ONE BRIEF OVERVIEW OF POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE DURING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH CENTURIES

Abstract

In the latter half of the fourth century, Rome entered its final phase of existence as a unified empire and great military, economic and cultural power. Problems which had been gathering for years throughout the empire culminated in this period, leading over the next few decades to the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of a new era, the Middle Ages. This work seeks to expand the historical picture with new findings regarding the late Roman Empire.