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The usual answer is that the Roman Empire fell in 476 AD because of migrating Germanic tribes that took over. I think the answer is much more complicated that that.
The Roman Empire did not fall in 476, the date usually given, and people of most of the empire were unaware of that year's being any different than any other. What happened in 476 was that Romulus Augustulus, the emperor of the West Roman Empire, was forced to abdicate by King Odoacer, when the King had demanded land in the heart of Italy. The emperor refused, so the King invaded and ended the Western Empire. In the mean time, the Empire in the East was renamed the Byzantine Empire and continued until 1453 AD.
The West Roman Empire had been in a state of increasing anarchy for decades under the pressure of Germanic tribes who migrated into the area, settled, and set up their own kingdoms, nominally within the Roman Empire. The Kingdom of the Franks was recognized as a kingdom within the Empire in 376.
My own feeling is that the West Roman Empire fell because of a combination of factors, among the most important of which is that the Roman soldiers were poorly paid in peacetime, and could only make a lot of money by looting areas taken from enemies. This caused the Roman Empire to expand greatly in the late republican days and the early periods of the empire (such as the reign of Trajan), but when the borders were established along the Rhine and Danube, and in the deserts of North Africa, there was not much left to conquer but Persia, which was logistically really difficult to take.
Not long after this time, the Roman Empire underwent the so called Crisis of the Third Century, in which the armies of the empire turned on each other, established their own local emperors, and made their livings by looting internally. Once that mess was firmly cleaned up, it had become necessary to recruit German soldiers to man the army. Diocletian and Constantine stopped the internal conflicts, but the damage was done. Citizens did not want to be in the army any more, and the military, in the West, was completely Germanic.
With the establishment of a weak emperor, the Germanic Generals who had risen from the ranks established puppets for themselves, and the Germanic tribes that wanted to come into the empire and settle were not effectively opposed.
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RossThere are many answers to this question. I have heard things like one reason they fell was that the lead in their drinking cups made them too dumb to hold on to an empire. I've heard that the rise of Christianity had a role in its fall. I've heard that finally the debauchery and immorality of the culture rotted the empire from within. But the main way the Roman Empire fell was because of its hiring practices.
In that time the Roman Empire stretched from Spain to Egypt to Germany through France to England. There weren't enough Romans to rule this much land, and the Romans started hiring outsiders to do their soldiering for them. They hired a certain German fellow who became a General in their army. He was their best General. Then he left the Roman Army and fought on the other side. He was a good general for them too. He beat the Romans at their own game. Eventually he succeeded in sacking Rome itself. I personally think that it was a combination of bad leadership and the hiring practices and maybe just a bir of empire fatigue. Entropy happens. Maybe it was just time for the thing to wrap itself up.
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The western Roman Empire is said to have fallen in 476 CE what happened during this year?
476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.476 is the date of the fall of the western Roman empire.
What happened after the fall of the roman empire and before the Renaissance?
Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.Between the fall of the Roman empire and the renaissance was a period of time known as the Dark Ages.
When did the Western Roman Empire fall?
The most commonly used date is 476, but other dates are also used. Some historians just say 5th century, or the second half of the 5th century. Clearly it was a long, drawn out affair. The East Roman Empire survived until 1453. The name we use for it is the Byzantine Empire, but that name was never used at the time, and they were nearly always called the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.
What empire continued to flourish after the collapse of the western roman empire?
The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.The eastern half of the Roman empire continued to flourish after the fall of the western half. It is called the Byzantine.
Why did the Byzantine Empire flourish after the fall of the Western Roman Empire?
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian was able to bring back many traits and traditions of the Roman empire. Justinian not only was able to revive the Roman Empire, but was able to create his own legacy. (yes, I am in AP World History)
