what are the reasons for the fall of the roman empire in 476AD?

Answer 1

The traditional date of the fall of the Roman Empire is September 4, 476 when Romulus Augustus, the last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed by Odoacer a Germanic Chieftan...there are numerous theories about WHY the empire fell...many felt it was from a moral decay and a loss of civic virtue.. if you don't care about the empire ie the empire doesn't last long....others point to the fact that Rome was financing an army of barbarians to fight their wars... no longer were Romans protecting Rome it was left ultimately to those that wanted it destroyed.. MISTAKE!!!.. other reasons are the lack of desire to create their own culture rather sucking the ideas and inventions from their conqued lands... some good historians to research would be Gibbons, Edward JB Bury, Peter Heather, and Bryan Ward Perkins..

Answer 2

"The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians," by Peter Heather, Oxford University (2007). I'm sure you can pick up a cheap paperback on amazon.com. Heather argues that something did indeed happen to the Roman Empire, beginning in the mid-200's. A resurgence of the Persian Empire to the East led to the need of Rome to increase its army by 25-33%. But during the 300's, Goths, Vandals, and Huns were becoming more politically sophisticated, organizing into "supergroups." So Heather's explanation is that when the Goths entered the Roman Empire in 376, it was in greater numbers than the Romans could cope. The Goths and the Vandals occupied Roman territories and prevented taxes from those territories from reaching the central government. Reduced taxes prevented Rome from keeping up the army. There was always an understanding between Rome and wealthy taxpayers in the provinces that high taxes kept up the army that protected the provincials. In the 400's, Romans in the provinces realized that they could not depend upon Rome but had to reach agreements with local barbarian chieftains.

Answer 3

Well the massive infighting between all the factions within the western half of the empire, caused a feudal like system, where everyone worked for a local leader instead of the emperor. This being said, it caused all finances to focused on war, for the most part. Also, each regional leader would try to march into Rome (the city) with his army and declare himself the new emperor. This being the case, outside invaders saw the opportunity to avenge all the wrong set on them by the Romans, also marched into Western Roman lands and just slaughtered what was left of the so called "army" and toppled the empire.

Answer 4

Let's be a little different and say that the Roman Empire did not fall in 476. In 476 the last individual claiming to be the Western Roman Empire was disposed. In fact the Emperor's at Constantinople continued to claim ownership of the Western and Eastern parts of the Roman Empire and actually sent several expeditions to retake it. The Roman Empre did not fall until 1453 with the fall of Constantiniple or Byzantium.

Answer 5

no one is conscious each and all of the justifications, or putting it yet differently, somewhat some motives have been placed forward at differing circumstances. the reason which seems to be typical at present is an economic one. The Empire merely grew too enormous to be controlled proper. It grew to become increasingly extra confusing to hold collectively taxation/tribute, particularly interior the kind of grain. This became very actual while barbarian invasions of North Africa decrease off the sullies from that significant 'bread basket, following the closure of the port of Carthage. The legions could no longer be paid. They grew to become much less vulnerable to combat barbarians grew to become increasingly extra courageous. a great recent e book is 'the autumn of the Roman Empire' via Peter Heather.

Answer 6

1. Sex

2. Drugs

3. Rock 'n Roll

Or, according to Gibbons: 1. second class citizens got equal rights(slaves & women); 2. unrestricted immigration (barbarian invasions); 3. the ruling class of patricians became complacent (Rome's founders distanced themselves from politics).

It all resembles what is happening to America today.

Answer 7

Because the Romans sucked.
Those idiots were overwhelmed by foreign invaders and internal corruption.