Everything you need to know about the fall of Rome

The Roman Empire is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most successful and (in)famous empire of the ancient world. Lasting for nearly a thousand years, the Roman Empire developed and employed methods of nation-building and public works that are still used today. Widespread use of paved roads, aqueducts, building cement, and not to mention Christianity, were all developed within the borders of the great Roman Empire. As the old adage goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day." But it didn't fall in a day either.

The story of the long and arduous journey to obsolescence taken by Rome is a long one, but it is as fascinating as it is tragic. Intrigued? Read on to learn about the events that led to the fall of Rome.

How long did the Roman Empire last?

The Roman Empire was one of the largest and most successful civilizations in human history. From the birth of the Roman Republic in 510 BCE to the fall of the Western capital at the hands of the Ostrogoths in 476 CE, Rome stood tall for just shy of 1,000 years.

East versus West

Emperor Constantine, who ruled in the early 4th century CE, was one of the most influential leaders of the late empire. Not only was he the first emperor to convert to Christianity and spread the infant religion across his empire, he also officially split the empire into the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire, and made Constantinople the capital of the eastern empire. While the dissection rendered the empire easy to govern, Christianity undermined many deeply-ingrained Roman religious customs, weakening the society's integrity. Some historians say that the rule of Constantine was the beginning of the end.

Internal economic issues

An empire as large as Rome was massively expensive to run. Between the upkeep of Rome's massive road system, the countless soldier salaries that had to be paid, and the opulent tastes of the ruling classes, it soon began to cost more than the empire could bring in through taxes.

Constant power struggles

The halls of the Roman senate were also no strangers to betrayal and overall drama. While the assassination of Julius Caesar, in the early days of the Empire, is by far the most famous story of Roman betrayal, similar incidents were common throughout Rome's history, leaving the question of leadership in a chronically shaky position.

Troubles with the Huns

Threats to Rome's border also came from the East. The Hunnic Empire, under the leadership of one of history's most feared and ruthless leaders, Atilla, was growing and spreading rapidly, pushing further and further westward from Central Asia.

Atilla and the great migration

Atilla's empire-building caused a domino effect that saw serious problems for Rome. As the Huns pushed westward, they forced many Germanic and Nordic tribes that lived on the Roman Empire's frontiers to migrate further into Roman territory.

Emperor Valens and the Battle of Adrianople

One of the first crucial defeats that marked the beginning of the end for the greatest empire was the Battle of Adrianople, in 378 CE. Emperor Valens, named emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, still in its infancy, was killed in this battle against the Gothic tribes.

Ravenna: The new capital

The worsening fragility on all sides of the Empire caused many within the Western Roman leadership to question the security of the capital city. As a result, the capital city was moved to the city of Ravenna, in northern Italy, in 402 CE.

The Crossing of the Rhine

For centuries, the Rhine river, which runs from the Swiss Alps into the Netherlands, was one of the Empire's most secure borders. The violation of this boundary is seen by historians today as one of the major blows to Rome's influence in Western Europe.

The Sack of Rome

Although Rome was no longer the official capital of the Western Empire, it was still the cultural and religious center of Europe, and its destruction was felt throughout the Empire. As Saint Jerome wrote from Bethlehem at the time, "The city which had taken the whole world was itself taken."

The fall of Carthage

The next major defeat took place on the Eastern front, with the fall of the Egyptian city of Carthage at the hands of Gaiseric, leader of the Vandals, in 439 CE.

The death of Libius Severus

By the middle of the 5th century CE, the Western Empire was in tatters. There were constant vies for power, and few of the Western emperors were recognized by their more successful contemporaries in the Eastern Empire. This pattern was most apparent after the death of Libius Severus, a decidedly minor and ineffective leader. After his death, the Western Empire had no official leader for two years.

The arrival of Anthemius

The new Western emperor was Procopius Anthemius, considered to be the last true and "capable" emperor of the Western Empire. Anthemius made admirable efforts to fight back the ever-encroaching Germanic invaders, but was eventually killed by Ricimer, who had initially ceded his power peacefully to act as Anthemius' general, but soon thirsted for power once more. Ricimer himself died only six weeks later.

Odovacer: The first king of Italy

Finally, in 476 CE, a true end befell the Western Roman Empire when Odovacer, leader of the Ostrogoths, captured Ravenna, killed Orestes, and deposed Romulus. Having no desire to remain associated with the Eastern Roman Empire, Odovacer founded the Kingdom of Italy, or the Ostrogothic Kingdom, and declared himself its first king.

The Byzantine Empire

Once the Western Empire fell, the Eastern Roman Empire became known as the Byzantine Empire. Over the years, the Byzantine Empire had become different from its western counterpart in many ways, most obviously by being founded on Christianity rather than the traditional Roman pantheon. The Byzantines would remain major players on the European stage until they finally succumbed to the Ottomans in the 15th century.