Question

which of these statements supports that economic instability was a factor in the decline of the roman empire?
after 450 years as a republic, rome became an empire in the
wake of julius caesar’s rise and fall in the first century b.c. the
long and triumphant reign of its first emperor,
augustus, began a golden age of peace and prosperity
diocletian divided power into the so - called tetrarchy (rule of four),
sharing his title of augustus (emperor) with maximian. at the
council of nicaea in 325, constantine made christianity... rome’s
official religion.
the eastern roman empire - later known as the byzantine
empire - would remain largely intact for centuries to come. an
entirely different story played out in the west, where the empire
was wracked by internal conflict as well as threats from
abroad - particularly from the germanic tribes
now established within the empire’s frontiers like the vandals... and

Explanation:

To determine which statement supports economic instability as a factor in Rome's decline, we analyze each:

• "After 450 years as a republic...Augustus began a golden age" describes Rome's rise, not decline or economic issues.
• "Diocletian divided power...Constantine made Christianity official" focuses on political/religious changes, not economics.
• "The eastern Roman Empire...west, where the empire was wracked by internal conflict as well as threats from abroad" implies turmoil (internal conflict, external threats) which can cause economic instability (e.g., disrupted trade, resource allocation issues due to war/conflict). This turmoil would contribute to economic decline.
• The last partially visible statement is unclear, but the "internal conflict + external threats" statement directly ties to conditions that drive economic instability (disruptions to production, trade, revenue).

Answer:

The statement "The eastern Roman Empire–later known as the Byzantine Empire–would remain largely intact for centuries to come. An entirely different story played out in the west, where the empire was wracked by internal conflict as well as threats from abroad–particularly from the Germanic tribes" (the one about western empire's turmoil) supports economic instability as a factor in Rome's decline, as internal/external conflicts disrupt economic systems (trade, production, revenue).