The Roman Empire was one of the largest, strongest and longest-lived empires in history. It lasted more than five hundred years surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and at its peak stretched from the British Isles to the Persian Sea. The empire brought with it many technological achievements and advances in art, medicine, and language. Unfortunately, like all great empires, it must come to an end. There were many causes for the end of the empire, especially the barbarian tribes. Rome didn't fall in a day; it was a myriad of pernicious events delineated by corruption, stagflation, religious changes, and over-expansion in conjunction with barbarian invasions. The first two centuries of the Roman Empire were a period of peace, stability and prosperity known as the Pax Romana. During this period, the Romans “recognized that the true principles of social life, laws, agriculture, and science… were now firmly established by the power of Rome” (Gibbons). It was during this period that the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent. Shortly thereafter, however, civil war and corruption plagued the empire for over a century. Unlike the Greeks who followed primogeniture, the Romans did not create an effective method for determining the new emperor. This led the Praetorian Guard to sell the position of emperor to the highest bidder. Didius Julianus was one of the emperors who acquired his throne. He “called the troops and promised to give them whatever they desired, because he had ready money and a treasure full of gold and silver” (Herodian). Over the next 100 years, Rome had thirty-seven emperors, most of whom acquired the throne, of whom twenty-five were murdered. As a result, the drastic lack of a coherent ruler... middle of paper... the Visigoths, various tribes, such as the Vandals, devastated the weak and desolate remnants of the Roman Empire. Officially the last emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustus, was overthrown in 476. In conclusion, there were many different explanations for how the Roman Empire lost its greatness and power. There was severe corruption in the politics of the empire leading to uncertainty and a lack of unity. Tremendous stagflation hit the Roman population by devaluing the currency and creating thousands of unemployed workers who needed government assistance to survive. Continued efforts to obtain more land proved costly because the Romans conquered more than they could effectively govern. All these factors combined to cripple the empire's power. In this weakened state, they were unable to defend themselves from the rebellious Visigoths and subsequent Germanic invaders.