Fall of the Roman Empire

Historians have long blamed the fall of the Roman Empire on constant raids and on ......... religious dissent. Corruption in the government also contributed to the empire's decay.
responsible
irreparable
resulting
reneging

An almost invisible invader, the mosquito was responsible for infecting Romans with Malaria. Unfortunately, there was no effective way to fight the ......... and deadly disease.
deceptive
debilitating
decennial
decadent

The idea that mosquitos were the cause of the ......... was not accepted until AD 467. Previous, historical writings stated that the Romans thought that disease was carried in the wind.
pestilence
perspicacious
perspective
pediment

Eventually, most Romans made the ......... between living near stagnant water, mosquito population and illness.
cooperation
corporate
considerate
correlation

Exposure to mosquito bites and having malaria made some people resistant to further attacks, while others became weak and ......... Romans died.
vengeance
valid
venerable
vulnerable

When Romans moved to higher ground, away from ......... water, they could protect themselves from contacting malaria.
stalemate
stagnant
standard
studious

Roman descendants of the malaria survivors seemed to develop a ......... resistance which is still evident in current blood tests.
gigantic
genetic
generally
generous

In 1907, British professor W.H.S. Jones proposed the idea that it was the mosquito which caused the fall of the Roman Empire. Archaeological evidence supported his theory after evidence of a ......... outbreak of Malaria was unearthed in a Roman cemetery.
contingent
conflicting
contemptible
catastrophic

Analysis of the bones revealed that a new form of malaria would have ......... the communities that had previously been able to survive having just fever and chills. The new strain could kill anyone within hours.
deviated
decimated
developed
devastate

Scientists and academics alike have concluded that that the insects which ......... as far as Rome, were most certainly responsible for causing the final blow to a people already crippled by wars, agriculture shortages and corruption.
penetrated
purposeful
proposed
propensity