When did the Roman Empire fall?

The Roman Empire is generally considered to have fallen in the year **476 AD**, when the last Roman emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. This event marks the traditional date for the fall of the Western Roman Empire. However, it’s important to note that the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to exist for nearly another thousand years until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD. Several factors contributed to the decline and eventual fall of the Western Roman Empire. Internally, political instability and corruption weakened the central government, while economic troubles such as heavy taxation, reliance on slave labor, and inflation undermined the economy. Militarily, the empire faced increasing pressure from various barbarian groups—including the Visigoths, Vandals, and Huns—who invaded and settled in Roman territories. Additionally, the empire's vast size made it difficult to govern effectively and respond swiftly to external threats. The combination of these internal weaknesses and external invasions culminated in the collapse of centralized Roman authority in the West. Meanwhile, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire preserved Roman law and culture for centuries afterward, highlighting that the "fall of the Roman Empire" primarily refers to the Western half.