Barbarian tribes took the opportunity to attack gain new land for themselves. From the years 406 to 476 multiple barbarian tribes attacked and conquered the Western Empire (Bengtsson 133). The city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths from the north in 410, in what has been considered “one of the most civilised sacks of any city ever witnessed” (qtd) because they did not slaughter nearly as many inhabitants as they might have (Cavendish). The Eastern Empire was unable to aid the west because of its preoccupation with the Persian army (Browning 8). Some consider this brief time period to be the complete fall of Rome, but Rome as an Empire carried on in the
Barbarian tribes took the opportunity to attack gain new land for themselves. From the years 406 to 476 multiple barbarian tribes attacked and conquered the Western Empire (Bengtsson 133). The city of Rome was sacked by the Visigoths from the north in 410, in what has been considered “one of the most civilised sacks of any city ever witnessed” (qtd) because they did not slaughter nearly as many inhabitants as they might have (Cavendish). The Eastern Empire was unable to aid the west because of its preoccupation with the Persian army (Browning 8). Some consider this brief time period to be the complete fall of Rome, but Rome as an Empire carried on in the