Why Did Rome Fall

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the reason that Ancient Rome fell. As the popular saying goes; "Rome wasn't built in a day". It is also true that Rome didn't fall in a day. There were many different people and events, over the course of many years, that led to Rome's destruction. Unworthy leaders were unable to manage their empire, important government positions were often being auctioned off, and being Emperor became a death sentence. All these different problems built up on one another and caused chaos and destruction throughout the empire. Although there are many reasons why Rome fell, Government corruption was at the root of all problems that led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

The transition to appoint a new Roman Emperor

If there is no son to take over, there should be a clear list extending to dozens of names. The list is very important to how the monarchy functions, and if the list creates some sort of problem, there is knowledge of who the next heir is. The Romans were never able to create a consensus about such a list. For the first 500 years of Ancient Rome, their government was a republic where no single person held ultimate power. In Rome, emperors normally elected someone to succeed them, which mostly ended up being sons, or relatives, though sometimes they would appoint someone outside of their family. There were many different ways that an individual could become emperor. The responsibility of appointing a new emperor was eventually managed by the former emperor, the Praetorian Guard (the official force of bodyguards used by that emperor), and the senate. The Praetorian Guard could not be trusted, and they were assassinating and installing new rulers at will. When a dynasty ended, or there was no clear successor, civil wars could break out. The Praetorian Guard is also known for auctioning off the position of Roman Emperor to the highest bidder. Cassius Dio was a Roman statesman and historian, he published 80 volumes of history on

The vast territory of Ancient Rome made it difficult to govern, and the empire was facing an administrative nightmare. The senate was an important part of ruling the empire, and it was gradually weakened as a political body in terms of its ability to legislate. Roman culture was hierarchical, and strictly divided into social classes. Rome had moved away from a democracy, to put more power on the wealthy few. The votes of common people didn't weigh in as much, and the rich could practically buy senate seats. During the early times of the Roman Republic, lower-class citizens, or Plebeians, had virtually no say or impact on the government's rulings. Gradually, the Plebeians obtained more power, and could even hold the position of consul. Despite changes in the Roman Republic though, the Patricians were still able to use their wealth to gain control and influence. Constant war and internal conflict was weakening the Roman Empire, made worse by the fact that legions were more loyal to their generals that to the Emperor, and the