Excessive Military Spending

Excessive Military Spending

                                                                                   Written by Olivia Hanley

      Excessive military spending played a major role in the Fall of the Roman Empire. The Roman government was spending more money on the army than needed. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities such as providing housing and maintaining public roads. The military had to share resources with Rome's other needs including roads. This meant there was not enough money to go around. The government found it necessary to rely on hired soldiers. Street mobs and foreigners, who served as soldiers, were not as well trained as the Roman Legion. Eventually, the payed soldiers abandoned their loyalty to the Roman Empire and Rome payed barbarians to fight on the Roman side. Emperors were then forced to raise taxes frequently. Farms and business men mostly paid for these taxes, which greatly hurt the economy. Citizens quickly lost their pride and no longer did things for the good of Rome. 

The Roman armies became made up
of barbarians and people from the
streets of Rome.

The Roman Legion had much better
strategic fighting ideas than the
drafted barbarians and street
rats of Rome.

Sources:

http://prezi.com/r0xvlvdxqbov/excessive-military-spending-to-defend-the-empire/