| 180 CE | Death of Marcus Aurelius | The death of the last of the “Five Good Emperors” marked a shift from a period of relative peace and stability to a time of military anarchy and economic instability. |
| 235 CE | Start of the Crisis of the Third Century | This 50-year period saw the empire split into three competing states, frequent changes of emperors, and ongoing invasions by Germanic tribes. |
| 284 CE | Reign of Diocletian | Diocletian tried to restore stability by dividing the empire into a tetrarchy of four rulers. While initially successful, his reforms laid the groundwork for further division. |
| 305 CE | Diocletian’s Resignation | Diocletian’s resignation led to a civil war over succession, distracting the rulers from external threats and further destabilizing the empire. |
| 312 CE | Conversion of Constantine | As the first Christian emperor, Constantine’s conversion led to Christianity’s spread throughout the empire. While this had positive aspects, it also led to divisions and conflicts. |
| 330 CE | Founding of Constantinople | The shift of the capital to the East and the subsequent focus on this region kicked off the slow decline of the Western Roman Empire. |
| 376 CE | Crossing of the Danube by the Visigoths | This marked the beginning of large-scale migrations and invasions into the Western Roman Empire from various Germanic tribes. |
| 410 CE | Sack of Rome by the Visigoths | This shocking event showed that Rome was no longer invincible, weakening morale and undermining trust in the empire’s ability to protect its citizens. |
| 455 CE | Second Sack of Rome, this time by the Vandals | This event further destroyed the sense of security and stability within the empire. |
| 476 CE | Deposition of Romulus Augustulus | Proclaimed the last Roman Emperor in the West, his deposition by Odoacer, a Germanic king, is traditionally considered the end of the Western Roman Empire. |
