The Sack of Rome

It once was the center of the Empire and boasted a population numbering in the millions. However, by the time of the barbarian invasions, the city of Rome had suffered a decline in power and prestige. The Empire had been split into Eastern and Western sections with Rome the capital of the West. However, the city lost this distinction early in the 5th century when the seat of the Western Empire was moved north to Ravenna and then to other cities including Milan. The Visigoths sacked Rome in 410 as did the Vandals in 455. The final assault came in 476 when the Goths pillaged the city and placed a non-Roman Emperor on the throne. This act is generally considered as the end of the Roman Empire in the West.