Decline of the Roman Empire

:For the book see The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. For the movie see The Fall of the Roman Empire

Related Topics:
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - The Fall of the Roman Empire

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Decline of the Roman Empire is a historical term of periodization which describes the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The term was first used and coined by Edward Gibbon in the 18th century in his famous book The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, but he was not the first, and not the last, to speculate on why and when the Empire collapsed. It remains one of the greatest historical questions, and has a tradition rich in scholarly interest. In 1984, German Professor Alexander Demandt published a collection of 210 theories on why Rome fell.{{fn|1}}

Related Topics:
Historical - Periodization - Western Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon - 18th century - The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - 1984 - Alexander Demandt

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The traditional date of the Fall of the Roman Empire is September 4, 476 when Romulus Augustus, the Emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed. However, many historians question this date, and use other benchmarks to describe the "Fall". Why the Empire fell seems to be relevant to every new generation, and a seemingly endless supply of theories are discussed on why (or if at all) it happened.

Related Topics:
September 4 - 476 - Romulus Augustus - Emperor

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