The Road to the Fall of Rome

American Minute from William J. Federer

Rome fell SEPTEMBER 4, 476AD.

In the centuries preceding, Rome was overrun with illegal immigrants: Visigoths, Franks, Anglos, Saxons, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Lombards and Vandals.

They first assimilated, many working as servants, but then came so fast they did not learn the Latin language.

Militarily superior Roman Legions marched rapidly on advanced roads but were strained fighting conflicts worldwide.

Rome had a trade deficit, having outsourced its grain production to North Africa, and when the Vandals captured that area, Rome did not have the resources to retaliate.

Attila the Hun committed terrorist attacks.

Rome was on welfare with citizens given free bread. One Roman commented: "Those who live at the expense of the public funds are more numerous than those who provide them."

Tax collectors were "more terrible than the enemy."

Rome was in debt with huge government bureaucracies.

A history of court favoritism, infidelity, exposure of unwanted infants, perverted bathhouses, sexual immorality, as seen in Pompei's ruins, and violent entertainment by gladiators in the Coliseum, led 5th-Century historian Salvian to write: "O Roman people be ashamed...Let nobody think otherwise, the vices of our bad lives have alone conquered us."

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.