The Fall of Rome

The fall of the Roman Empire cannot be attributed to any one event or cause. Rather, it was the result of a host of factors including barbarian invasions, citizens’ moral decline, an unstable economy, weak and corrupt leaders, lack of technological advances , the rise of Christianity and disease, to name a few.

After learning about the carnival-like atmosphere that characterized Rome, few students are surprised to learn about its demise. This critical turning point in history offers an important opportunity for educators to inform students about potential threats to all civilizations and cultures. Comparisons can even be drawn to modern day America which, some argue, is experiencing the same situation that Rome did 1500 years ago.

One way in which teachers can make this history come to life is to create a murder mystery in the classroom. Working in small groups, students should personify different reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire and perform their murder mystery skit for the rest of the class. After the performances, the class can discuss the evidence and the most likely suspects.

Middle school students learning about the fall of Rome may enjoy creating a board game to show their understanding of these events. Using the ever-popular game Clue as the foundation, students would gain an understanding of the reasons for the fall of Rome while also having the chance to be creative and to think critically and analytically about the subject matter.

Teachers hoping to work with students to develop their analytical writing will find the fall of Rome to be a perfect topic for thesis-driven essays. The very nature of a thesis is that it is controvertible. Forcing students to choose one factor that was the most significant in the Empire’s fall will help them hone their ability to analyze content, while also providing the opportunity to practice writing an academic essay.

A study of the fall of Rome also provides a perfect segue into the rise of the eastern half of what had been the Roman Empire and the growth of Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the development of the Catholic Church in the western half of Europe.

The Fall of Rome Lesson Plans:

Did Rome Fall or Was It Pushed?

This lesson provides an opportunity for students to work in teams while conducting independent research. Once their research is complete, and they have drafted a statement defending their beliefs about the fall of Rome, students present their findings to a panel of judges (i.e.: faculty members) who will determine which group made the best case. 

Civilizations: Fall of Power

After viewing a film entitled "Civilizations: Fall of Power," students write an editorial as if they were living in the final years of the Roman Empire to warn people of the impending danger and offering suggestions for how to remedy the situation. This lesson also provides an opportunity to compare and contrast the fall of Rome with the decline of other powerful civilizations and cultures. 

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

This lesson gives students the chance to act as investigative journalists trying to uncover the cause behind the fall of Rome. Students can work together to create an ancient Roman newspaper as well. The newspaper could include the investigative pieces written in this lesson, the editorials written in the aforementioned lesson and a host of other content.