Crises in the third century and the rise of Christianity gradually brought a transformation of the Roman Empire in the fourth and fifth centuries. Diocletian and Constantine had restored an aura of stability in the late empire. Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium in the east in an attempt to save the empire. The efforts of these emperors, however, proved to be in vain. As the western part of the Roman Empire disintegrated, the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, flourished.
Students will be able to:
Describe the empire’s economy.
Compare and contrast information about Roman women and women today.
Identify what life was like in Rome.
Analyze how the Greeks influenced the Romans.
Identify and evaluate Rome’s contributions to our society today.
Draw conclusions about the success of Diocletian’s reforms.
Analyze how the economy influenced the fall of the Roman Empire.
Discuss the effect of the Germanic invaders on the decline of Rome.
Identify and evaluate Rome’s legacy.
Analyze a map of the Byzantine Empire’s trade routes.
Identify the cultural influences that shaped the Byzantines.
Discuss the roles of Justinian and Theodora.