What were the causes of the fall of the Western Roman Empire?
1) 2) Oppression and extortion began very early in the provinces and reached fantastic proportions in the later republic. Most governors were primarily interested in acquiring military glory and in making money during their year in office, and the companies which farmed the taxes expected to make ample profits. There was usually collusion between the governor and the tax contractors and the senate was too far away to exercise any effective control over either. The other great abuse of the provinces was extensive moneylending at exorbitant rates of interest to the provincial communities, which could not raise enough ready cash to satisfy both the exorbitant demands of the tax contractors and the blackmail levied by the governors. 3) Hopkins (1980: 106-12) – There was a sharp increase in the Roman money supply which accompanied the expansion of trade. This expansion of the money supply did not lead to higher prices. Interest rates also fell to the lowest levels in Roman history in the ea
