The demise of the Roman Empire cannot be attributed to a single cause. Instead, it was the result of population decline, land loss, and deception. One factor that played a significant role in the speeding, however, was the expansion of his empire. At its peak under Emperor Augustus, the total population of the Roman Empire was estimated at between 50 and 90 million. Due to the large population, it was difficult for emperors to control their empire, which in turn created disunity among them. Disunity and instability weakened the Roman army and left it defenseless against invaders. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Second, overexpansion destabilized the government and its currency. Emperors who needed to finance the vast empire made coins from less valuable metal to try to provide the necessary revenue. Yet the resulting inflation made it difficult for armies and officers to maintain the cost of necessary supplies, thus making them vulnerable. Government instability also resulted from determined men vying for imperial power, causing wars, unrest, and conflict. Civil wars used available military means necessary to defend against external aggression. Another minor reason was what could be considered moral taint. The Romans spent time and money on gladiatorial battles and "emperors like Caligula and Nero became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests drank and ate until they fell ill." » Fall of the Roman Empire. Retrieved from https://www.rome.info/history/empire/fall/. Another factor was the loss of several strategic positions. For example, when Rome lost several of its territories in North Africa in 439 AD, which left its coastline along the Mediterranean Sea vulnerable. Additionally, the Western Empire lost some of its rich lands to the Eastern Empire when they separated in 286 CE. The main reason for Rome's fall was its size, which made it difficult for emperors to control. The empire proved too large to protect, finance and manage. The territory of Rome was too large to be defended as its periphery extended over four and a half thousand miles. The suburbs had proven too large for the military to control the impending assaults. The rulers attempted to raise funds by increasing charges, but without the money produced by conquest, they were unable to replenish the empire's treasury. Third, with an area stretching from northern Europe to the Middle East, one man could not oversee the entire Roman Empire. Declarations and laws were sent to the governors of a region, but the emperor could not guarantee that they would be followed. This widened the disunity in the field between individuals and the legislative power in Rome. The large size of the Roman Empire made it difficult for rulers to finance, defend, and rule the empire, creating gaps that allowed roving clans to attack. Due to the vast size of Rome, the Eastern and Western empires disunified, as did individuals of various origins. religions. Emperor Diocletian further disunified the empire between the Eastern and Western kingdoms when he divided them both in 286 CE. Wasson, D. “” Diocletian. » » (2014). Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Diocletian/. This split has.