Why did the Western Roman Empire fall?

There were a number of external factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

One of these was barbarian invasions; as the empire became weaker, it became an increasingly attractive target for barbarian tribes. 

Initially, these Germanic tribes wanted permission to live within the empire but initially were not allowed.

Some were hired as mercenaries for the Roman armies, but they were never fully integrated into western Roman society.

This bred resentment and, eventually, the tribes began attacking and taking what they wanted.

At the Battle of Adrianople, in AD 378, a Roman army was defeated by the Goths – this event is often seen as a symbol of the decline of the wider Roman Empire.

Some of the most destructive of these tribes were the Vandals, who sacked Rome in AD 455, the Visigoths, who sacked Rome in AD 410, and the Huns, who ravaged much of the empire in the 450s AD. 

Another major external factor was disease. The Antonine Plague (c. AD 165-180) and the Plague of Cyprian (c. AD 249-262) were devastating pandemics that struck the empire in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

They are estimated to have killed up to one-third of the empire's population, and it severely weakened its economy and military.

One of the most important factors in the fall of the Western Roman Empire was the growing divide between the empire’s two halves, the Latin West and the Greek East.

This division was largely a result of different cultures and languages; while the people in the West spoke Latin and followed Roman law, those in the East spoke Greek and were more influenced by Greek culture.

This division ultimately led to a split in imperial power, with each half having its own emperor. This was an initiative created by Emperor Diocletian.

He decided that the vast size of the Roman Empire meant that it could not be effectively led by one single individual.

As a result, Diocletian assigned an emperor, known as an 'Augustus', for each half of his territories.

Under each of the Augusti was a second-in-charge known as the 'Caesar', who would take over from one of the Augusti when they ended their time in power.

However, the division of the empire in this manner developed a deep division. The east was far wealthier than the west, while the west faced most of the military pressures from external invasions.

Combined with the language and cultural differences, enmity between the Augusti and Caesars threatened to spill over into civil war.

Additionally, a growing religious divide added to this tension. Christianity began to grow in popularity during the 3rd century AD, and many people saw it as a threat to traditional Roman values.

In addition to external factors, there were also a number of internal factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

One of these was government corruption. This became increasingly common in the later years of the empire, as emperors began to excessively tax the people to fund their lavish lifestyles.

This led to widespread discontent among the population, and many people began to lose faith in the government.

Another significant factor was the heavy reliance on slave labor, and as slavery became less common, this put a strain on the economy.

Additionally, the costs of running such a large empire were becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

By AD 400, tax revenue had decreased dramatically, due to both corruption and invasions.

This decrease in revenue meant that there was less money available for things like maintaining roads and paying soldiers.

This, combined with the growing divide between the East and West, made it difficult for the empire to function effectively.

There were a number of political factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

One of these was political instability; over the course of its history, the Western Roman Empire saw a number of military coups and civil wars.

This internal strife made it difficult for the empire to defend itself against external threats.

One of these was the increasing power of regional governors (known as “barbarian generals”), who began to challenge the authority of the emperor.

Additionally, many people began to question the legitimacy of the emperor and his right to rule.

This was exacerbated by a series of military disasters in the mid-400s AD, which led to a loss of confidence in the imperial government.

One of the most influential of these leaders was the barbarian chief, Odoacer, who deposed the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, in AD 476.

Odoacer would become the ruler of Italy but didn't call himself emperor. Instead, he called himself 'king'.

These political factors, combined with external factors like barbarian invasions and disease, made it increasingly difficult for the Western Roman Empire to function effectively.

By AD 476, it had collapsed completely.

In addition to the economic, political, and military factors that contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire, there were also a number of environmental factors.

One of these was a series of devastating natural disasters, including floods, droughts, and earthquakes. 

In the 5th century AD, a volcanic eruption in Italy caused widespread damage and death.

These disasters led to widespread famine and death, which put further strain on an already weakened empire.

The eastern Roman Empire would still survive for centuries to come. Its capital city was Constantinople and would become known as the Byzantine Empire.

The Emperor Zeno, who ruled Byzantium when the western Roman Empire fell, still believed that the west was destined to be conquered by the east once more.

The various reasons listed above seemed to have worked together to undermine the stability of the Western Roman Empire.

While most modern historians avoid blaming just one of these things as the only reason it collapsed, some of them to argue that some of these causes were more responsible than others.

Some historians emphasize the importance of external factors, arguing that the empire was simply too large and difficult to defend against barbarian invasions.

Others focus on internal factors, arguing that government corruption and economic decline were more significant than any external threat.

Still others believe that it was a combination of both external and internal factors that led to the empire’s demise.

Whatever the cause, the fall of the Western Roman Empire was a complex event with many contributing factors.

Many elements of the Western Roman Empire have survived to this day in the institution of the Roman Catholic Church.

The papacy, for example, traces its origins back to the bishop of Rome, who was the recognized head of the Western Church.

Also, the bureaucratic structure of church organisation is based on ancient Roman models, including the division of regions into 'dioceses'.

One of the most obvious similarities is the use of the Latin language by the church.

Other aspects of Roman culture also survived in the Byzantine Empire, which kept alive many of the traditions of the west.

For example, Byzantine art is a direct continuation of Roman art, and much of what we know about Ancient Rome comes from Byzantine historians.