awakened the tamest and most servile spirit, they cast a look of indignation and hope towards the camp of Alaric, and unanimously swore to pursue, with just and implacable war, the perfidious nation who had so basely violated the laws of hospitality. By the imprudent conduct of the ministers of Honorius, the republic lost the assistance, and deserved the enmity, of thirty thousand of her bravest soldiers; and the weight of that formidable army, which alone might have determined the event of the war, was transferred from the scale of the Romans into that of the Goths."(source)

There were many reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. They had very unstable leadership, poor economy, invading armies, etc. They just couldn't handle it so they crumbled under the pressure.(source)

In 190 A.D. the Roman Empire began to fall. It started when different people wanted to rule; nobody really liked the way the Emperor ruled. Some of the people that were in the army even wanted to rule, this caused problems; they were killing and splitting legions apart. Whatever the army did the Emperor had to pay for it, the only problem was that he didn't have any money to for it. The Emperor during this time was Diocletian. In order to get money to pay for the army, he had to become a cruel man financially. He had new coins made and raised the tax. Nothing went well after that. (source 1, source 2)

The Vandals crossed the Danube, and the Rhine River, which were the boundaries for the Roman Empire. They swormed the Romans and made their way down and around the empire. The Vandals took an easy way to the empire, they just went through Germany, down to Spain, through Africa, went around and eventually conquered Rome's Western Empire. Rome's Eastern Empire lasted for about 100 years, until 1453. (source 1, source 2, source 3)



Book 1

Book 2

Roman Roads

"It is often said that 'all roads lead to Rome,' and in fact, they once did. The road system of the Ancient Romans was one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of its time, with over 50,000 miles of paved road radiating from their center at the miliarius aurem in the Forum in the city of Rome. Although the Roman road system was originally built to facilitate the movement of troops throughout the empire, it was inevitably used for other purposes by civilians then and now." (source)

There were many different types of roads, there is a road called an actus and an iter, they were used for travelers on foot. In real life, the roads weren't as popular as many people think because most people wanted to travel by sea. They also formulated a mail delivery system. The Romans always left the door wide open for new innovation ideas, they were willing to listen to any brilliant mind that would make their empire stronger than it already was. (source)

In Rome, there was over 50,000 miles of paved road, it starts in the city and expands out. The Romans made the roads out of paved stone which they layed out in layers. In the middle they were a little bit risen and as they got to the sides, they sloped down so that water could drain down. In our history the Romans were the first to have the concept of the road. The roads were a great way of making trade from across the land; this is because they made it easy for men to roll their carts. The roads were not just in Italy, they spread throughout the entire Ramon Empire. The widespread roads helped greatly not only with the trading of goods but animals as well. The Romans were so powerful that if they wanted something, they got it. (source 1, source 2, source 3)

The Romans were all very creative, they were great at coming up with new ideas. In the making of the roads, they dug trenches, they tightly packed in rocks, pebbles, pieces of jars, but the main ingredient was concrete. They would make their own concrete and lay it down. It worked perfect because the roads are still being used today, even with cars. Though the roads were very efficient, they still took a while to travel on. This is because of the dangers that occured during the night; so to prevent that, the Romans built hotels and motels along the sides of the roads.(source)

Book 1

Book 2