Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Chapter 15, Lesson 3: The Decline of Rome (pp. 471-474)
I. The End of the Pax Romana
B. Prices rose, trade was disrupted, and people could not afford to pay the taxes Rome needed to defend the empire.
C. Tribes from the north overran Rome's borders.
II. The Reign of Diocletian
B. Diocletian's reforms reorganized and stabilized the empire, but limited the freedoms of the Roman people.
C. Under Diocletian, the power of the emperor over the people became complete.
III. The Reign of Constantine
B. Constantine completed the reorganization of the government, and moved the capital to Constantinople.
C. After Constantine's death, by A.D. 400, the empire had permanently split into two parts.
Lesson at a Glance Outline
A. Rome suffered political turmoil during the years after A.D. 180; in one 50 year period, 25 emperors ruled.
A. Diocletian introduced a number of reforms to solve the problems of the empire.
A. Constantine helped Christianity become the empire's main religion.
Back to Lesson at a Glance
Copyright © 1999 Houghton Mifflin Company. All Rights Reserved.