The fall of the Roman Empire was a complex, gradual process influenced by multiple interrelated factors over several centuries. The main causes include:

Internal Corruption and Political Instability

• Corruption and ineffective leadership plagued the empire, especially in its later years, leading to inflation, excessive taxation, civil wars, and weakened governance. Some emperors were notably inept, and political turmoil caused frequent power struggles and instability

• The "Crisis of the Third Century" saw rapid turnover of emperors and civil wars, further destabilizing the empire

Division of the Empire

• Emperor Diocletian divided the empire into Eastern and Western halves to improve administration. While the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) thrived, the Western Empire weakened politically and militarily

• The capital was moved eastward by Constantine, leaving the Western Roman Empire more vulnerable to external threats

Economic Decline

• The empire faced economic troubles including rampant inflation, heavy taxation, reliance on slave labor, and loss of new sources of wealth due to halted conquests. This economic downturn reduced the empire’s ability to maintain its military and infrastructure

Military Decline and Barbarian Invasions

• The Roman legions declined in discipline and effectiveness, increasingly relying on foreign mercenaries who often had little loyalty and sometimes turned against Rome

• Repeated invasions and migrations by Germanic tribes (e.g., Visigoths, Vandals), as well as pressure from Huns, weakened the empire’s borders. Rome was sacked multiple times, notably by the Visigoths in 410 AD and the Vandals in 455 AD

• The final blow came in 476 AD when the Germanic chieftain Odoacer deposed the last Western Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, marking the conventional end of the Western Roman Empire

Other Contributing Factors

• Disease, climatic changes, and socioeconomic instability also played roles in weakening the empire’s population and resources

In summary, the fall of the Roman Empire was due to a combination of internal corruption, political division, economic troubles, military decline, and relentless external invasions by Germanic tribes and other groups. The Western Roman Empire gradually lost control until its collapse in 476 AD, while the Eastern Roman Empire continued as the Byzantine Empire