The fall of the Roman Empire occurred in AD 476, after a long period of decline. For centuries, the Roman Empire controlled a vast territory stretching from Britain to North Africa and from Spain to the Middle East. However, the empire eventually fell victim to its size and complexity.
As the empire grew, it became increasingly difficult to govern effectively. At the same time, barbarian invasions from the north began to take their toll. In 476 AD the last Roman emperor was overthrown, and the empire collapsed soon after.
Although there is no single cause for the fall of the Roman Empire, historians have identified several contributing factors, including political corruption, economic decline, and military weakness. Whatever the reasons, the fall of Rome was a pivotal moment in history that ushered in a new era of European civilization.
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The Fall of the Roman Empire: Internal and External Causes
There were several internal and external reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Here are some of the most significant:
- Invasions by barbarians
- Economic problems
- The division of the Roman Empire into East and West
- Political corruption and instability
- The Huns are pressing from the east
The internal reasons include, among other things, financial problems, the division of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire, as well as political corruption and instability. The external causes include invasions by barbarians and Hun pressure from the east.
Let’s take a closer look at these.
1. Invasions by Barbarians
Those who invade other nations are destined to make many enemies. The Roman Empire expanded its borders and reached its greatest geographical size around it 2nd century AD, a time when they had achieved dominance over all the areas around the Mediterranean Sea, an area of approximately 5.4 million square kilometers (expanded further down the page).
Anyone who has seen the size of Italy itself on a map, and compared it with the areas that were incorporated under Roman rule, will realize that the Romans had had to do an enormous amount of warfare to carve out this empire.
With great reputation comes great enemies, and the Romans had been successful in keeping Germanic tribes, the barbarians, away, until the 4th century AD, when the Goths broke through the extensive defenses on the borders. At the end of the century, the Romans succeeded in putting down a Germanic rebellion, but in 410 the Visigoths succeeded in sacking the city.
The Visigoths lived in what is today Romania and were led by King Alaric who pushed westward as a result of pressure from the Huns who, led by “Attila the Hun,” pushed from Kazakhstan and other areas of Asia. In the year 455, Rome was sacked again by the Vandals, and in 476 the Germanic leader Odoacer led a coup and deposed the last Western Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus.
2. Financial Problems
While the Roman Empire struggled with attacks from the outside, a financial crisis exacerbated the problems. Ongoing warfare and overspending greatly reduced the imperial treasury, and high taxation and inflation widened the divide between rich and poor.
At the same time, the slaves were an important resource for the Romans, and when the expansion ended around the 2nd century AD the kingdom began to feel the lack of fresh slaver. When you add the fact that the Vandals took control of North Africa, an important post for grain supplies, and prevented Roman trade by piracy in the Mediterranean, you quickly see that the situation is becoming serious for the Romans. With economic, trade, and supply problems, the empire began to lose its grip on Europe.
3. The Division of the Roman Empire into East and West
When emperor Diocletian split the empire in two in the late 3rd century, he in a sense sealed the fate of the Western Roman Empire. On the one hand, it became easier to administer the kingdom with a post in Milan, and one in Byzantium, but only in the short term. In the longer term, the split led to miscommunication between the two halves and internal conflicts over who should receive the most financial or military support.
While the emperors chose to strengthen the Eastern Empire, the Western Empire, including Italy and the original capital Rome, was abandoned to face barbarian tribes who chose to plunder the West rather than try their hand at the strong Eastern Empire. Rome, from which we know the city Caesar and Augustus its time, loses its grandeur and strength, and we hear less and less about the once mighty capital in sources the further we get into the first millennium.
In a short intervening period in the 5th century, however, it looked like there was hope for the Roman Empire to rise again. At the request of Emperor Justinian, the Eastern Roman general Belisarius is sent out to reconquer Rome in the year 535, which he succeeds in doing the following year. He also reconquers other parts of what once belonged to the western part of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, this will be a short-lived victory, as the general does not have enough resources to hold the areas. Rome is therefore lost forever.
