Can someone please help me answer this question
Historians traditionally date the end of the Roman Empire to 476 AD. Why is this? Is this
a good date to use for the end of Rome? Why or why not? Does this date adequately capture the
end of the socalled “GrecoRoman” world? Responses which include a wide array of material
from this period will more thoroughly address the question
Here are a few resources:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=the+fall+of+the+roman+&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4VRHB_enUS648US649&q=the+fall+of+the+roman+empire&gs_l=hp..0.0l5.0.0.1.336147...........0.TD7Id98Bfug
Certainly, Greco-Roman influence did not end with the collapse of the Roman Empire:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=greco-roman+influence&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4VRHB_enUS648US649&q=greek+roman+influence+on+western+civilization+&gs_l=hp..4.0l3j0i22i30j0i22i10i30.0.0.2.160546...........0.3QKr3O-Z42Y
To answer this question, we first need to understand the historical events surrounding the end of the Roman Empire. Exploring a wide array of material from the period will help provide a comprehensive answer.
The traditional date for the end of the Roman Empire is 476 AD. This date is generally attributed to the deposition of Romulus Augustus, the last Roman emperor in the West, by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. It marks the end of a long decline of the Western Roman Empire.
However, it is important to note that the Roman Empire did not disappear overnight in 476 AD. Its decline can be traced back to various factors such as internal instability, economic struggles, external invasions, and the division of the empire into eastern and western halves. The sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD and the deposition of the last Western Roman Emperor in 476 AD are often seen as symbolic events that highlight the collapse of Roman power in the West.
Whether 476 AD is a good date to use for the end of Rome is a subject of debate among historians. Some argue that this date is arbitrary and that the decline of Roman power was a gradual process over many decades. Others assert that it serves as a convenient marker because it highlights a significant event and a change in political authority.
In terms of capturing the end of the so-called "Greco-Roman" world, 476 AD may not fully encapsulate this transition. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, continued to thrive for several more centuries after the fall of the western part. The Byzantine Empire maintained Roman traditions, culture, and political structure. Therefore, if we consider the Greco-Roman world as a whole, encompassing both the Western and Eastern Roman Empires, 476 AD may not adequately represent its end.
To thoroughly address this question, it is important to examine a wide array of material from the period. This includes analyzing historical records, archaeological findings, and primary sources that shed light on the political, social, economic, and cultural transformations of the time. By examining these varied sources, we can gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contributed to the end of the Roman Empire and determine whether 476 AD is an accurate date to use.