Question

There are many different theories on why the Roman Empire fell. what are three reasons that historians cite as causes of its downfall.

Answer 1

You're right, there are an avarage of 200 theories on the fall of the Roman Empire. But I can only remember two. One of them, which I think is the most popular, is Max Weber's theory that, since the Roman empire was based upon slavery for the realization of all kinds of jobs, when the empire stopped its expansion, it naturally stopped gathering the slaves that it took from the conquests, and then a labour crises came, inflicting the economy and soon the rest of the roman society. Another theory, a very odd one - my teacher told me this one, blame on him haha -, is related to the climate and it says that a meteor fell around the fifth century in the region of India, spreading a heat wave that reached the roman plantations, therefore causing a food crisis.