How did the Roman empire disappear? They were so advanced yet mankind went backwards once they vanished?

Answer 1

I hate to sound abstract but in fact it did not "disappear" nothing in history ever does it merely changed from an entity historians conveniently refer to as a monolithic whole, to a split into east and west and finally into the holy roman empire (and byzantium empire) which survived (with many changes to the way it was perceived) until the unification of germany.

Also I don't think its fair to say mankind went backwards; the "dark ages" is a bit of a misnomer again applied by historians who for convenience and perception sake decided that the lack of evidence surviving from the early first millenium meant there was a regression. In fact pretty much everything survived except the relative political unity that the Romans brought it was very often just neglected for more pressing issues i.e. stopping invading neighbours etc. except in places where there was sufficient stability to worry about literature and learning namely the monasteries and ecclesiastical institutions of Merovingian Europe.

To illustrate my point about nothing disappearing merely changing the languages of Europe have nearly all absorbed or to be precise developed from/ with some Latin derivatives. Thus although Roman Latin is no longer a spoken language per se it is still alive in modern European languages as well as the Catholic Church.

Answer 2

The Roman Empire ultimately divided in two around 300AD, leaving Rome and establishing a secondary capital at Constantinople. Both empires maintained a tenuous grip for the next couple of hundred years but were eventually ground down and overthrown. So the question is a difficult one to answer as both of these civilizations (Roman and Byzantium) followed different historical paths.
However, the answer to the asked question is relatively simple: Corruption and greed. The reason Europe then descended once more in to anarchy was because (and this is so obvious you'll kick yourself) there was NO CENTRALISED GOVERNMENT. A central governing body allows a greater number of individuals to pursue artistic and scholastic endeavours. Once the Roman Empire took away it's unifying and all controlling army, the continent descended in to warring tribes once more - and a tribe has no space for free-loaders like artists.

Answer 3

The Roman Empire was breaking up, but was saved by two strong emperors, Divocletian and Constantine.

When Constantine died Rome split into west and east Rome. After the merciless Emperor Alexzander Severous in 235 A.D. the government broke down completely. This was the beginning of the end of Rome.

In 455 A.D. Rome was plundered again by another barbarian horde, the Vandals. The western Roman Empire no longer existed, all the providence where barbarian kingdoms.

Cut off from the west the Byzantine Empire developed its own brilliant civilization, which lasted for 1000 years after imperial Rome had fallen.

Answer 4

The Roman empire disappeared because they ran out of straight roads. When you drive around Britain and there is a perfectly straight road going for twenty miles people say it's a two thousand year old Roman road. When you go to Italy there isn't more than twenty yards of straight road in the whole country and they're still working on it. I think the Roman empire just disappeared up it's own **** because they were using a Tom-Tom trying to get out of the place.

Answer 5

The final death blow for the Roman empire was thier conversion to christianity, although they were on the road to falling anywhay. Once that happened, and the subsequent efforts to forcibly convert the whole of the world, and the expense thereof, they lost sight of that was necessary to keep such an empire intact. They removed as much as they could fo what they felst did not fit in with their new christian dogma and thus removed their ability to remain a world power. Even after the conversion of so much of the world, the pope NEVER had the kind of authority that the Emperor's of old Rome did.

Answer 6

i think it could have also been the eruption of mount vesuvius. This happened when the romans were doing quite well, but because they had so many people, they could not all get out of the gates, so most of the people living in pompeii died. There has been arguement that the empire did not decline and fall, but merely shifted it's centre of gravity from east to west, thus the nothern part of europe becoming the cnetre. Roman urban wealth depended too much on slavery. As long as Roman armies were winning, fresh supplies of slaves kept agricultural surpluses going, but with the series of defeats that began in the third century, agricultural production declined, leading by the fourth century to severe shortages of labor, exceeded only by even more severe shortages of food, widespread famine, chronic urban poverty and disease. The lead pipe poisoning also killed a large number of people during the time. the website below is really helpful:) recommended !! hope all is useful!

Answer 7

Advanced is an interesting word to use. Towards the end of the empire, they had nearly 200 days per year of festivals. Who do you know that can accomplish anything working less than 6 months per year? They also used to flood the stadium, and float slaves in little boats and make them kill eachother. I've heard that it was over-taxation of the infrastructure, or the sacking by the various Germanic tribes, but really I believe it was lead poisoning from the plumbing that sank the Roman Empire.

Answer 8

You are sooo right. They were advanced. They left many functions for others to do because it was "below" them. That happened to be the "Goths", Germans. As time passed more and more was turned over to the "Goth." So much so that the Goths did it all.
They thought, "if we do it all why not move this Empire back to
Germany." They did calling it the "Holy Roman Empire"
Kinda puts a new face on Mexican illegals doesn't it.

Answer 9

There's some historical theory (sorry i can't remember what it's called) which holds that all civilisations go through several stages of development. The final stage is where the civilisation inevitably collapses. In the case of Rome this could be said to be due to corruption and excess, and complacency on the part of the political elite.

Answer 10

Wh.glencoehistory.com there are 10 main reason supposed for the colapse of the Roman Empire, some are like poison of the water they drank, rise of christianity, feeling of belong to someone, lack of soldiers for the army etc.