Fall of the Classical Empires
During the late Classical Period, many of the world’s great empires declined and eventually fell due in part to their internal political, cultural and economic problems. These internal problems weakened the Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan and Gupta Empires, leaving them vulnerable to collapse.
As the Roman Empire kept growing, it was more difficult to control its borders. One of the first signs of the fall of the Roman Empire was the decline of the Roman people. With less people, there were fewer soldiers to defend the borders. Another cultural factor was the rise of a new religion, Christianity. With the rise of this monotheistic religion, there was less polytheism practiced and less worship of the emperor. Rome also spit into the Western and Eastern Empires. In the Western Empire, they spoke Latin and was Roman Catholic. In the Eastern Empire, they spoke Greek and worshipped under the Eastern Orthodox ranch of the Christian Church. The division weakened the Western half. They had revolts by upper class due to high taxes. The economy was hurt due to decrease in trade. Rome had political and military difficulties as well. It did not help matter that political amateurs were in control in the years leading up to its fall. Army generals dominated the emperorship and corruption was rampant. Over time, the military was formed into a mercenary army with no real loyalty to Rome. As money grew tight, the government hired cheaper and less reliable Germanic soldiers to fight in Roman Army. Wave after wave of Germanic barbarian tribes such as the Visigoths, Vandals, Angels, Saxons, Franks, Ostrogoths and Lombords took turns attacking the Roman Empire. In 476, Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first barbarian to rule in Rome, overthrew Romulus, the last of the Roman Emperors in the West. The Eastern Empire survived and was renamed the Byzantine Empire.
Much like Rome, the Han Dynasty had internal problems that contributed to collapse. In 9 CE, a government official named Wang Mang used the Mandate of Heaven belief to overtake the Han Dynasty. Under Wang, the empire declined due to weak leadership. Officials were except form taxes and they did not get much from the peasants. War on the edges of the empire led to more poverty. The poor economic combined with disease and floods weakened the empire. Han took control again in a couple of years but was unable to build a strong empire again. In 220, the Han Dynasty collapsed and China was left divided into several kingdoms.
The Persian Empire had weak leaders after Cyrus the Great. Weak leadership led to more revolts in the provinces and more poverty. Taxes were high and further led to economic depressions. The empire was weakened and fell the Greece.
The Mauryan Empire was strong when led by Chandragupta and his son, Bindusara, Ashoka succeeded Bindusara. He was disgusted by the brutality of the war and expansion of the Mauryan Empire and he became a Buddhist, renouncing war. This weakened the Mauryan armies and they fell due to revolts and invasions.
The Gupta Empire did not have a strong military because they did not raise enough in taxes. They had recurrent attacks by the White Huns, which cost them a lot to defend and further weakened the empire. The Gupta Empire collapsed but much of their culture survived including the caste system.
During the late Classical Period, many of the world’s great empires including the Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan and Gupta Empires fell due to weakening by internal problems that left them vulnerable to invasion.
As the Roman Empire kept growing, it was more difficult to control its borders. One of the first signs of the fall of the Roman Empire was the decline of the Roman people. With less people, there were fewer soldiers to defend the borders. Another cultural factor was the rise of a new religion, Christianity. With the rise of this monotheistic religion, there was less polytheism practiced and less worship of the emperor. Rome also spit into the Western and Eastern Empires. In the Western Empire, they spoke Latin and was Roman Catholic. In the Eastern Empire, they spoke Greek and worshipped under the Eastern Orthodox ranch of the Christian Church. The division weakened the Western half. They had revolts by upper class due to high taxes. The economy was hurt due to decrease in trade. Rome had political and military difficulties as well. It did not help matter that political amateurs were in control in the years leading up to its fall. Army generals dominated the emperorship and corruption was rampant. Over time, the military was formed into a mercenary army with no real loyalty to Rome. As money grew tight, the government hired cheaper and less reliable Germanic soldiers to fight in Roman Army. Wave after wave of Germanic barbarian tribes such as the Visigoths, Vandals, Angels, Saxons, Franks, Ostrogoths and Lombords took turns attacking the Roman Empire. In 476, Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first barbarian to rule in Rome, overthrew Romulus, the last of the Roman Emperors in the West. The Eastern Empire survived and was renamed the Byzantine Empire.
Much like Rome, the Han Dynasty had internal problems that contributed to collapse. In 9 CE, a government official named Wang Mang used the Mandate of Heaven belief to overtake the Han Dynasty. Under Wang, the empire declined due to weak leadership. Officials were except form taxes and they did not get much from the peasants. War on the edges of the empire led to more poverty. The poor economic combined with disease and floods weakened the empire. Han took control again in a couple of years but was unable to build a strong empire again. In 220, the Han Dynasty collapsed and China was left divided into several kingdoms.
The Persian Empire had weak leaders after Cyrus the Great. Weak leadership led to more revolts in the provinces and more poverty. Taxes were high and further led to economic depressions. The empire was weakened and fell the Greece.
The Mauryan Empire was strong when led by Chandragupta and his son, Bindusara, Ashoka succeeded Bindusara. He was disgusted by the brutality of the war and expansion of the Mauryan Empire and he became a Buddhist, renouncing war. This weakened the Mauryan armies and they fell due to revolts and invasions.
The Gupta Empire did not have a strong military because they did not raise enough in taxes. They had recurrent attacks by the White Huns, which cost them a lot to defend and further weakened the empire. The Gupta Empire collapsed but much of their culture survived including the caste system.
During the late Classical Period, many of the world’s great empires including the Roman, Han, Persian, Mauryan and Gupta Empires fell due to weakening by internal problems that left them vulnerable to invasion.