Decline of Rome

The decline of Rome refers to the gradual weakening of the Roman Empire, which culminated in the fall of its Western half in 476 AD. Key factors included political corruption, economic troubles, military challenges from invading tribes, and a lack of effective leadership. Social changes, such as the rise of Christianity, shifted people's loyalties away from the state. Additionally, internal strife and overexpansion stretched resources thin. While the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued for nearly another thousand years, the fall of the Western Empire marked the end of ancient Rome's dominance in Europe.