The Fall of Rome in 476 CE marked the collapse of the Western Roman Empire after years of internal decline and external invasions.

Political corruption, economic struggles, and military weaknesses left it vulnerable to barbarian attacks, culminating in the deposition of the last emperor, Romulus Augustulus.

However, the Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, endured for another 1,000 years, preserving Roman traditions, law, and culture until its fall in 1453.