Roman Empire Research Paper

The Fall of the Roman Empire: Invaders and New Religions
The mystifying fall of the Roman Empire has continued to amaze the people of the world for centuries, and as a result, many have wondered how can one of the greatest civilizations of the world could die so unexpectedly. More than two hundred studies have been completed on the subject if the fall of the Roman Empire; some of the most notable researchers include Edward Gibbon and Peter Heather, and each of them has developed different theories. Edward Gibbon's theory was among the "traditional lines of explanation" that show how the empire was weakened internally, and by means of the introduction of Christianity into the Roman society, dampening the morale of the Roman people (Murphy).
Rome was the largest western Eurasian State and had ruled for about 450 years. They created a system of strategic road networks for the surprise and ambush of enemies, and also maintained one of the best militaries in the ancient world, with incredibly fierce and highly trained warriors who never backed down from the fight. The Roman Republic was an infallible government where tariffs were collected, laws were decreed, and bureaucracies were employed(Heather). The architecture and public works were prodigious, from the Colosseum to the aqueducts and public baths that were scattered throughout the Roman Empire. Gibbon felt that the Empire was exposing its own weaknesses and was at the brink of its collapse, but Heather contradicted this statement because of how strong this empire was(Murphy). Its population was approximately 1.5 million, but before the collapse of it, it shrank to about a fifth of its previous numbers(Fall of the Roman Empire). As history shows, those who reach the pinnacle of success often fall the hardest when the time comes, and the fall of Rome appears to be the perfect
The two theories are both supported by renowned historians, and each of them has their own merit and historical examples to back it up. Heather believes that there was no possible reason for the empire to fall from within, because the Romans were too strong to crumble due to the corruption of their society. Gibbon, on the other hand, believed that there were flaws within its structure, and thought that the institution of a new religion divided the people more than it had united them. All in all, the fall of the Roman Empire was caused by many things, but there have been two possible reasons, among others that have been presented about how an advanced civilization could dwindle so unexpectedly and spontaneously.

Works Cited
"Goths." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, 2016, p. 1p. 1. EBSCOhost.
Web. Accessed 15 Feb. 2017.
Hadas, Moses. Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire: A Modern Abridgment. G.P
Putnams's Sons, 1962. Print. Accessed Feb. 16 2017
Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome & the Barbarians.
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Accessed Feb. 14 2017.
Murphy, Daniel P. "The Fall of the Roman Empire." Magill's Literary Annual 2007, June 2007, pp 1-3. EBSCOhost. Web. 15 Feb. 2017
"The Fall of the Roman Empire." Middle Ages Reference Library, edited by Judy
Galens