The Roman Empire was the most powerful empire of antiquity. It is traditionally believed to have “fallen” in 476, when Rome's last emperor was deposed. Many theories have been presented as to why it collapsed, from unhealthy economic and social policies to mass lead poisoning. The real cause of Rome's fall was the result of many factors, but it was primarily caused by Rome's mediocre economic policies. One question that must first be addressed is whether or not Rome actually fell. There are two main theories that have led to this conclusion. One is that the Roman Empire continued in the form of the Byzantine Empire until the rise of Islam in the seventh century. The other theory states that Rome's cultural ideas spread throughout Europe and Asia and formed the basis of medieval culture. While there is a lot of evidence for these theories (Prienne and Heather) and against them (Havighurse), they essentially just debate the definition of “the fall.” The fact remains that the Roman Empire declined dramatically, divided into two parts, and that its capital was sacked on several occasions. Therefore, the rest of this essay will not be concerned with the largely semantic question of whether Rome fell or not, but with why it fell. One of the main reasons for the fall of Rome was the collapse of its social order. The main and best-known argument in support of this is that the citizens of Rome lost their sense of civic responsibility and became socially decadent and that the economic interests of the Romans compromised their social stability. He summarizes this by stating that “private enterprise, left to its own devices, has proven inadequate to the task of feeding the civilian population” (Walbank 72). Many Roman authors also believed that Rome's collapse was the result of moral decay (Augustine). This...... half of the document ......condary/BURLAT/9*.html#7>.Davidson, Nicholas. "The Ancient Suicide of the West." Lew Rockwel.Org. January 1, 2007 .Gibbon, Edward. The history of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. 2nd ed. Penguin Classics, 1996.Havighurst, Alfred F. The Pirenne thesis: analysis, criticism and revision. DC Health, 1958. Journal filing. January 1, 2007. Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians. Oxford UP, 2005.Pirenne, Henri. Muhammad and Charlemagne. Dover Publications, 2001.Rostovtzeff, M. The Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire. 2nd ed. vol. 2. Oxford UP.Walbank, F W. Awful Revolution: the decline of the Roman Empire in the West. Books on request, 1978. 71-72.