National Motto: Senatus PopulusQue Romanus (Latin: "Roman Senate & People")
Official languages	Latin
Capitals	Rome, later also Milan and Ravenna
Government	autocratic Monarchy
Head of state	Western Roman Emperor
Deliberative Body	Roman Senate
Establishment	originated with the division of the Roman Empire
Dissolution	conquered on 4 September 476
First emperor	very unclear, the Western Roman emperors claimed political succession of Augustus (63 BC – AD 14), first Roman emperor
Last Emperor	Romulus Augustus (475 - 476), Julius Nepos claimed sovereignty over the Western Roman Empire until his death in 480
Preceding state	Roman Empire
Succeeding states	Ostrogothic Kingdom, Eastern Roman Empire, Frankish Empire, Holy Roman Empire
Currency	Solidus, Aureus, Denarius, Sestertius, As
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The Western Roman Empire is the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286. It existed 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 Julian the Apostate. Theodosius I was the last Roman Emperor who ruled over an unified Roman empire. After his death in 395, the Roman Empire was definitively divided. The Western Roman Empire ended officially with the abdication of Romulus Augustus under pressure of Odoacer on 4 September 476, and unofficially with the death of Julius Nepos in 480. Image File history File links Extent_of_Western_Roman_Empire_395. ... Here is a list of state mottos for countries and their subdivisions around the world. ... See also the SPQR series of murder mystery novels and the SPQR board game. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative sense of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location within Province of Rome in the Region of Latium Coordinates: Region Latium Province Province of Rome Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Milan (MI) Mayor Letizia Moratti Elevation 120 m Area 182 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 1,308,311  - Density 6,988/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Milanesi Dialing code 02 Postal code 20100 Patron St. ... Ravenna is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... An Autocracy is a form of government in which unlimited power is held by a single individual. ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Western Roman Empire is the name given to the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian. ... The Roman Senate (Latin, Senatus) was a deliberative body which was important in the government of both the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ... Augustus (Latin: IMP•CAESAR•DIVI•F•AVGVSTVS;[1] September 23, 63 BC – August 19, AD 14), known as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (in English Octavian, Latin: C•IVLIVS•C•F•CAESAR•OCTAVIANVS) for the period of his life prior to 27 BC, was the first and among the most important... Tremissis of Romulus Augustus. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Events Odoacer defeats an attempt by Julius Nepos to recapture Italy, and has Julius killed; Odoacer also captured Dalmatia. ... The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... The Ostrogoths (Gleaming Goths or Eastern Goths), in distinction to the Visigoths (Noble Goths or Western Goths), were a Germanic tribe that influenced political events of the late Roman Empire. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Statue of Charlemagne (also called Karl der Große, Charles the Great) in Frankfurt, Germany. ... The Holy Roman Empire and from the 16th century on also The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. ... Julian solidus, ca. ... Aureus minted in 193 by Septimius Severus to celebrate XIIII Gemina Martia Victrix, the legion that proclamed him emperor. ... First row : c. ... The sestertius was an ancient Roman coin. ... The As (plural Asses) was a bronze, and later copper, coin used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire, named after the homonymous weight unit (12 unciae = ounces), but not immune to weight depreciation. ... Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... Emperor Diocletian. ... This article is about the year 286. ... // Overview Events 212: Constitutio Antoniniana grants citizenship to all free Roman men 212-216: Baths of Caracalla 230-232: Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east 235-284: Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire 250-538: Kofun era, the first... Europe in 450 The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204, Treasury of St. ... Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Flavius Claudius Iulianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last Pagan Roman Emperor. ... On the reverse of this coin minted under Valentinian II, both Valentinian and Theodosius are depicted with halos. ... Events After the death of emperor Theodosius I, the Roman Empire is divided in an eastern and a western half. ... Tremissis of Romulus Augustus. ... Odoacer solidus struck in name of Zeno. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Events Odoacer defeats an attempt by Julius Nepos to recapture Italy, and has Julius killed; Odoacer also captured Dalmatia. ...

Despite brief periods of reconquest by its counterpart, the Eastern Roman Empire, widely known as the Byzantine Empire, the Western Roman Empire would not rise again. The Byzantine Empire survived for another millennium before being eventually conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. Byzantine Empire (native Greek name: - Basileia tōn Romaiōn) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... A millennium is a period of time, equal to one thousand years (from Latin mille, thousand, and annum, year). ... now. ... Events May 29 - Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). ...

As the Western Roman Empire fell, a new era began in Western European history: the Middle Ages. A common understanding of Western Europe in modern times. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Influenced by the most important legacy of the Western Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church, the new warlike barbarian kingdoms rose from ruins of the Western Roman Empire and eventually adopted the Roman Catholic faith, Roman culture, and Roman law. Increasingly, these barbarians saw themselves more and more as the "true heirs" of Rome. Catholic Church redirects here. ... // The word barbarian generally refers to an uncivilized, uncultured person, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos perceived as having an inferior level of civilization, or in an individual reference to a brutal, cruel, insensitive person whose behavior is unacceptable in a civilized society. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome. ...

Background

As the Roman Republic expanded, it naturally reached a point in which the central government in Rome could not expect to rule effectively the distant provinces. This was because of slow communications and relatively slow transportation methods. The news of an enemy invasion, a revolt, an epidemic outbreak or of a natural disaster was carried by ship or by mounted postal service (the Cursus publicus) and therefore needed quite some time to reach Rome. A similar amount of time was required for a response and a reaction. Therefore the provinces were administrated by governors who de facto ruled them in the name of the Roman republic. This article is becoming very long. ... Nickname: The Eternal City Location within Province of Rome in the Region of Latium Coordinates: Region Latium Province Province of Rome Mayor of Rome Walter Veltroni Area    - City 1,285 km²  (496. ... Cursus publicus was the courier service of the Roman Empire. ... A Roman governor was an official either elected or appointed to be the chief adminstator of Roman law throughout one or more of Ancient Romes many provinces. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...

Shortly before the Roman Empire, the territories of the Roman Republic had been divided between the members of the Second Triumvirate, composed by Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. This article is becoming very long. ... The Second Triumvirate is the name historians give to the official political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian, later Caesar Augustus), Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Mark Antony formed on 26 November 43 BC. Unlike the somewhat more famous First Triumvirate, the Second Triumvirate was an official (if extraconstitutional) organisation... Augustus Caesar The title Caesar Augustus, given to every emperor of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, originates from this person. ... For his relatives, see Marcus Antonius (disambiguation). ... Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (Latin: M·AEMILIVS·M·F·Q·N·LEPIDVS[1]), d. ...

