Fall of the West — Study Aids

Ancient Rome — Fall of the West

The Fall of the West unit covers the first two centuries of the Roman Empire, from the Death of Augustus through the reigns of the Caesars and Five Good Emperors, to the Last of the Severan Emperors.   (14 to 235 A.D.)

Information Pages

These pages, along with the reading assignments suggested below, provide most
of the information required to prepare for Fall of the West review questions.

Read OnlinePrintable
Fall of the West — Summary of Events
PDF
Fall of the West — Major Characters
PDF
Timeline of Rome — 14 to 235 A.D.
PDF

Wars and Battles of Ancient Rome
PDF
Historical Maps — Roman Empire
(per map)
Outline Maps — Roman Empire
PDF

Fall of the West — Lecture Notes
PDF
Fall of the West — Homework Questions
PDF
Recommended Reading

These books are included in the FIAT LUX Ancient Rome App and can be opened on your tablet or smart phone by clicking on the book cover. We recommend completing two core reading assignments before reviewing study questions.

Famous Men of Rome   by John Haaren   96 credits
Attractive biographical sketches of twenty-eight of the most prominent characters in the history of ancient Rome, from its founding to its fall. Includes most of the best known characters from the kingdom and republic of Rome, as well as the most prominent personages from the imperial age. Each story is told in a clear, simple manner, and is well calculated to awaken and stimulate the youthful imagination.
2 chapters: Constantine the Great to End of the Western Empire


Famous Men of the Middle Ages   by John Haaren   98 credits
Attractive biographical sketches of thirty-five of the most prominent characters in the history of the Middle Ages, from the barbarian invasions to the invention of the printing press. Subjects include Rollo the Viking, Henry the Fowler, Canute the Great, Peter the Hermit, Marco Polo, and many more. Each story is told in a clear, simple manner, and is well calculated to awaken and stimulate the youthful imagination.
6 chapters: Alaric the Visigoth to Justinian the Great


Story of the Romans   by Helene Guerber   114 credits
This elementary history of Rome presents short stories of the great heroes, mythical and historical, from Aeneas and the founding of Rome to the fall of the western empire. Around the famous characters of Rome are graphically grouped the great events with which their names will forever stand connected. Vivid descriptions bring to life the events narrated, making history attractive to the young, and awakening their enthusiasm for further reading and study.
9 chapters: Gigantic Emperor to End of Western Empire


Historical Tales: 11—Roman   by Charles Morris   139 credits
Starting with the founding of Rome and continuing until the fall of the western empire, the author has emphasized the most important stories from history, and rewritten them in detail in a manner especially interesting to young adults. Familiar characters such as Cincinnatus, Cicero, and Nero are introduced, but so are more obscure characters such as Jugurtha, Vitellius, and Maximinus. Morris is an exceptionally good writer and his books are highly recommended as an enjoyable review for the mature student.
4 chapters: Imperial Savage to Downfall of Rome


The following reading selections are not included in the FIAT LUX app, but can be accessed online at the Heritage History website. See the Book Summaries page for details about these and other books in the Ancient Rome collection.


Book Title
Selected Chapters (# chapters)

Core Reading Selections

Tappan — The Story of the Roman People   From Aurelius to Diocletian to The Last Centuries (3)
Lansing — Barbarian and Noble   A Roman and a Barbarian to Attila the Scourge of God (4)
 — The Goths    entire book
 — The Byzantine Empire    entire book