- Unit 3. Rome, the Global Empire
- Getting Started
  - What Are We Learning?
  - Observe and Think
  - Map Your Mind
- Rome, the Global Empire
  - The History of Ancient Rome
    - A Little City Become Empire
    - The Legendary Origins
    - The Monarchy (753-509 BC)
    - The Republic (509-27 BC)
      - The Fight for Political Rights
      - Major Conquests during the Republic
      - The Crisis of the Republic
    - The Roman Empire (27-476 AD)
      - The Crisis of the Third Century
      - The Recovery of the 4th Century
      - The Fall of the Roman Empire
  - The Roman Society
    - Women in Rome
    - Slaves
  - The Roman Economy
  - The Roman Law
  - The Roman Army
- Self-Evaluation Quiz
- Complementary Activities
  - The Greek and Latin Roots of English
  - One Myth, One Song
  - Games, Comics and Stuff
- References

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# The Crisis of the Third Century

The expansion of the Empire ended in the third century, bringing a deep crisis. Try to deduce its consequences answering the following questions.

Now it's your turn
The Roman legions suffered their first defeats by the Barbarians. The frontiers (limes) were no longer safe. The consequence of this was
the Emperor's power grew
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
the military chiefs began to have control over the emperors
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
the Senate had more control over the emperors
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
Logically, the military chiefs had more and more power because the safety of the Empire depended directly on them.
As the conquests ended, there were fewer slaves to work. The consequence of this was that
the owners had to hire more workers
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
many inhabitants of the provinces turned into slaves.
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
there were fewer slaves to work, so agricultural and mineral production dropped, and consequently so did trade
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
It is the logical consequence as the economic system was completely based on slavery.
Therefore, taxes increased and this caused
migration from the towns to the country (ruralisation)
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
people paid the taxes without showing any discontent
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
people had less money in their pockets
Correct selection.
Incorrect selection.
The final consequence is the migration to the country and subsistence agriculture.

## Activity

Look at this map and list the several barbarian tribes. Include also the regions attacked and the cities sacked.

Think about it
Have you ever thought of the etymology of the word "barbarian"?
From Greek barbaros "foreign, strange, ignorant," from PIE root *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (cf. Skt. barbara- "stammering," also "non-Aryan"). Greek barbaroi (n.) meant "all that are not Greek," but especially the Medes and Persians. Originally not entirely pejorative, its sense darkened after the Persian wars. The Romans (technically themselves barbaroi) took up the word and applied it to tribes or nations which had no Greek or Roman accomplishments. The noun is from late 14c., "person speaking a language different from one's own," also (c.1400) "native of the Barbary coast;" meaning "rude, wild person" is from 1610s.
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