Abstract: Taking history as a mirror, the Western Roman Empire has gone from glory to corruption, and it has gone from bad to worse, just like a building falling down and dying once. The experience and lessons of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire are worth learning from later generations.
Keywords: Western Roman Empire, moral degeneration, luxury and corruption
The Roman Empire once dominated Europe, Asia and Africa and turned the vast Mediterranean into its own "inner lake". Rome, with its magnificent architecture and large scale, is made of the same color marble. This "eternal city" is enough to be handed down from generation to generation. Unexpectedly, the eternal foundation actually declined sharply: in 395, the top management of the empire quarreled with each other and then split into two parts. What you said to you and what I said to me are actually two countries; In 476, the Western Roman Empire was finally killed by the Germans.
Historians generally believe that the demise of the Western Roman Empire is the retrogression of European civilization and the most serious adverse elimination in world history. At a meeting after the collapse of the empire, someone lamented: "magnificent buildings were destroyed, precious books and records were burned, bustling cities were abandoned, and delicate and noble women became playthings in the hands of wild animals." But how did the Western Roman Empire perish?
The decline of morality has always been regarded as one of the reasons for the decline of the Roman Empire. It is said that during the reign of Trajan, there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome. If you believe what some classic writers said, homosexuality was extremely common and even fashionable at that time. At that time, a large number of rogue proletarians wandered the streets of Rome day and night. In the 3rd-4th century, Roman hooligans had no income and despised labor. Their only interest is to sell their votes and watch the brutal battle. At this time, the fighting was bigger and bloodier than before, and beasts such as lions and tigers were also introduced into the theater to fight with unarmed gladiators. The people who visited the gladiator included the ignorant lower class and the rich dignitaries. All kinds of banquets stay up all night. In order to pursue the wonderful feeling of delicious food, they take emetic after a full meal in order to eat again. Vomiting polluted the Tiber River. The decline of social morality in Rome shows that its civilization has entered a stage of decay and decline.
Luxury and corruption, the traditional fine moral spirit was destroyed. Many Roman historians believe that after the fall of Carthage, the Romans became too greedy and extravagant. Officials at all levels are driven by personal ambition and greed for power, and are only busy for personal interests rather than national interests. This situation will lead to serious civil strife in the coming year. Page 29
When looking back on the past, the Romans regarded the early days of the Republic as the golden age. At that time, the traditional virtues of the Romans, such as honesty, frugality, temperance, modesty and courage, were fully developed. According to historical records, generals like Scipio worked in the fields by themselves and were modest. There is also a story about a Roman general named Cincinnatus, who was called to put down his plow and was ordered to prepare an army to fight Aquinas. He finished all this in half a month and returned to his farm immediately after winning a famous battle. In the following centuries, when the Roman life seemed to become too extravagant and corrupt, the Romans looked back on people like Cincinnatus with awe. [2](P. 17) In the imperial Rome, many people thought that the living standard of families had declined compared with that of * * * and the country. Such complaints have become fashionable: too much wealth and excessive luxury have been destroyed as "the custom of our ancestors".
Early Christian writers and later historians and moralists have always asserted that "the decline of the Roman Empire was the result of the deterioration of interpersonal relationships and extravagance." [3](P. 133) German historian Monsen said in the History of Rome: "The financial dilemma is partly due to the usual and abnormal expenses and partly due to poor handling. ..... Although these expenses are a dime a dozen, Rome's financial resources are not beyond its reach, but the administrative efficiency of the Romans is greatly reduced. The reason is that people are generally relaxed and shameless. " [4](P.205) The moral spirit of citizens has declined. In the later period of the empire, most civilians degenerated, divorced from production, did nothing, and became unemployed. They are obsessed with selling votes to politicians, clamoring for the market and disturbing things, and have become a pathological force that produces and corrupts society. Corruption, corruption, increasingly dark politics, lax military discipline, decreased combat effectiveness, scattered citizens' collective, increasingly corrupt, degenerate, dissolute, and increasingly degraded life, and the empire completely collapsed at the moment of foreign invasion. The luxurious life destroyed the Roman tradition and excellent moral spirit. Gradually annihilate the enterprising spirit of glory for the country, modesty and honesty. Personal selfish desires and greed expanded, degenerated and debauched, which led to ancient moral decay, decadent social atmosphere and pathological society. All classes are permeated with corruption and depravity, and traditional morality has become a memory of the past.
The Roman Empire, which spanned Europe, Asia and Africa, melted like a epiphyllum for a time, and its former glory disappeared before it could be recalled.
References:
1.[ 1] [2] (English) Peter? 6? 1 Author Ackroyd, fir, translated by Yang Lixin, ancient Rome, life? 6? 1 reading? 6? 1 Xinzhi Sanlian Bookstore, 2007+0
2.[3] (Germany) Otto? 6? 1 Kiefer, translated by Jiang, History of Ancient Rome Weathering, Shenyang: Liaoning Education Press, 2000.
3.[4] (Germany) teodor? 6? 1 Meng Sen, translated by Lisi, History of Rome, Times Literature and Art Publishing House, September 2006.