For the film, see Political change in late antiquity that came with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire313–376: Abuse of power, frontier warfare, and rise of Christianity376–395; invasions, civil wars, and religious discordMilitary, financial, and political ineffectiveness: the process of failureStilicho's attempts to unify the Empire, revolts, and invasions408–410; the end of effective regular field armies (410-455), starvation in Italy, sack of Rome405–418 in the Gallic provinces; barbarians and usurpers, loss of Britannia, partial loss of Hispania and Gaul421–433; renewed dissension after the death of Constantius, partial loss of the Diocese of Africa455–456; failure of Avitus, further losses in Gaul, rise of Ricimer457–467; resurgence under Majorian, attempt to recover Africa, control by Ricimer467–472, Anthemius; an Emperor and an army from the East472–476; the final emperors, puppets of the warlords313–376: Abuse of power, frontier warfare, and rise of Christianity376–395; invasions, civil wars, and religious discordMilitary, financial, and political ineffectiveness: the process of failureStilicho's attempts to unify the Empire, revolts, and invasions408–410; the end of effective regular field armies (410-455), starvation in Italy, sack of Rome405–418 in the Gallic provinces; barbarians and usurpers, loss of Britannia, partial loss of Hispania and Gaul421–433; renewed dissension after the death of Constantius, partial loss of the Diocese of Africa455–456; failure of Avitus, further losses in Gaul, rise of Ricimer457–467; resurgence under Majorian, attempt to recover Africa, control by Ricimer467–472, Anthemius; an Emperor and an army from the East472–476; the final emperors, puppets of the warlordse.g.

Roman aristocracy was based on competition, and unlike later As the republican principle of citizens' equality under the law faded, the symbolic and social privileges of the upper classes led to an informal division of Roman society into those who had acquired greater honours Execution, which had been an infrequent legal penalty for free men under the Republic even in a capital case,The three major elements of the Imperial Roman state were the central government, the military, and provincial government.Communities with demonstrated loyalty to Rome retained their own laws, could collect their own taxes locally, and in exceptional cases were exempt from Roman taxation. Although the move made the empire easier to govern, the two halves drifted apart and failed to work in unison to see off external threats.

The Romans were forced to increase the size of their army. Troops, defenseless and exposed to all the weapons of the enemy, are more disposed to fly than fight. The transition of Rome from a monarchy to a republic led to severe internal social tensions. Despite its From about 150, the climate became on average somewhat worse for most of the inhabited lands around the Mediterranean.The Empire suffered multiple serious crises during the third century.
Of these, 250,000 were stationed on Rome's northern borders.
Glen Bowersock, "The Vanishing Paradigm of the Fall of Rome" General Observations On The Fall Of The Roman Empire In The West. The rich senatorial aristocrats in Rome itself became increasingly influential during the fifth century; they supported armed strength in theory, but did not wish to pay for it or to offer their own workers as army recruits.The fifth-century Western emperors, with brief exceptions, were individuals incapable of ruling effectively or even of controlling their own courts.Without an authoritative ruler, the Balkan provinces fell rapidly into disorder.