Roman Empire collapse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Roman Empire collapse - Essay Example This made it default for the Roman economy to function. Secondly, during this period, the military was in total disarray. The generals had become indiscipline and disloyal. Most of the generals were pursuing personal ambitions either to be named emperor or become ‘Master of Soldiers.’ This brought disunity in the army, and this greatly weakened the empire which drew much of its strength from the army. For example, Constantine II and Constans are two emperors who openly fought each other (Fergusson, 4). Roman soldiers were giving their allegiance to those commanders they supported and not to Rome. The government was forced to hire foreign soldiers who had no sense of loyalty. In addition, the general public became less patriotic, and no one was willing to defend the empire. Finally, the heavy taxes imposed on the poor citizens created class divisions, and the people’s loyalty to the government faded (Fergusson, 5). Many felt that the government was oppressing them, and this further increased the tension in the empire. The anger of the population was demonstrated through revolts, and this forced the government to use its military resources to quell the revolts. The internal conflicts made it difficult for the government to survive amid reduced