The Roman Economy Was a Ponzi Scheme-Episode 2

Last time, Rome ran out of people to conquer — and the economy was still pretending everything was fine. The silver was 75% pure. Give it 350 years. Here's what a Ponzi scheme does when it runs out of new investors: it starts eating the old ones. Rome debased its coins from 75% silver down to a heroic 0.02% — at one point, soldiers were being paid in painted lead. Price controls, threats, better emperors, worse emperors — nothing worked, because the thing that broke was never the coin. It was the promise behind it. This is the collapse: the mint riots, the runaway inflation, Diocletian trying to fix a fire by yelling at it, and the quiet part nobody mentions — the money died long before the empire did. The tax collector just kept showing up anyway. You don't need Part 1 to follow this. But you'll want it. ⏱ Chapters 0:00 — Previously: Rome Ran Out of Map 1:30 — Eating the Old Investors 3:30 — Marcus Aurelius Sells the Furniture 6:00 — The Coins Become Painted Lead 8:30 — The Mint Riot 10:30 — Diocletian Declares War on Prices 12:00 — Constantine, 476, and the Receipt 13:30 — The Tax Collector Still Came New historical catastrophe every Monday, Thursday & Saturday. #AnimatedHistory #HistoryExplained #StickFigureHistory