How did Rome end?

Toby, aged 11, asked:

How did Rome end?

Our top archaeologist, Julian Richards replied:

This is a difficult one for me. As a prehistorian it is my belief that civilisation in Britain ended with the arrival of the Roman’s in 43AD so I’ve never thought much about how Rome ended....But fortunately I have a friend who likes the Romans, Mark Corney, who you may have seen on Time Team, so I asked him and he replied ...

"By around 400AD the Roman Empire was being hard pressed by Barbarian tribes from beyond the frontiers and Roman control of the western provinces became difficult. In 410AD the Visigoths (a barbarian tribe) captured Rome led by their chief Alaric. Although this was a serious blow, the Roman Empire in the west continued until 476AD when the last western emperor Romulus Augustulus was overthrown. By this time the provinces of Britain, France, Spain and North Africa had been lost.

However, in the eastern part of the Empire Roman rule continued from Constantinople (modern Istanbul in Turkey). This eventually became known as the Byzantine Empire and lasted until 1453 when Constantinople was captured by the Ottoman Turks."

I couldn’t have put it better myself!

Julian Richards

Do you have an archaeological question that you'd like to ask Julian Richards?! If so Ask the archaeologist!