Western society has always been a powerhouse in economics and politics. Australia, America, and many other countries that follow Western culture are known as first-world countries. And this comes as no surprise as our society is based on the ancient Roman civilization. We have carefully been studying the Romans and have learned from their mistakes while keeping the essence that made them the dominating empire in Europe. Although Rome had a stunning army and many citizens, there were still flaws within Rome that could be capitalized on. There were many factors that led to the fall of Western Rome, but the effect they had on society is a lot harder to identify.
Cause: On August 24th, 410, the Visigoth army, which was led by Alaric, broke through the walls of the Roman capital and completely mutilated it. They burned and stole everything in their path and left Rome to rot. The pillaging lasted for three days, and for the first time in the millennium, Rome was being controlled by an army that wasn't Roman.
Effect: Because of the state Rome was in, Alaric asked for silver, gold, and reinforcements in exchange for stopping the siege. By the end of it, Alaric's army soared to 40, 000 soldiers, and Rome was left poor. While Rome tried to fundraise the lost money, Alaric was busy attacking southern Rome with the hostage Galla Placidia, the sister of the Roman emperor Honorius. Many Roman sacks followed, and in 476, western Rome finally fell when Odovacer killed the Roman emperor Romulus Augustulus and claimed himself as the king of Italy.
Cause: Rome kept overspending their money on armies, they also overinflated a lot, and to top it all off, trade in North Africa was stopped due to vandals invading.
Effect: The cost of overspending on armies was very noteworthy as it left the architecture of Rome without maintenance. Another problem was the halt that Rome had come to technology-wise. Over the past few centuries, Rome had constantly been developing new defenses and war equipment, but due to the scarcity of money, this had been paused. Over-inflation was another large problem, as when paired with an increase in taxes, it widened the gap between Patricians and Plebeians. With its economy falling and a decline in trade, Rome began to lose the influence that it once had over Europe...