Antony received all the provinces in the East, namely Achaea, Macedonia and Epirus (roughly modern Greece), Bithynia, Pontus and Asia (roughly modern Turkey), Syria, Cyprus and Cyrenaica. This part had been previously conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC, and a large portion of the local aristocracy were of Greek and Macedonian origin. The majority of the royal dynasties were in fact descendants of his generals. This region had been assimilated to a large degree by the Greek culture, and Greek was the lingua-franca in most of the larger cities. The Roman Empire 120 CE, the province of Achaea highlighted. ... Epirus (Greek Ήπειρος, Ípiros) is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. ... Bithynia was an ancient region, kinhdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine (today Black Sea). ... Traditional rural Pontic house A man in traditional clothes from Trabzon, illustration Pontus is the name which was applied, in ancient times, to extensive tracts of country in the northeast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) bordering on the Euxine (Black Sea), which was often called simply Pontos (the main), by... Roman conquest of Asia minor The Roman province of Asia was the administrative unit added to the late Republic, a Senatorial province governed by a proconsul who was an ex-consul, an honor granted only to Asia and the other rich province of Africa. ... The Roman Empire ca. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: [1], Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC — June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history, conquering most of the known world before his death; he is frequently included in a... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 4th century BC started on January 1, 400 BC and ended on December 31, 301 BC. // Overview Events Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum. ... -1... A lingua franca is any language widely used beyond the population of its native speakers. ...

The Roman Republic before the conquests of Octavian

Octavian, on the other hand, had obtained the Roman provinces of the West: Italia (modern Italy), Gaul (modern France), Gallia Belgica (parts of modern Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and Hispania (modern Spain and Portugal). This part also had many Greek and Carthaginian colonies on the coastal areas, but the area had been culturally dominated by the Celtic tribes like the Gauls and the Celtiberians. Map of Roman Republic under Julius Caesar. ... Map of Roman Republic under Julius Caesar. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Augustus Caesar The title Caesar Augustus, given to every emperor of the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, originates from this person. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin Gallia, Greek Galatia) was the region of Western Europe occupied by present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... The Roman Province of Gallia Belgica in 58 BCE The Roman Province of Gallia Belgica around 120 CE Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and western Germany. ... Roman theater at Mérida; the statues are replicas Hispania was the name given by the Romans to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal, Spain, Andorra and Gibraltar) and to two provinces created there in the period of the Roman Republic: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. ... A Celtic cross. ... Gallia (in English Gaul) is the Latin name for the region of western Europe occupied by present-day France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... The Celtiberians (or Celt-Iberians) were a Celtic people living in the Iberian Peninsula, chiefly in what is now north central Spain and northern Portugal, before and during the Roman Empire. ...

Lepidus was given the minor province of Africa (modern Tunisia) to govern. After some political and military developments, Octavian took the province of Africa away from Lepidus and took possession of the Greek-colonized island of Sicilia (modern Sicily). Roman North Africa The Roman Empire ca. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian, Σικελία in Greek) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,700 sq. ...

After the defeat of Mark Antony, the victorious Octavian controlled the whole Roman Empire from Rome. During his reign, his friend Agrippa temporarily ruled over the eastern provinces as his personal representative. This happened again during the rule of Tiberius who sent his heir-apparent Germanicus to the east. The Roman Empire was a phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by an autocratic form of government. ... Agrippa may refer to: Menenius Agrippa, a Roman consul in 503 BC. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (63–12 BC), Roman statesman and general, friend of Augustus Caesar. ... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... The term heir apparent is most often used to refer to someone who is first in the order of succession to a throne and who, unlike an Heir Presumptive, cannot lose this status by the birth of any other person. ... Bust of Germanicus. ...

The Roman Empire had many different cultures, and all of them were subject to a gradual process of Romanization. Greek was also spoken in the West and Latin was also spoken the East. Greek culture as a whole was hardly an antagonist to Latin culture, in fact it helped to unify culturally the Roman Empire and both of these cultures were equal partners in the Greco-Roman world. Nevertheless, later military developments with its political consequences divided the Roman Empire, and much later the Byzantine Empire would regroup around Greek culture. Romanization was a gradual process of cultural assimilation, in which the conquered barbarians (non-Greco-Romans) gradually adopted and largely replaced their own native culture (which in many cases were quite developed, like the culture of the Gauls or Carthage) with the culture of their conquerors - the Romans. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Classical antiquity. ...

Rebellions, uprisings and political consequences

In peacetime, it was relatively easy to rule the empire from its capital city Rome. An eventual rebellion was expected and would happen from time to time: a general or a governor would gain the loyalty of his officers through a mixture of personal charisma, promises and simple bribes. A conquered tribe would rebel, or a conquered city would revolt. The legions were spread around the borders and the rebel leader would, in normal circumstances, have only one or two legions under his command. Loyal legions would be detached from other points of the empire and would eventually drown the rebellion in blood. This happened even more easily in case of a small local native uprising as the rebels would normally have no great military experience. Unless the emperor was weak, incompetent, hated, and/or universally despised, these rebellions would be local and isolated events. Look up rebellion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

During real wartime, however, which could develop from a rebellion or an uprising, like the massive Great Jewish Revolt, this was totally and dangerously different. In a full-blown military campaign, the legions under the command of generals like Vespasian were of a much greater number. Therefore to be certain of the commander's loyalty, a paranoid or wise emperor would hold some members of the general's family as hostages. In effect, Nero held Domitian and Quintus Petillius Cerialis the governor of Ostia, who were respectively the younger son and the brother-in-law of Vespasian. The rule of Nero only ended with the revolt of the Praetorian Guard who had been bribed in the name of Galba. The Praetorian Guard was a sword of Damocles whose loyalty was bought and who became increasingly greedy. Following their example, the legions at the borders also increasingly participated in the civil wars. The first Jewish-Roman War (66–73 CE), sometimes called the Great Jewish Revolt, was the first of three major rebellions by the Jews of Iudaea Province against the Roman Empire (the second was the Kitos War in 115–117, the third was Bar Kokhbas revolt, 132–135). ... In the military sciences, a military campaign encompass related military operations, usually conducted by a defense or fighting force, directed at gaining a particular desired state of affairs, usually within geographical and temporal limitations. ... See also Legion software and Legion forummer. ... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (November 17, 9 – June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... A hostage is a person (sometimes another entity) which is held by a captor (often a criminal abductor) in order to compel another party (relative, employer, government. ... Nero[1] Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (December 15, 37 – June 9, 68), born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, also called Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, was the fifth and last Roman Emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty (54–68). ... Domitian bust in the Louvre Titus Flavius Domitianus (24 October 51 – 18 September 96), commonly known as Domitian, was a Roman emperor of the gens Flavia. ... Quintus Petilius Cerialis Caesius Rufus (born around 30 AD) was a Roman general of the 1st century. ... Scale model of Portus, near Ostia The Temple of the goddess Roma on the Forum of Ostia. ... The Praetorian Guard of Caesar Augustus - 1st century. ... Servius Sulpicius Galba (December 24, 3 BC – January 15, 69) was Roman Emperor from June 8, 68 until his death. ... The Praetorian Guard of Caesar Augustus - 1st century. ... In Richard Westalls Sword of Damocles, 1812. ... A civil war is a war in which parties within the same culture, society or nationality fight for political power or control of an area. ...

