Image via WikipediaYou can't make this stuff up. It was the climate, stupid! All this time I thought it was barbarian invasions, a society that had become "soft" - many of its citizens had become pacifists, degenerate lifestyles, hiring out their defense of the Empire to barbarian mercenaries (who became so strong and numerous that they took over the Empire).
A few more of these kinds of stories from Reuter's may lead to their collapse as a new organizaton to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, I'm going right out and buy a case of CFL's - Brian
Climate a factor in Rome's rise and fall -study
Thu Jan 13, 2011 7:15pm GMT
By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent
OSLO (Reuters) - Climate change seems a factor in the rise and fall of the Roman empire, according to a study of ancient tree growth that urges greater awareness of the risks of global warming in the 21st century.
Good growth by oak and pine trees in central Europe in the past 2,500 years signalled warm and wet summers and coincided with periods of wealth among farming societies, for instance around the height of the Roman empire or in medieval times.
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