The end of classical antiquity and the early Middle age

Through age, a period in European history that ensued after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West is usually dated to year 476 when German chieftain Odoacer deposed the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus. The event is traditionally regarded as the end of classical antiquity and early middle ages.

On the other hand, year 476 is not universally recognized as the beginning of the middle age because the Empire was already in ruins when Odoacer deposed Romulus Augustulus. The decline of half Western dating Empire in the 3rd century when it collapsed almost because of the crisis economic, civil war and external threats.

Roman Empire has managed to survive the so-called crisis of the 3rd century, but the latter has caused economic, social, cultural and institutional changes deep who have greatly contributed to the fall of the Western Roman Empire. After empire split into two halves by 395 permanently Western become unable to push the barbarian invasions. Western Roman emperors were forced to leave barbaric tribes to establish the Roman territory in return for providing military assistance.

Barbarian military leaders turned against the Roman authorities from time to time and increased strong over time. Western Roman emperors do leaders officially after mid-5th century, then the real power is de facto military leaders of barbarian hands. A Odoacer therefore exceeded Romulus Augustulus rule only formally. The deposit of the last Roman Emperor Western was the culmination of a process which began much earlier and did not cause any major disruption at the time.

Due to the fact that the process which led to the fall of the Western Roman Empire took place gradually some historians do not consider the filing of Romulus Augustulus by Odoacer as the end of classical antiquity and early middle ages. They suggested that other large-scale events impacting on the course of history as the beginning of the period of migration (375), the battle of Adrianople (378), permanent division of the Roman Empire in both halves (395), the sack of Rome (410) and de jure the death of the last Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos (480). In addition, certain events proposed relating to religion, which has played a major role in medieval scholars. Among the most common dates start focusing on religion to the middle ages, include the question of the edict of Milan (313) that ended the persecution of Christians, closure of the last pagan school in Athens (529), and the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb (647).