Attila and the Battle with the HunsĪs bad as things seemed, they soon got even worse in the 450s when the Huns, the ultimate barbarians, came sweeping into western Europe, leaving a path of devastation in their wake. Learn more about early Roman history before the fall. The Western Empire was being whittled down to little more than Italy, and even parts of that were soon seized by the Visigoths. The emperors themselves had already abandoned Rome in 402 AD, shifting the court to the northern Italian city of Ravenna, which was safer due to its being surrounded by swamps. The Vandals moved into Spain, and then in 429 AD, crossed over the Strait of Gibraltar and overran North Africa, traveling steadily along the coast until they captured Carthage in 439 AD. To the north, Angles, Saxons, and Jutes raided Britain. The Goths founded kingdoms in parts of Gaul and invaded Spain, while the Franks and Burgundians also settled in Gaul.

The one thing that was eminently clear, however, was the weakness of the Western Empire, and numerous barbarian tribes swiftly took advantage, migrating into Roman provinces, carving them off, and establishing their own kingdoms in what had formerly been Roman territory. The Decimation of the Empire and Abandoning Rome This is a transcript from the video series The Roman Empire: From Augustus to the Fall of Rome. The city of Rome was invested with profound symbolic significance for the Romans, and their failure to protect it made plain the reduced state of Roman power as nothing else could have. Although the damage to the city was not severe, and Alaric and the Visigoths soon departed with their plunder, the psychological effect of this blow was immense.įor the first time in over 800 years, a foreign enemy had occupied the traditional capital of the empire. He was bought off yet again with money and titles, again threatened to invade, and then actually blockaded Rome.įinally, in 410 AD, Alaric and a band of Visigoths marched down into Italy, captured Rome, and for three days looted the capital. Later, he had been bought off by the Romans with huge cash bribes, been appointed the general in charge of all Roman forces in Illyricum, fought with Stilicho, invaded Italy and then threatened to attack Rome. (Image: By Évariste Vital Luminais/ Public domain) Alaric’s Sack of Rome was focused on looting rather than destruction.

Rome 2 vs atilla