d centuryAD, the Empire began to crumble. Wave after wave of barbarian invaders, especially theHuns, chipped away at the state. Eventually some of the provinces had to be abandoned.At the end of the third century, Emperor Diocletian decided the empire was two big, andsplit it in two. He ruled the east from Turkey, and commissioned Maximian to rule thewest from Milan. He called this form of government the Dominate, from Latin dominus,meaning master. There were two Augusti, who ruled the east and west, and under themthere were two Caesars, who were like vice-presidents. The two Caesars of the east andwest were Constantine and Galerius, respectively. Diocletian turned his empire intosomething like afeudal system, where peasants were deprived of personal freedom and tiedto the soil. He renamed citizens to subjects. In 305, Diocletian and Maximian steppeddown as Augusti, resulting in civil wars between the old Caesars and new Augusti.Eventually, Constantine the Great came out on top in 312. Constantine's troops made himemperor, and he ruled the entire Empire from Byzantium, which he renamedConstantinople. Constantine was the first Christian ruler of the Empire. Alaric of theVisgoths helped the emperor Theodosius crush a rebellion. Unfortunately, Theodosiusdied before he could reward Alaric. The new emperor, Honorius, cut Alaric off fromRome, which he resented deeply. Alaric took his army to Constantinople, but found it toowell guarded. He then led his army to the city of Rome, where, in the fifth century, sackedit. The Empire continued to fall to barbarians. The east and west sides of the Empire werein a virtual state of war. In 429, Vandals conquered Africa. In 410, Britain fell. In 451, theHuns took most of Europe. When Atilla the Hun came to Rome, Pope Leo was able toconvince him to spare the city. In 455, Vandals came and sacked Rome. In the year 476AD, the last emperor died, marking the fall of the Roman Empire, one of the greatest ever...
