Title: The Fall of the Roman Empire [ushistory.org]
Headings: 6f. The Fall of the Roman Empire
6f. The Fall of the Roman Empire
Constantine and the Rise of Christianity
Why Two Empires?
Goth Rockers

Content: The Fall of the Roman Empire
Constantine the Great, 306-337 C.E., divided the Roman Empire in two and made Christianity the dominant religion in the region. The invading army reached the outskirts of Rome, which had been left totally undefended. In 410 C.E., the Visigoths, led by Alaric, breached the walls of Rome and sacked the capital of the Roman Empire. The Visigoths looted, burned, and pillaged their way through the city, leaving a wake of destruction wherever they went. The plundering continued for three days. For the first time in nearly a millennium, the city of Rome was in the hands of someone other than the Romans. This was the first time that the city of Rome was sacked, but by no means the last. Constantine and the Rise of Christianity
One of the many factors that contributed to the fall of the Roman Empire was the rise of a new religion, Christianity. The Christian religion, which was monotheistic ran counter to the traditional Roman religion, which was polytheistic (many gods). At different times, the Romans persecuted the Christians because of their beliefs, which were popular among the poor.