Reasons for the Split of the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire's Split in 395 CE

• The event that led to the official split in 395 CE was the death of Emperor Theodosius I, which marked the final division of the Roman Empire into Eastern and Western halves.

The Crisis of the Third Century

• The 3rd century marked the beginning of struggles for power and stability in the Roman Empire, characterized by civil wars, corruption, and external invasions.
• A significant consequence of the Crisis of the Third Century was the weakening of the Roman Empire, leading to the rise of breakaway states and the eventual split of the empire.

The Roman Empire's Split and Political Development

• The Roman Empire's split in 395 CE can be described as a significant milestone in political development, marking the end of a unified empire and the beginning of two separate entities.

The Western Roman Empire's Defense

• The main focus of the Western half of the Roman Empire in terms of defense was protecting its borders from barbarian invasions.

The Tetrarchy System

• In the Tetrarchy system, the Roman Empire was divided into four regions, each ruled by a co-emperor, with two senior emperors (Augusti) and two junior emperors (Caesares).
• The head of each half of the Roman Empire in the Tetrarchy system was a senior emperor (Augustus).

Constantine the Great

• Before becoming Emperor Constantine the Great, Constantine held the title of Caesar.
• The event that marked the end of the Tetrarchy and made Constantine the sole ruler of the Roman Empire was the Battle of Chrysopolis in 324 CE.

The Weakening of the Western Roman Empire

• A factor that contributed to the weakening of the Western Roman Empire compared to the Eastern Roman Empire was the constant pressure from barbarian invasions and the need to allocate resources to defend its borders.

The Crisis of the Third Century

• The event that marked the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century was the assassination of Emperor Alexander Severus in 235 CE.
• The term that best describes the rulers who claimed the imperial title during the Crisis of the Third Century with the support of their troops is "barrack emperors".
• One major factor that led to the breakaway states like the Gallic Empire and Palmyrene Empire no longer supporting the Roman Empire was the lack of effective leadership and the failure of the central government to provide protection and stability.

Emperor Aurelian and the Crisis of the Third Century

• Emperor Aurelian contributed to ending the Crisis of the Third Century by reuniting the empire and defeating the breakaway states, including the Palmyrene Empire.

Diocletian's Reforms

• The reform implemented by Diocletian that contributed significantly to stabilizing the political administration of the Roman Empire was the creation of a more efficient and centralized bureaucracy.