The main enemy in the West was arguably the barbarian tribes behind the rivers Rhine and Danube. Octavian had tried to conquer them but ultimately failed, and these barbarians were greatly feared. But they were left in peace in order to fight amongst themselves and were, most of the time, simply too divided to pose a serious threat. Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... The Danube bend at Visegrád is a popular destination of tourists The Danube (ancient Danuvius) is Europes second-longest river (after the Volga). ...

the empire of Parthia, the arch-rival of Rome, at its greatest extent, c. 60 BC.

Parthia, in the East, on the other hand, was too far away to be conquered. Any Parthian invasion was confronted and usually defeated, but the threat itself was ultimately impossible to destroy. Image File history File links The location of ancient Parthia, an Iranian kingdom, c. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC - 60s BC - 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC Years: 65 BC 64 BC 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC 59 BC 58 BC 57... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In the case of a Roman civil war these two enemies would seize the opportunity to invade Roman territory in order to raid and plunder. The two respective military frontiers became a matter of major political importance because of the high number of legions stationed there. The local generals would often rebel and start new civil wars. To control the western border from Rome was reasonably easy since it was relatively close. To control both frontiers at the same time during wartime was difficult. If the emperor was near the border in the East, chances were high that an ambitious general would rebel in the West and vice-versa. Emperors were increasingly near the troops in order to control them, and no single emperor could be at the two frontiers at the same time. This problem plagued the ruling emperors, and many future emperors followed this path to power. This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. ...

Economic stagnation in the West

Rome and the Italian peninsula began to experience an economic slowdown as industries and money began to move outward. By the beginning of the 2nd century AD, the economic stagnation of Italia was seen in the provincial-born Emperors, such as Trajan and Hadrian. Economic problems increased in strength and frequency. Satellite view of the Peninsula in spring The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula (Italian: Penisola italiana or Penisola appenninica) is one of the greatest peninsulas of Europe, spanning 1,000 km from the Alps in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. ... Provincial is the title given in the Society of Jesus (the Jesuit Catholic Church order) to the principal of a province (a geographical area, such as a country). ... Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (September 18, 53 – August 9, 117), Roman Emperor (98-117), commonly called Trajan, was the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire. ... Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus (January 24, 76–July 10, 138), known as Hadrian in English, was Roman emperor from 117–138, and a member of the gens Aelia. ...

Crisis of the 3rd century

Starting on the 18 March 235, with the assassination of the Emperor Alexander Severus, the Roman Empire fell into a period of fifty years of civil war, known today as the Crisis of the Third Century. The rise of the warlike Sassanid dynasty in Parthia had created a major threat to Rome in the east. Demonstrating the increased danger, Emperor Valerian was captured by Shapur I in 259. His eldest son and heir-apparent, Gallienus, succeeded and was fighting in the eastern frontier. The son of Gallienus, Saloninus, and the Praetorian Prefect Silvanus, were residing in Colonia Agrippina (modern Cologne) trying to maintain the loyalty of the local legions. Nevertheless, the local governor of the German provinces, Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus rebelled and assaulted Colonia Agrippina, killing Saloninus and the prefect. In the confusion that folowed an independent state known as the Gallic Empire emerged. March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... Events Maximinus Thrax becomes Roman Emperor. ... Alexander Severus Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexandrus (October 1, 208- March 18?, 235), commonly called Alexander Severus, Roman emperor from 222 to 235, was born at Arca Caesarea in Palestine. ... Crisis of the Third Century (also known as the Military Anarchy or the Imperial Crisis ) is a commonly applied name for the crumbling and near collapse of the Roman Empire between 235 and 284 caused by the three simultaneous crises of external invasion, internal civil war and economic collapse. ... The Sassanid Empire in the time of Shapur I; the conquest of Cappadocia was temporary Official language Pahlavi (Middle Persian) Dominant Religion Zoroastrianism Capital Ctesiphon Sovereigns Shahanshah of the Iran (Eranshahr) First Ruler Ardashir I Last Ruler Yazdegerd III Establishment 224 AD Dissolution 651 AD Part of the History of... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Valerian on a coin celebrating goddess Fortuna, associated with health and wealth. ... A coin of Shapur I Shapur I, son of Ardashir I, was king of Persia from 241 to 272. ... Events By Place Roman Empire Valerian, captured by King Shapur I of Persia, dies in captivity. ... Emperor Gallienus Gallienus depicted on a lead seal Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (218-268) ruled the Roman Empire as co-emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and then as the sole Roman Emperor from 260 to 268. ... Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus (242 - 260) was Roman Emperor in 260. ... Praetorian prefect (Latin Praefectus praetorio) was the constant title of a high office in the Roman state that changed fundamentally in nature. ... Köln redirects here. ... Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from AD 259 to 268. ... The Gallic Empire (in Latin, imperium Galliarum) is the modern name for the independent realm that lived a brief existence during the Roman Empires Crisis of the Third Century, from 260 to 274. ...

Its capital was Augusta Treverorum (modern Trier), and it quickly expanded its control over the German and Gaulish provinces and over all of Hispania and Britannia. It had its own senate, and a partial list of its consuls still survives. It maintained Roman religion, language, and culture, and was far more concerned with fighting the Germanic tribes than other Romans. However, in the reign of Claudius Gothicus (268 to 270), large expanses of the Gallic Empire were returned to Roman rule. In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative sense of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... The city of Trier (Latin: Augusta Treverorum; French: ; Luxembourgish Tréier; Italian: ; Spanish: ) is situated on the western bank of the Moselle River in a valley between low vine-covered hills of ruddy sandstone. ... Roman theater at Mérida; the statues are replicas Hispania was the name given by the Romans to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Portugal, Spain, Andorra and Gibraltar) and to two provinces created there in the period of the Roman Republic: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. ... Britannia, the British national personification. ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ... Consul (abbrev. ... The term Germanic tribes (or Teutonic tribes) applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... Marcus Aurelius Claudius Gothicus (May 10, 213/214 - January, 270) , more often referred to as Claudius II, ruled the Roman Empire for less than two years (268 - 270), but during that brief time, he was so successful and beloved by the people of Rome that he attained divine status. ...

At roughly the same time, the eastern provinces seceded as the Empire of Palmyra, under the rule of Queen Zenobia. Early morning panorama of Palmyra. ... Zenobia coin reporting her title, Augusta. ...