4. Political Corruption and Instability
Irregular leadership is not a good recipe for success in any business or nation, but for the Roman Empire, with its enormous size, it proved particularly fatal. As civil wars and internal strife took root, people began to see imperial rule as a death sentence.
In just 75 years, there were 20 different emperors, which corresponds to only 3-4 years of rule per person on average – a decent period if you compare with Norway’s prime ministers’ 4 years, but not when you consider that these emperors were usually deposed by assassination after 3-4 years and that Emperor Augustus ruled successfully for over 40 years.
The Praetorian Guard – the soldiers assigned to protect Rome from outside attacks – took control and did exactly as they pleased by ousting some emperors and installing others.
5. The Huns Press On from the East
When the Huns invaded Europe in the late fourth century, many barbarian tribes were pushed closer and closer to Rome’s borders. Eventually, the Romans agreed to let the Visigoths cross the Danube River into the safety of Roman territory, but the way they treated the newcomers matched the way the Romans saw these barbarians. They oppressed the new people, going so far as to force the Visigoths to sell their children into slavery in exchange for dog meat.
When the oppression became too much, the Visigoths rebelled and succeeded in sacking Rome, as mentioned above. One can only wonder if history would have turned out differently if the Romans had treated barbarians like the Visigoths well, and perhaps even cooperated with them to put down the Hunnic invaders.
Other factors also played a role in the fall of the Roman Empire – including an increasingly weakened military force and an increased focus on Christian values.
What Was the Cause of the Fall of the Roman Empire?
If one were to select one main reason for the fall of the Roman Empire, it would be difficult to arrive at a unanimous answer. Nevertheless, some scholars have argued that the main cause of the empire’s fall was its overexpansion.
At its height, the empire encompassed a vast territory, stretching from Great Britain in the north down to North Africa in the south. This vast territory presented several logistical and administrative challenges, as the Imperial authorities had to maintain order and ensure sound governance over hundreds of cities and millions of people.
In addition, this vast network of cities required significant resources for defense, tax collection, and maintenance of public infrastructure. Over time, as economic crises and barbarian invasions depleted the resources available to Rome, armies began to weaken and internal rebellions became more frequent.
Ultimately, this combination of military vulnerability and political instability led to the collapse of Roman power, marking one of the most important events in world history. One of the main reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire is therefore its impractically enormous size.
Year of the Fall of the Roman Empire
The fall of the Roman Empire was in the year 476 AD when Romulus Augustulus was deposed as emperor. After his deposition, no emperor has ever held a leadership position in Italy. Since the Western Roman Empire is considered the “true Roman Empire” in terms of traditional Roman values and culture, the year 476 is therefore considered the official year of the fall of the Roman Empire. The fall of the Eastern Roman Empire did not come until about 1,000 years later.
What Was the Situation Like in Europe After the Fall of the Roman Empire?
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe was in a state of chaos and upheaval. The collapse of the empire left people struggling to survive amidst growing economic inequality, political instability, and widespread violence. In particular, many regions fell victim to warring tribes and raiders who terrorized local communities. At the same time, power struggles raged between kingdoms and city-states, as different leaders tried to assert their dominance over others.
Despite these chaotic conditions, Europe also saw pockets of prosperity during this time. Throughout the Dark Ages and Middle Ages, there were cultural developments such as advances in art and architecture, as well as scientific innovations such as the printing press.
By far the most significant development, however, was the spread of Christianity across Europe, which helped bring stability to many regions. While things were in many ways bleak after the fall of Rome, Europe would eventually emerge from these dark times, primed for further growth and prosperity.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire was particularly popular when Edward Gibbon launched the book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire in 1776. If you’re interested in getting a deeper look at the events that led to the fall of Rome, I would highly recommend it, especially the abridged version by David P. Womersley. Check it out by clicking here.
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