END OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

   By the time the Huns were gone, Rome was completely weakened. During the chaos and disorder, the Germanic tribes closed in. The Roman Empire officially fell in A.D. 476.

Fall of the Roman Empire

There were several reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Each one interweaved with the other.

          Decline in Morals and Values Public Health Political Corruption Unemployment Inflation Urban decay Inferior Technology Christianity Military Spending Barbarian Invasions

Inside Byzantium

Justinian Code

  The fall of the empire didn’t mean the end of Rome. The Byzantines established the

Justinian Code

to preserve Roman legal principles and practices.

Byzantines

 The Byzantines accepted the Christian Church. Because of the Byzantines, Orthodox Christianity spread to as far as Russia.

Byzantine Contributions

 The Byzantines worked hard to preserve both Roman and Greek culture, and to this day, the world is still very influenced by these two ancient civilizations.

Decline of Byzantium

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?

   The traditional date of the fall of the Roman Empire is September 4, 476 when Romulus Augustulus, the last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed by Odoacer. Some modern historians question the relevance of this date, as the Ostrogoths who succeeded considered themselves as upholders of the direct line of Roman traditions.

The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire continued until the Fall of Constantinople on May 29, 1453.

The European Middle Ages Begin

  Modern historians tend to prefer the term Byzantine Empire for the eastern, medieval stage of the Roman Empire. The decline of the Roman Empire is one of the events which traditionally mark the end of Classical Antiquity and the start of the European Middle Ages.