The Roman Empire never fell

The Roman Empire was a very powerful and highly advanced nation that spanned from Britain to Egypt, and from Spain to Syria. At its height, it was the only superpower on Earth. Its armies were the best trained and most formidable force in the known world. Its navy ruled the seas and its legions protected all its territories. Its economy was strong and rich in resources. Its politics were sound and its laws were fair. Its people were educated and highly cultured.<br><br>In the 5th century AD, the Empire began to decline. The legions were depleted by years of constant civil wars, and its economy was in disarray. The Germanic tribes to the north were becoming increasingly aggressive, and the Huns from Asia were pressing hard on the borders in the east. In 410 AD, the Visigoths, led by Alatheus and Aladus, sacked Rome. This event sent shockwaves throughout the Empire, and people feared that the end was at hand.<br><br>The Empire did not fall. It adapted to the changing circumstances of the time and it survived. In 476 AD, the barbarian king Odoacer deposed the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus. Odoacer was not a Germanic king, but the King of the Rugi. He was also not the first Germanic king to rule Rome, since the Goths had ruled it for years.<br><br>The Roman Empire did not fall, it changed its name. The Latin word for German was "barbarus." The Roman legions were made up of Roman citizens, and they had been the backbone of the Empire for centuries. But as the Empire shrank and the legions were reduced, the legions were filled with Germanic mercenaries. The Empire came to be ruled by soldiers who were not Roman, but the Empire was still Roman in culture and politics. In 285 AD, the Emperor Diocletian had split the Empire into Eastern (Byzantium) and Western halves, each with its own Emperor and capital. The Western Empire had been plagued by civil wars and weak Emperors, but the Eastern Empire thrived. In 395 AD, the Eastern Empire, now known as the Roman Empire, became the sole survivor of the original Empire.<br><br>The Roman Empire ruled for 500 years after the fall of Rome in 410 AD. It ruled all of Europe, North Africa, and parts of Western and Central Asia. It had the most powerful army in the world, and its economy was the largest on Earth. In 1453 AD, the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire, and the Empire fell. But this was not the end of Rome. The city of Rome was ruled by the Kingdom of Italy, and it still thrives today.<br><br>The Roman Empire was a nation, not a city. It was a collection of territories and cities ruled by one government. The city of Rome was one of its many cities, but it was never the Empire. When people talk about ancient Rome, they usually think of the city of Rome, but that is a mistake. They should be talking about the Empire.