Western Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire is the name given to the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286 AD. It would exist intermittently in several periods between the 3rd Century and the 5th Century, after Diocletian's Tetrarchy and the reunifications associated with Constantine the Great and his later successors, and is generally held to have ended with the abdication of Romulus Augustus on September 4, 476, under pressure of the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. Its counterpart, the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, survived for another 1,000 years.

The Tetrarchies and the Constantine Dynasty

After the restoration of Gaul, the west's external borders were largely quiet for the remainder of the Crisis of the Third Century, although between the death of Aurelius in 275 and the accession of Diocletian ten years later, at least eight Emperors or would-be Emperors were killed, many by their own troops. It was under Diocletian that the eventual permanent division of the Empire would start. In 286, through his creation of the Tetrarchy, he gave control over the western portion of the Empire to Maximian as Augustus, and named Constantius Chlorus as his subordinate (Caesar). This system divided up the Empire into four parts, and moved the capital from Rome to four smaller cities as a way to avoid the civil unrest that marked the 3rd century. In the west the capitals were Maximian's Milan and Constantius' Trier. On May 1, 305, the two Augusti stepped down and were replaced by their respective Caesars.

Related Topics:
Crisis of the Third Century - 275 - Diocletian - Tetrarchy - Maximian - Augustus - Constantius Chlorus - Caesar - Rome - 3rd century - Milan - Trier - May 1 - 305

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