In addition to these issues, it seems that there were some extreme weather changes (some caused by volcanic eruptions) that lowered the temperature in Northern territories. This caused mass migrations from nomadic tribes into Central areas which displaced Barbarians (non-Roman Empire inhabitants, mostly Germanic), pushing them into the Roman Empire.
The sea was not safe either, pirates constantly disrupted trade, and with that and Romans’ lust for luxuries from the East, inflation developed (here was a decrease in the value of money, as new coins contained less silver, coupled with a rise in prices).
The army, the main asset of the Roman Empire, also began to collapse. Discipline was lost and soldiers stopped feeling loyalty towards the Empire, pledging allegiance to their commanders instead who were seeking to become emperors themselves (Julius Cesar and Constantine to name but two). Money and land was short, so soldiers retiring stopped receiving the generous ‘retirement benefits’ of previous generations. With that and the decrease in eligible or willing soldiers the army began to employ mercenaries, often from Barbarian tribes.
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Please refer to the lecture notes (available through Blackboard - only accessible to registered students)