|
|
The Byzantine Empire didn't fall until 1453 for many reasons. One reason why it didn't fall until 1453 is because it had all of the wealthy people. Another reason why the Eastern Empire didn't fall until 1453 is because its armies weren't in disarray, unlike the Western Empire.
Many things contributed to the fall of Rome, but there were a few key elements that really destroyed it. One thing that brought the Western Empire to its tragic fall was public health. The citizens of Rome's health deteriorated due to the use of lead pipes which lead to lead poisoning and ultimately death. Another element that contributed to the fall of Rome was political corruption. Rome had no system for choosing the next emperor which led to many assassinations over many years. Unemployment also led to the collapse of Rome. There were very few jobs and high taxes which led to many homeless people. All of Rome's roads also contributed to the eventual fall of Rome. The roads were just a paved entry for the enemy. Military spending was very minimal because Rome had to maintain its roads and bridges. Inferior technology also played a role in Rome's fall. Other empires made advancements in technology which left Rome struggling to find a way to defend these new technologies. Urban decay was often caused by the emperors themselves. The emperors often spent money on unnecessary things such a massive parties instead of funding the armies and repairs that needed to be made. One of last key factors that affected the fall of Rome was inflation. The decrease in gold coins and increase in prices led to people being homeless or starving to death. People eventually began to barter in order to get what they needed and taxes were paid in fruits and vegetables.