Fall of Western Roman Empire

The Western Roman Empire fell in 476, when the last western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was removed from power. For Jewish history, this did not immediately change life in the Land of Israel, because the area was still controlled by the Eastern Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire. However, it marks a major shift in world history: Rome’s western political power collapsed, while Byzantium continued ruling the eastern Mediterranean, including Jerusalem and Judea.