In 272, Emperor Aurelian finally managed to subdue Palmyra and reclaim its territory for the empire. With the East secure, he turned his attention to the West, and in the next year, the Gallic Empire also fell. Because of a secret deal between Aurelian and the Gallic Emperor Tetricus I and his son Tetricus II, the Gallic army was swiftly defeated. In exchange, Aurelian spared their lives and gave the two former rebels important positions in Italy. Events Roman emperor Aurelian reconquers the kingdom of Palmyra (Egypt and large parts of Asia Minor), forcing queen Zenobia to flee to Parthia. ... Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (September 9, 214–275), known in English as Aurelian, Roman Emperor (270–275), was the second of several highly successful soldier-emperors who helped the Roman Empire regain its power during the latter part of the third century and the beginning of the fourth. ... Tertricus Coin Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from 270/271 to 273, following the murder of Victorinus. ... Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from 270/271 to 273, following the murder of Victorinus. ...

Tetrarchy

Sculpture of the Roman Tetrarchy.

Main article: Tetrarchy

The external borders were mostly quiet for the remainder of the Crisis of the Third Century, although between the death of Aurelian in 275 and the accession of Diocletian ten years later, at least eight emperors or would-be emperors were killed, many assassinated by their own troops. Statue of the Tetrarchs, St Marks Basilica, Venice (better quality image) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Statue of the Tetrarchs, St Marks Basilica, Venice (better quality image) This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204, Treasury of St. ... Events Eutychian elected pope (probable date) September 25 - Marcus Claudius Tacitus appointed emperor by the senate Births Eusebius of Caesarea (approximate date) Saint George, soldier of the Roman Empire and later Christian martyr (or 280, approximate date). ... Emperor Diocletian. ...

Under Diocletian, the political division of the Roman Empire began. In 286, through the creation of the Tetrarchy, he gave the western part to Maximian as Augustus and named Constantius Chlorus as his subordinate (Caesar). This system effectively divided the empire into four parts and created separate capitals besides Rome as a way to avoid the civil unrest that had marked the 3rd century. In the West, the capitals were Maximian's Milan and Constantius' Trier. On 1 May 305, the two senior Augusti stepped down and were replaced by their respective Caesars. Emperor Diocletian. ... This article is about the year 286. ... The Tetrarchs, a porphyry sculpture sacked from a Byzantine palace in 1204, Treasury of St. ... Maximian Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius (c. ... Augustus (plural augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The feminine form is Augusta. ... On the reverse of this argenteus struck in Antioch under Constantius Chlorus, the tetrarcs are sacrificing to celebrate a victory against the Sarmatians. ... Caesar (p. ... // Overview Events 212: Constitutio Antoniniana grants citizenship to all free Roman men 212-216: Baths of Caracalla 230-232: Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east 235-284: Crisis of the Third Century shakes Roman Empire 250-538: Kofun era, the first... Country Italy Region Lombardy Province Milan (MI) Mayor Letizia Moratti Elevation 120 m Area 182 km² Population  - Total (as of December 31, 2004) 1,308,311  - Density 6,988/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Coordinates Gentilic Milanesi Dialing code 02 Postal code 20100 Patron St. ... The city of Trier (Latin: Augusta Treverorum; French: ; Luxembourgish Tréier; Italian: ; Spanish: ) is situated on the western bank of the Moselle River in a valley between low vine-covered hills of ruddy sandstone. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... Events May 1 - Diocletian and Maximian, emperors of Rome, retire from office. ...

Constantine

Main article: Constantine I (emperor)

The system of the Tetrarchy quickly ran aground when the Western Empire's Constantius died unexpectedly in 306, and his son Constantine was proclaimed Augustus of the West by the legions in Britain. A crisis followed as several claimants attempted to rule the Western half. In 308, the Augustus of the East, Galerius, arranged a conference at Carnuntum which revived the Tetrarchy by dividing the West between Constantine and a newcomer named Licinius. Constantine was far more interested in reconquering the whole empire. Through a series of battles in the East and the West, Licinius and Constantine stabilized their respective parts of the Roman Empire by 314, and they now competed for sole control of a reunified state. Constantine emerged victorious in 324 after the surrender and the murder of Licinius following the Battle of Chrysopolis. Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Events July 25 - Constantine I proclaimed Roman Emperor by his troops. ... Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Events November 11 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Maxentius Augustus, and rival contender Constantine I is declared Caesar (junior emperor of Britain and Gaul) Births Deaths Categories: 308 ... Galerius on a coin Galerius Maximianus (c. ... Heidentor (pagan gate) Carnuntum (Kapvoiis in Ptolemy) was an important Roman fortress, originally belonging to Noricum, but after the 1st century A.D. to Pannonia. ... As of Licinius Aureus of Licinius, celebrating his tenth year of reign and the fifth year of his son Licinius. ... Events August 30 - Council of Arles, which confirmed the pronouncement of Donatism as a schism, and passed other canons. ... Events Constantine becomes the sole emperor of the Roman Empire. ... After the defeat of the superior fleet of Licinius by Flavius Julius Crispus, Constantine’s eldest son, he withdrew to Bithynia, where a last stand was made; the Battle of Chrysopolis, near Chalcedon, resulted in his final submission. ...

The Tetrarchy was dead, but the idea of dividing the Roman Empire between two emperors had been proven too good to be simply ignored and forgotten. Very strong emperors would reunite it under their single rule, but with their death the Roman Empire would be divided again and again between the East and the West.

Second division

The Roman Empire was under the rule of a single Emperor, but with the death of Constantine in 337, civil war erupted among his three sons, dividing the empire into three parts. The West was reunified in 340, and a complete reunification of the whole empire occurred in 353, with Constantius II. Events February 6 - Julius is elected pope. ... Events Constantine II attacks his brother Constans near Aquileia, aiming for sole control of the western half of the Roman Empire, but is defeated. ... Events Battle of Mons Seleucus - Constantius II defeats the usurper Magnentius. ... Constantius II coin, celebrating the 15th year of reign. ...

Constantius II focused most of his power in the East, and is often regarded as the first emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Under his rule, the city of Byzantium, only recently refounded as Constantinople, was fully developed as a capital. Byzantium was an ancient Greek city-state, which according to legend was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas (Βύζας or Βύζαντας in Greek). ... Map of Constantinople. ...

In 361, Constantius II became ill and died, and Constantius Chlorus' grandson Julian, who had served as Constantius II's Caesar, took power. Julian was killed carrying on Constantius II's war against Persia in 363 and was replaced by Jovian who ruled only until 364. Events Emperor Ai succeeds Emperor Mu as emperor of China. ... Flavius Claudius Iulianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last Pagan Roman Emperor. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau (Irān - Land of the Aryans) and beyond. ... Events Perisapora is destroyed by Emperor Julian. ... This siliqua of Jovian, ca 363, celebrates his fifth year of reign, as a good omen. ... Events February 28 - Valentinian I is elected Roman emperor by the army. ...

