Final answer:
The challenges as empires grew included political, military, and economic difficulties. These ranged from internal factional politics, and nationalism causing revolts, to overstretched militaries engaged in costly and constant conflicts. Economic problems also emerged due to the loss of territories, a decrease in tax revenues, and a shift in social structures due to war.
Step-by-step explanation:
The problems that arose as empires grew were multifaceted and often stemmed from their rapid expansion. Political challenges included managing the diversity of territories and peoples, which sometimes led to nationalism and revolts causing loss of territory. Factional politics within empires also caused internal strife, as powerful factions or elites tried to gain more power, adversely affecting the governance of the empire.
Furthermore, war and military issues were paramount, such as the Roman military becoming overstretched due to constant conflicts on expanding frontiers, leading to prolonged campaigns and financial strain. As the Roman Empire expanded, conflicts became more costly and the military's needs drove further conquest, which ultimately strained its capacity. Additionally, the military reforms and the reliance on peasant soldiers saw an imbalance as elitist policies reversed, undermining the armies' capabilities.
Economic difficulties also troubled empires. For instance, the Roman Empire faced a significant decrease in tax revenue as it began to lose territories, which impacted the economic stability of the state. Problems such as property management and disrupted family farming during the Punic Wars led to a shift in social structure and increased the number of landless proletariats. These economic strains were aggravated by the need to finance military campaigns and maintain administrative control over vast regions.