The Roman Empire was powerful, extensive, and influential to such an extent that it left a long-lasting legacy. After reading this week’s material on the fall of the Roman Empire, one can learn much about the time when the kingdom began falling apart. An individual understands that the whole empire did not fall once. The Western Roman Empire fell first at around 390 CE, while the Eastern one disintegrated in the mid-15th century (“Fall of Roman Empire”). Thus, vast historical information about the Roman Empire era is observable from the reading.
Additionally, several conditions led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. The most significant one is the fusion of the Germanic mercenaries and fighters into the Roman troops. While the Romans were busy conquering other nations in Eastern Europe, they also allowed the subdued individuals to assimilate into the their culture, and the warriors had liberty to join the forces. The Germanic soldiers valued payments, which they received in the form of gold, and listened to their commanders only (“Fall of Roman Empire”). Therefore, with time, most commanders in Roman army were foreigners. Leadership challenges emerged, leading to instability and the eventual fall of the empire. Historically, the period is also linked with the acquiring of Christianity as the main religion. Constantine the Great was the ruler then, and he blended the new faith with the culture of the Romans.
The understanding of how enemies contributed to the destruction of one of the world’s powerful empires is vital for developing effective foreign policies in contemporary societies. States should learn not to allow foreigners to hold critical departments in the government no matter how qualified or loyal they can be. Such individuals can easily betray a nation, leading to a security breach and ultimately wrecking a country.
Work Cited
“Fall of The Roman Empire…in the 15th Century: Crash Course World History #1.” YouTube, uploaded by CrashCourse. 2012. Web.