2. Roman Empire Expansion What is needed to control such a vast empire?

3. The Fall of Rome

5. Diocletian ( 284—305) and the Division of the Roman Empire These included splitting the Empire into two in order to be more manageable, creating a new system of Imperial succession to answer the question of who would be Emperor of the newly divided East and West, called the system of " Tetrarchy ", or "rule of four", whereby a senior emperor would rule in the East and West, and each would have a junior emperor. Diocletian believed that going forward under the current system of Roman Imperial government was unsustainable. He initiated a number of reforms to prevent a return to the anarchy of previous generations and maintain the viability of the Empire.

6. Constantine ( 306-337) Constantine is famed for his rebuilding of Byzantium as Constantinople (Constantine's City). Constantine is best remembered in modern times for the Edict of Milan in 313 and the Council of Nicaea in 325, which fully legalized and legitimized Christianity in the Empire for the first time. These actions are considered major factors in the spread of Christianity and helped to give him the title of the "first Christian Emperor."

11. Attila the Hun Attila the Hun was King of the Huns (circa 433-53). He was one of the most feared and notorious barbarians of all time. Sweeping west across the Rhine River into Gaul, Attila's forces fought the Romans at the Battle of Châlons in 451 CE. Against all odds, the Huns were defeated. Attila later died mysteriously, some say of a massive nose bleed. Attila’s retreat across the Rhine was the last victory achieved in the name of the Western Roman Empire.

12. Odoacer Odoacer (435 – 493), was the half Hunnish, half Scirian chieftain of the Germanic Heruli. He is best known to history as the man who deposed the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, in 476. As the first “barbarian king” of Italy, 476 is traditionally considered the end of the Western Roman Empire.

18. Decline Of Rome Economic Causes Military Causes Political Causes Social Causes Name:______________________ Date:_______