Final division

The division of the Empire after the death of Theodosius I, ca.395 AD superimposed on modern borders. ██ Western Roman Empire ██ Eastern Roman Empire

Following the death of Jovian, the empire fell again into a new period of civil war similar to the Crisis of the Third Century. In 364, Valentinian I emerged. He immediately divided the empire once again, giving the eastern half to his brother Valens. Stability was not achieved for long in either half as the conflicts with the barbarians intensified, especially with the Huns and the Goths. A serious problem in the West was a political reaction caused by paganism against the Christianizing emperors. In 379, Valentine I's son and successor Gratian declined to wear the mantle of pontifex maximus, and in 382, he rescinded the rights of pagan priests and removed the pagan altar from the Roman Curia, and gave the title of Pontifex Maximus to the Pope. This siliqua of Jovian, ca 363, celebrates his fifth year of reign, as a good omen. ... Events February 28 - Valentinian I is elected Roman emperor by the army. ... Medallion of Valentinian I. Solidus minted by Valens in ca. ... Solidus minted by Valens in 376. ... The Huns were a confederation of Eurasian tribes, most likely of diverse origin with a Turkic-speaking aristocracy, who appeared in Europe in the 4th century, the most famous being Attila. ... Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche portrays the Goths as cavalrymen. ... Events January 19 - Theodosius I is elevated as Roman Emperor at Sirmium. ... A coin of Gratian. ... Alternate meanings: see Pontifex (disambiguation) In Ancient Rome, the Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the collegium of the Pontifices, the most august position in Roman religion, open only to a patrician, until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post. ... Events October 3 - Theodosius I commands his general Saturninus to conclude a peace treaty with the Visigoths, allowing them to settle south of the Danube. ... A Curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i. ... Alternate meanings: see Pontifex (disambiguation) In Ancient Rome, the Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the collegium of the Pontifices, the most august position in Roman religion, open only to a patrician, until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ...

In 388, a powerful and popular general named Magnus Maximus seized power in the west and forced Gratian's son Valentinian II to flee to the east and ask for the aid of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius I who quickly restored him to power. He also caused a ban on paganism to be implemented in the west in 391, enforcing Christianity. In 392, the Frankish and pagan magister militum Arbogast assassinated Valentinian II, and a senator named Eugenius was proclaimed emperor until he was defeated in 394 by Theodosius I, who, having ruled both East and West for a year, died in 395. This was the last time in which a single ruler ruled over both parts of the Roman Empire. // Events Bahram IV becomes king of Persia. ... Magnus Maximus. ... A marble statue of Emperor Valentinian II, Aphrodisias Geyre (Aydin, Anatolia), 387–390. ... On the reverse of this coin minted under Valentinian II, both Valentinian and Theodosius are depicted with halos. ... Events All non-Christian temples in the Roman Empire are closed Quintus Aurelius Symmachus is urban prefect in Rome, and petitions Theodosius I to re-open the pagan temples. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... Events August 22 - Arbogast elevates Eugenius as Roman Emperor. ... For other uses, see Franks (disambiguation). ... Magister militum (Latin for Master of the Soldiers) was a top-level command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. ... Flavius Arbogastes (d. ... Eugenius wearing imperial insigna, on a coin celebrateing the VIRTVS ROMANORVM, the (military) value of the Romans. Flavius Eugenius (d. ... Events September 6 - Battle of the Frigidus: The christian Roman Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the pagan usurper Eugenius and his Frankish magister militum Arbogast. ...

A short period of stability under Emperor Flavius Augustus Honorius (controlled by Flavius Stilicho) ended at Stilicho's death in 408. After this, the two empires truly diverged, as the East began a slow recovery and consolidation, while the West began to collapse entirely. Bronze coin bearing the profile of Honorius Flavius Augustus Honorius (September 9, 384–August 15, 423) was Emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 395 until his death. ... Flavius Stilicho (c. ... Events Theodosius II succeeds his father Arcadius as Emperor of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire In the summer of this year, the usurper Constantine III captures Spain, destroying the loyalist forces defending it. ...

Economic factors

The Barbarian invasions of the Roman Empire

While the West was experiencing an economic decline throughout the late empire, the East was not so economically decadent, especially as Emperors like Constantine the Great and Constantius II began pouring vast sums of money into the eastern economy. The economic decline of the West aided in the eventual collapse of this area of the empire. Without sufficient taxes, the state could not maintain an expensive professional army and resorted to hiring mercenaries. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3948x2827, 1311 KB) See also Image:Karte völkerwanderung. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3948x2827, 1311 KB) See also Image:Karte völkerwanderung. ... Constantine. ... Constantius II coin, celebrating the 15th year of reign. ...

As the central power weakened, the State also lost control of its borders and provinces and the vital control over the Mediterranean Sea. Roman Emperors tried to keep the barbarians away from it, but once the Vandals conquered North Africa, the imperial authorities had to cover too much ground with too few resources. The Roman institutions collapsed along with the economic stability. Most barbarian invaders required a third of the land they conquered from their Roman subjects, and this could turn into much more, as different tribes conquered the same province. Satellite image The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ... The Vandals sacking Rome, by Heinrich Leutemann (1824-1904) Vandal and Vandali redirect here. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ...

Tens of square kilometres of carefully developed land was abandoned because of lack of economic viability and political stability. Because most of the economy of Classical antiquity was based upon agriculture, this was a severe economic blow. This occurred because most plots of land require a certain investment of time and money in simple maintenance to maintain production. Unfortunately, this meant that any attempt to recover the West by the East was very difficult, and the huge decline in the local economy made these new reconquests too expensive to maintain. It has been suggested that Greco-Roman be merged into this article or section. ...

Conquest of Rome and fall of the Western Roman Empire

Romulus Augustus on a gold Tremissis

With the death of Stilicho in 408, Honorius was left in charge, and although he ruled until his death in 423, his reign was filled with usurpations and barbarian invasions, particularly by the Vandals and Visigoths. In 410, Rome was sacked by barbarians for the first time since the Gallic invasions of the 4th century BC. The instability caused by usurpers throughout the Western Empire helped the barbarians in their conquests, and in the 5th century the barbarians became usurpers themselves. In 475, Orestes, a former secretary of Attila the Hun drove Emperor Julius Nepos out of Ravenna and proclaimed his own son Romulus Augustus as emperor. Image File history File links RomulusAugustus. ... Image File history File links RomulusAugustus. ... Tremissis of Romulus Augustus. ... Tremissis was a currency of the Late Ancient Rome, equal to one-third of solidus. ... Events Theodosius II succeeds his father Arcadius as Emperor of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire In the summer of this year, the usurper Constantine III captures Spain, destroying the loyalist forces defending it. ... See: Flavius Augustus Honorius, western Roman emperor 395-423 Saint Honorius, archbishop of Canterbury 627-655 Pope Honorius I, pope 625-638 Pope Honorius II, pope 1124-1130 Pope Honorius III, pope 1216-1227 Pope Honorius IV, pope 1285-1287 Antipope Honorius II, 1061-1064 This is a disambiguation page... Events On the death of Honorius, the primicerius notariorum Joannes seizes the throne of the Western Roman Empire, and is declared emperor. ... The Visigoths, originally Tervingi, or Vesi (the noble ones), one of the two main branches of the Goths (of which the Ostrogothi were the other), were one of the loosely-termed Germanic peoples that disturbed the late Roman Empire. ... Events Alaric I deposes Priscus Attalus as Roman Emperor. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 4th century BC started on January 1, 400 BC and ended on December 31, 301 BC. // Overview Events Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum. ... Europe in 450 The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... See also 475 (number) Events Orestes forces western Roman emperor Julius Nepos to flee and declares his son Romulus Augustus to be emperor. ... Flavius Orestes (d. ... Attila redirects here. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Ravenna is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... Tremissis of Romulus Augustus. ...

