The Western Roman Empire is the modern-day term for the western half of the Roman Empire after it was divided in two by the emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305 CE) in c. 285/286 CE. The Romans themselves did not use this term. At its height (c. 117 CE), the Roman Empire stretched from Italy through Europe to the British Isles, across North Africa, down through Egypt and up into Mesopotamia and across Anatolia. By 285 CE the Roman Empire had grown so vast that it was no longer feasible to govern all the provinces from the central seat of Rome.
More about: Western Roman EmpireDefinition
Timeline
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285 CEThe Roman empire is split into the Western and Eastern Roman empires.
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367 CEPicts, Scots, Saxons, and Franks attack the Roman Empire.
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391 CEEmperor Theodosius I closes pagan temples.
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402 CERavenna becomes the capital of the Western Roman Empire.
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410 CEAlaric of the Visigoths sacks Rome.
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439 CEVandals take Carthage from the Western Roman Empire and make it their new capital.
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451 CEAetius defeats Attila of the Huns at the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields, together with Rome's allies.
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455 CEVandals sack Rome.
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476 CEEmperor Romulus Augustus is deposed by the Germanic King Odoacer. This is the `official' end of the Roman Empire.
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476 CERomulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman emperor, deposed by Odoacer and sent into forced retirement in Campania.
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480 CEJulius Nepos, the last Western Roman emperor, dies. This is the `unofficial' end of the Western Roman Empire.
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486 CEClovis I of the Franks defeats the Romans in Gaul. Founding of the Frankish kingdom.
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488 CE - 493 CETheodoric the Great of the Ostrogoths conquers Italy.
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800 CECharlemagne the Great of the Franks is proclaimed Western Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III.
