Diocletian
he rules From 284 - 303
its cool to persecute Christians
rome needs a big army
rome needs a big government
take roman empire and divide it in half
constantine
rules from 306 - 337
its cool to be a christian
conversion to Christianity 313 his edict of Milan proclaims freedom of worship what ever who ever you want
built a new capital in the east
Byzantium soon to be known as Constantinople named after him self
life in the fourth entry
country dwellers are getting bankrupted by endless tax collection
new farming system peasants work for elite landlords on large farms
peasants can avoid paying taxes, but they are getting hit just as hard by landlords
paying off debts and being allowed to live on the land in exchange for endless back-breaking work
landowners hold local power as counts and bishops, wielding more real power than the faraway empire
foreshadowing feudalism
Rome's power is decreasing, while nomadic barbarians gain power
western empire is to poor, begins to be neglected
Huns migrate from china to eastern Europe
Visigoths take over Spain, and actually capture and loot Rome itself in 410
vandals control Carthage and the western Mediterranean
from beginnings
500 bc the monarchy is abolished
450 bc the twelve tables
glory days
44 BC end of the line for Julius Caesar
27 BC 180 AD the Rome peace
to the bitter end
constant fifth century invasions by barbarian tribes left the western Rome Empire shattered and crumbling
the last emperor was a teenage boy installed in 475 by his father
barbarians deposed Romulus Augustus without bothering to kill him