Although some pockets of Roman rule continued (in north-western Gaul under Syagrius and Britannia, with Ambrosius Aurelianus), the control of Rome over the West had effectively ended. In 476, Orestes refused to grant the Heruli led by Odoacer federated status, and Odoacer sacked Rome and sent the imperial insignia to Constantinople, installing himself as king over Italy. Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin Gallia, Greek Galatia) was the region of Western Europe occupied by present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... The captured Syagrius is brought before Alaric II who orders him sent to Clovis I Syagrius (died 487) was the son of Aegidius, the last Roman magister militum per Gallias, who had preserved a rump state around Soissons after the collapse of central rule in the western empire. ... Principal sites in Roman Britain Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... Ambrosius Aurelianus (incorrectly referred to in the Historia Regum Britanniae as Aurelius Ambrosius ) was a leader of the Romano-British, who won important battles against the Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century, according to Gildas and to the legends preserved in the Historia Britonum. ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ... The Heruli (spelled variously in Latin and Greek) were a nomadic Germanic people, who were subjugated by the Ostrogoths, Huns, and Byzantines in the 3rd to 5th centuries. ... Odoacer solidus struck in name of Zeno. ...

Last emperor

Julius Nepos on a gold Tremissis.

History regards that the Western Roman Empire ended on 4 September 476, as Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustus. However, the issue is not as simple and clear as that. Julius Nepos. ... Julius Nepos. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Tremissis was a currency of the Late Ancient Rome, equal to one-third of solidus. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... Events August - The usurper Basiliscus is deposed and Zeno is restored as Eastern Roman Emperor. ...

Julius Nepos still ruled in the rump state of Dalmatia, claiming sovereignty over the Western Roman Empire and was recognized as such by Byzantine Emperor Zeno and by Syagrius, who had managed to preserve a Roman exclave in Gaul, known today as the Kingdom of Soissons. Odoacer proclaimed himself ruler of Italy and began to negotiate with the Byzantine emperor. Zeno eventually did acknowledge Odoacer's position as patrician of the Roman Empire and accepted him as his own viceroy of Italy, but he insisted that Odoacer acknowledge Nepos formally as western emperor. Odoacer did so and even issued coins in Nepos' name throughout Italy. It was mainly an empty political gesture because Odoacer never returned any real power to "his emperor". Nepos was murdered in 480 and Odoacer qickly invaded and conquered Dalmatia. A rump state is the remnant of a once-larger government, left with limited powers or authority after a disaster, invasion or military occupation. ... Map of Croatia with Dalmatia highlighted Dalmatia (Croatian: Dalmacija Serbian: Далмација) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in modern Croatia, spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the Gulf of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) in the southeast. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ... The captured Syagrius is brought before Alaric II who orders him sent to Clovis I Syagrius (died 487) was the son of Aegidius, the last Roman magister militum per Gallias, who had preserved a rump state around Soissons after the collapse of central rule in the western empire. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In the Late Classical period, two states in the area of modern-day northwest France were termed the Kingdom of Soissons: Roman Soissons (c. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Events Odoacer defeats an attempt by Julius Nepos to recapture Italy, and has Julius killed; Odoacer also captured Dalmatia. ...

A similar situation occurred in northern Gaul where the Roman general Syagrius minted coins in Nepos' name until his own defeat in 486. Nevertheless, Julius Nepos was mostly ignored, and Romulus Augustulus entered into history as the Last (Western) Roman Emperor. For the processor, see Intel 80486. ...

Theodoric

The Ostrogothic Kingdom, which rose from the ruins of the late Western Roman Empire

The last hope for a reunited Empire came in 493, when Odoacer was replaced by the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great. Theodoric had been recruited by Zeno to reconquer the western portion of the empire, Rome most importantly. De jure he was a subordinate, a Viceroy of the emperor of the East. De facto, Theodoric was an equal. Image File history File links Ostrogothic_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Ostrogothic_Kingdom. ... The Ostrogothic Kingdom was the kingdom built by the Ostrogoths. ... Events February 25 - Odoacer agrees to a mediated peace with Theodoric the Great, and is later killed by him personally. ... The Ostrogoths (Gleaming Goths or Eastern Goths), in distinction to the Visigoths (Noble Goths or Western Goths), were a Germanic tribe that influenced political events of the late Roman Empire. ... Gold medallion of Theodoric, discovered at Sinigaglia, Italy in the 19th century. ... Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The terms de jure and de facto are used instead of in principle and in practice, respectively, when one is describing political situations. ... A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...

Following Theodoric's death in 526, the West no longer resembled the East. The West was now fully controlled by barbarians, while the East had retreated and hellenized. While the East would make some attempts to recapture the West, it was never again the old Roman Empire. Events May 20 - Syria and Antioch. ...

Byzantine reconquest

Byzantine Empire in 550. The re-conquests of Justinian I are in green.

Several times throughout the Middle Ages, the eastern Byzantine Empire managed to reconquer large areas of the West which had been occupied by several barbarian tribes. The greatest success were the campaigns of the Byzantine generals Belisarius and Narses on behalf of Emperor Justinian I from 535 to 554. The Vandal-occupied former Roman territory in North Africa was regained, particularly the territory centred around the city of Carthage. The campaign eventually moved into Italy and reconquered it completely, with some minor territory being taken as far west as the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Map of the Byzantine Empire around 550. ... Map of the Byzantine Empire around 550. ... Byzantine Empire (native Greek name: - Basileia tōn Romaiōn) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Events By Place Byzantine Empire Silk reaches Constantinople (approximate date). ... Justinian I depicted on one of the famous mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Belisarius, to the right of Emperor Justinian I, in the mosaic in Ravenna that celebrates the reconquest of Italy, performed by the Byzantine army under the skilful leadership of Belisarius himself. ... Narses (478-573) was, along with Belisarius, one of the two great generals in the service of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I. during the so-called Reconquest that took place during the Justinians reign. ... Justinian I depicted on one of the famous mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale. ... Events Beginning of the Western Wei Dynasty in China. ... Events The Byzantine general Narses reconquers all of Italy. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent. ... Ruins of Carthage Carthaginian settlements in the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. The term Carthage refers both to an ancient city in North Africa — located on the eastern side of Lake Tunis across from the center of modern Tunis in Tunisia — and to the civilization which developed... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ...

