The Western Roman Empire's final years were marked by instability and barbarian invasions. Emperors like Honorius and Valentinian III struggled to maintain control as territories were lost and powerful generals gained influence.

Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Emperor, was deposed in 476 AD by Odoacer, a Germanic general. This event marked the end of imperial rule in the West and the rise of barbarian kingdoms.

The Last Western Emperors

Decline of Imperial Power and Stability

• Honorius ruled as Western Roman Emperor from 395 to 423 AD, overseeing a period of increasing instability and barbarian invasions (Visigoths, Vandals)
• Valentinian III's reign from 425 to 455 AD was marked by the loss of significant territories in North Africa to the Vandals and the growing influence of powerful generals like Aetius
• Majorian, emperor from 457 to 461 AD, attempted to reassert imperial authority and reclaim lost territories but was ultimately deposed and executed by his own general, Ricimer
• Anthemius, chosen by the Eastern Emperor Leo I to rule the West from 467 to 472 AD, faced ongoing challenges from barbarian groups and internal power struggles with Ricimer

The Final Emperor and the End of the Western Empire

• Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor, was installed by his father Orestes, a former secretary of Attila the Hun, in 475 AD at the age of 14
• Romulus Augustulus' rule was short-lived, as he was deposed by the Germanic general Odoacer in 476 AD, effectively marking the end of the Western Roman Empire
• Odoacer, after deposing Romulus Augustulus, sent the imperial regalia to the Eastern Emperor Zeno in Constantinople, symbolizing the end of the Western Empire and the transfer of authority to the East

The Fall of the Western Empire

The Rise of Odoacer and the End of Imperial Rule

• Odoacer, a Germanic general and leader of the foederati (barbarian troops in Roman service), deposed Romulus Augustulus in 476 AD, becoming the first barbarian king of Italy
• The year 476 AD is traditionally marked as the end of the Western Roman Empire, as Odoacer's rule signified the transition from imperial authority to barbarian kingdoms in the West
• Odoacer initially ruled Italy as a client king under the nominal authority of the Eastern Emperor Zeno, but later asserted his independence and ruled as the King of Italy until his defeat by the Ostrogothic king Theodoric in 493 AD

The Shifting Power Dynamics in the Late Western Empire

• The position of magister militum (master of soldiers) gained increasing importance in the late Western Empire, with powerful generals like Stilicho, Aetius, and Ricimer wielding significant influence over the emperors
• The reliance on barbarian troops (foederati) within the Roman military structure led to a gradual shift in power dynamics, as barbarian leaders like Odoacer and Theodoric rose to prominence and eventually supplanted imperial authority in the West
• The fall of the Western Roman Empire was a complex process involving a combination of factors, including internal political instability, economic decline, over-reliance on barbarian troops, and the increasing pressure from migrating barbarian groups (Goths, Vandals, Franks) seeking new territories within the empire's borders