It appeared at the time that perhaps Rome could be saved. However, the barbarian influence had caused far too much damage to these former Roman provinces, both economically and culturally. Not only were they extremely costly to maintain, the invasion and propagation of the barbarian tribes throughout these territories meant that much of the Roman culture and identity that had held the empire together had been destroyed or severely damaged.

Although some eastern emperors occasionally attempted to reconquer some parts of the West, none were as successful as Justinian. The division between the two areas grew, resulting in a growing rivalry. While the Eastern Roman Empire continued after Justinian, the eastern emperors focused mainly on defending its traditional territory. The East no longer had the neccessary military strength, spelling the end of any hope for reunification. Justinian may refer to: Justinian I, a Roman Emperor; Justinian II, a Byzantine Emperor; Justinian, a storeship sent to the convict settlement at New South Wales in 1790. ...

Legacy

Romance languages in Europe.

Further information: Roman Catholic Church,  Romance languages,  Corpus Juris Civilis,  Civil law (legal system), and Latin alphabet

As the Western Roman Empire crumbled, the barbarian warlords who had conquered the provinces felt compelled to uphold many Roman laws and traditions as best as they could. Many of the barbarian tribes were already Christian, but most of them were followers of Arianism. They quickly converted to the Roman Catholic faith, gaining more loyalty by the local Romanized population and at the same time recognition and support by the powerful Roman Catholic Church. Although they initially continued to obey tribal laws, they were more influenced by Roman Law and began gradually to use it. Image File history File links from en:Latin Europe File links The following pages link to this file: Latin Europe ... Image File history File links from en:Latin Europe File links The following pages link to this file: Latin Europe ... The Romance languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, comprise all languages that descended from Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... The Romance languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, comprise all languages that descended from Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Civil law is a codified system of law that sets out a comprehensive system of rules that are applied and interpreted by judges. ... The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ... This article is about theological views like those of Arius. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome. ...

Roman Law, particularly the Corpus Juris Civilis collected by order of Justinian I, is the ancient basis on which the modern Civil law stands. In contrast, Common law is based on old English law. This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Justinian I depicted on one of the famous mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale. ... Civil law is a codified system of law that sets out a comprehensive system of rules that are applied and interpreted by judges. ... This article concerns the common-law legal system, as contrasted with the civil law legal system; for other meanings of the term, within the field of law, see common law (disambiguation). ...

Latin as a language never really disappeared. It combined with the barbarian languages, giving origin to many modern Romance languages such as: Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian and Romansh, and influenced many Germanic languages such as English, German, Dutch and many others to a certain extent. It survives in its "purer" form as the language of the Roman Catholic Church (the Mass was spoken in Latin until 1970) and was used as a lingua franca between many nations. It remained the language of medicine, law, diplomacy (most treaties were written in Latin), of intellectuals and scholarship. Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The Romance languages, a major branch of the Indo-European language family, comprise all languages that descended from Latin, the language of the Roman Empire. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies The Germanic languages form one of the branches of the Indo-European (IE) language family, spoken by the Germanic peoples who settled in northern Europe along the borders of the Roman Empire. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A Medieval Low Mass by a bishop. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ...

The Latin alphabet was expanded with the letters J, K, W and Z. Roman numerals continue to be used but were mostly replaced by Arabic numerals. The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world today. ... The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... Numerals sans-serif Arabic numerals, known formally as Hindu-Arabic numerals, and also known as Indian numerals, Hindu numerals, European numerals, and Western numerals, are the most common symbolic representation of numbers around the world. ...

The ideal of the Roman Empire as a mighty Christian Empire with a single ruler continued to seduce many powerful rulers. Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards, was even crowned as Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in 800. Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire like Frederick I Barbarossa, Frederick II and Charles V, and mighty Sultans like Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire, among others, tried to a certain extent to resurrect it, but none of their attempts were successful. Charlemagne, portrait by Albrecht Dürer. ... For other uses, see Franks (disambiguation). ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, whence the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Leo III (died June 12, 816) was Pope from 795 to 816. ... Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... The Holy Roman Empire and from the 16th century on also The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. ... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century Chronicle. ... Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), Holy Roman Emperor of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212, unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215, and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 until his death in 1250. ... Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Aragon and Castile. ... Suleiman I (Modern Turkish: Süleyman; Arabic: ‎ Sulaymān) (November 6, 1494 – September 5/6, 1566), was the tenth Osmanli Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and its longest-serving, reigning from 1520 to 1566. ... now. ...

The most important legacy of the Western Roman Empire is the Roman Catholic Church. The Church slowly began to replace Roman institutions in the West, even helping to negotiate the safety of Rome during the late 5th Century. As the barbarians invaded, many converted, and by the middle of the medieval period (c.9th and 10th centuries) the central, western and northern parts of Europe had been largely converted to the Roman Catholic Faith and acknowledged the Pope as the Vicar of Christ. Europe in 450 The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era. ... As a means of recording the passage of time the 9th century was that century that lasted from 801 to 900. ... As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... World map showing Europe Political map (neighboring countries in Asia and Africa also shown) Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

Rome's final victory and conquest of the Germans and Slavs came after her fall as an empire through the church-sponsored missionaries spreading ever further north, until paganism was stamped out throughout Europe. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning a country dweller or civilian) is a blanket term which has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices of natural or polytheistic religions, as opposed to the Abrahamic monotheistic religions. ...

List of Western Roman emperors

Gallic Emperors (259 to 273)

• Postumus: 259 to 268
• Laelianus: 268 Usurper
• Marcus Aurelius Marius: 268
• Victorinus: 268 to 271
• Domitianus: 271 Usurper
• Tetricus I: 271 to 273
  • Tetricus II: 271 to 273 Son and co-emperor of Tetricus I

Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from AD 259 to 268. ... Ulpius Cornelius Laelianus was a usurper to Postumus, the emperor of the Gallic Empire. ... Marcus Aurelius Marius was emperor of the Gallic Empire in AD 268. ... Marcus Piav(v)onius Victorinus was emperor of the successionist Gallic Empire from 268 to 270 or 271, following the brief reign of Marius. ... Domitianus was a Roman military commander who declared himself emperor of the secessionist Gallic Empire (the provinces of Gaul (France and the Rhineland) and Britain) for a short time in about 271. ... Tertricus Coin Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from 270/271 to 273, following the murder of Victorinus. ... Caius Pius Esuvius Tetricus was emperor of the Gallic Empire from 270/271 to 273, following the murder of Victorinus. ...

Tetrarchy (293 to 313)

Augusti are shown with their Caesares and regents further indented

• Maximian: 293 to 305
  • Constantius Chlorus: 293 to 305
• Constantius Chlorus: 305 to 306
  • Flavius Valerius Severus: 305 to 306
• Flavius Valerius Severus: 306 to 307
  • Constantine I: 306 to 313
• Maxentius/Maximian: 307 to 308
• Licinius: 308 to 313
• Maxentius: 308 to 312 Usurper
• Domitius Alexander: 308 to 309 African usurper

Maximian Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius (c. ... On the reverse of this argenteus struck in Antioch under Constantius Chlorus, the tetrarcs are sacrificing to celebrate a victory against the Sarmatians. ... On the reverse of this argenteus struck in Antioch under Constantius Chlorus, the tetrarcs are sacrificing to celebrate a victory against the Sarmatians. ... Flavius Valerius Severus as caesar. ... Flavius Valerius Severus as caesar. ... Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Maxentius as Augustus on a coin. ... Maximian Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maximianus Herculius (c. ... As of Licinius Aureus of Licinius, celebrating his tenth year of reign and the fifth year of his son Licinius. ... Maxentius as Augustus on a coin. ... Domitius Alexander on a follis. ...

Constantinian dynasty (313 to 363)

• Constantine I: 313 to 337 Sole emperor of the whole Roman Empire 324 to 337
• Constantine II: 337 to 340 Emperor of Gaul, Britannia, and Hispania
• Constans I: 337 to 350 Initially emperor of Italy and Africa; emperor of the west 340 to 350
• Magnentius: 350 to 353 Usurper
• Constantius II: 353 to 361 Sole emperor
  • Julian: 355 to 361
• Julian: 361 to 363

Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on... Constantine II as caesar. ... Bronze coin bearing the profile of Constans Flavius Julius Constans (AD 320 - January 18, 350), was a Roman emperor who ruled from 337 to 350. ... Magnentius (ruled AD January 18, 350–August 11, 353), was a Roman usurper. ... Constantius II coin, celebrating the 15th year of reign. ... Flavius Claudius Iulianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last Pagan Roman Emperor. ... Flavius Claudius Iulianus, also known as Julian the Apostate, was the last Pagan Roman Emperor. ...

Non-dynastic (363 to 364)

• Jovian: 363 to 364

This siliqua of Jovian, ca 363, celebrates his fifth year of reign, as a good omen. ...

Valentinian dynasty (364 to 392)

• Valentinian I: 364 to 375
  • Gratian: 367 to 375
• Gratian: 375 to 383
  • Valentinian II: 375 to 383
• Magnus Maximus: 383 to 388 Usurper
• Valentinian II: 383 to 392

Medallion of Valentinian I. Solidus minted by Valens in ca. ... A coin of Gratian. ... A coin of Gratian. ... A marble statue of Emperor Valentinian II, Aphrodisias Geyre (Aydin, Anatolia), 387–390. ... Magnus Maximus. ... A marble statue of Emperor Valentinian II, Aphrodisias Geyre (Aydin, Anatolia), 387–390. ...

Non-dynastic (392 to 394)

• Eugenius: 392 to 394

Eugenius wearing imperial insigna, on a coin celebrateing the VIRTVS ROMANORVM, the (military) value of the Romans. Flavius Eugenius (d. ...

Theodosian dynasty (394 to 455)

• Theodosius I: 394 to 395 Sole emperor
• Honorius: 395 to 423
  • Flavius Stilicho: 395 to 408 Power behind the throne
  • Constantius III: 421
• Constantine III: 407 to 411 Usurper
• Priscus Attalus: 409 to 410/414 to 415 Usurper
• Jovinus: 411 to 412 Usurper
• Valentinian III: 423 to 455
  • Galla Placidia: 423 to 433 Regent
  • Aëtius: 433 to 454 Regent
• Joannes: 423 to 425 Usurper

On the reverse of this coin minted under Valentinian II, both Valentinian and Theodosius are depicted with halos. ... Bronze coin bearing the profile of Honorius Flavius Augustus Honorius (September 9, 384–August 15, 423) was Emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 395 until his death. ... Flavius Stilicho (c. ... ... Costantius on a solidus. ... Roman coin, with Constantine III portrayed on its face Constantine III (died 411 by September 18) was a Roman general who declared himself Western Roman Emperor in 407, abdicating in 411 (and being killed soon after). ... Priscus Attalus was an important senator in Rome (serving as Urban Prefect in 409). ... Jovinus Jovinus was a Gallo-senator and claimed to be Roman Emperor (411 - 413). ... Solidus minted in Thessalonica to celebrate the marriage of Valentinian III to Licinia Eudoxia, daughter of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius II. On the reverse, the three of them in wedding dresses. ... Galla Placidia on a coin struck by her son Valentinian III. On the reverse, a cross (typical of all the coinage referring to Galla Placidia) stands for her Christian faith. ... Depiction of Flavius Aëtius, from a relief in Monza. ... Joannes, Roman Emperor (423 - 425) On the death of the Emperor Honorius (August 27, 423), Theodosius II, the remaining ruler of the House of Theodosius hesitated for some time in announcing his uncles death and in the interregum Honorius patrician at the time of his death, Castinus, elevated Joannes...

Non-dynastic (455 to 480)

• Petronius Maximus: 455
• Avitus: 455 to 456
  • Ricimer: 456 to 472 Power behind the throne
• Majorian: 457 to 461
• Libius Severus: 461 to 465
• Anthemius: 465 to 472
• Olybrius: 472
• Glycerius: 473 to 474
• Julius Nepos: 474 to 480 In exile 475 to 480
• Romulus Augustus: 475 to 476
  • Flavius Orestes: 475 to 476 Power behind the throne

Orestes was killed by revolting barbarian mercenaries. Their leader Odoacer assumed control of Italy as a de jure representative of Julius Nepos and Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno. Petronius Maximus on a coin. ... Avitus on a tremissis. ... Ricimer monogram on the reverse of this coin by Libius Severus. ... Majorian on an bronze coin. ... Libius Severus was a Western Roman Emperor. ... Procopius Anthemius (c. ... Anicius Olybrius, Western Roman Emperor (July 11 - October 23, 472), was a member of a noble family and a native of Rome. ... Glycerius (c. ... Julius Nepos on a coin. ... Tremissis of Romulus Augustus. ... Flavius Orestes (d. ... // The word barbarian generally refers to an uncivilized, uncultured person, either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos perceived as having an inferior level of civilization, or in an individual reference to a brutal, cruel, insensitive person whose behavior is unacceptable in a civilized society. ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare primarily for private gain, usually with little regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... Odoacer solidus struck in name of Zeno. ... Look up De jure in Wiktionary, the free dictionary The terms de jure and de facto are used instead of in principle and in practice, respectively, when one is describing political situations. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Zeno on a coin celebrating his victories. ...

External links

• www.roman-empire.net
• De Imperatoribus Romanis