How Long Did the Roman Empire Last?
Why the honest answer is 'about 500 years' and 'nearly 1,500 years' at the same time
It depends on what you count. The Roman Empire is usually dated from 27 BCE, when Augustus became the first emperor, to 476 CE, when the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed — about 500 years. But that endpoint applies only to the Western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire, which historians call the Byzantine Empire, continued without interruption from the same Roman state until Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 CE.
So Rome's famous 'fall' in 476 CE ended only the Western half. Counting from Augustus in 27 BCE to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 CE, the Roman Empire as a continuous imperial state lasted roughly 1,480 years — and the Byzantines called themselves Romans (Rhomaioi) the entire time. If you instead date from the founding of the city of Rome (traditionally 753 BCE), 'Rome' as a political entity of some form spanned well over two thousand years.
Myth vs. record
Myth: the Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, full stop. Record: 476 CE marks the end of the Western Empire only. The Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, ruled from Constantinople, continued as the direct legal and political continuation of Rome for another 977 years, until 1453.
The key dates: 753 BCE, traditional founding of the city; 509 BCE, founding of the Roman Republic; 27 BCE, Augustus becomes the first emperor (start of the Empire); 285–395 CE, the Empire is administratively divided into West and East; 476 CE, the Western Empire ends; 1453 CE, Constantinople falls and the Eastern Empire ends.
Why the West fell but the East survived is a genuine scholarly question. The Eastern Empire was wealthier, more urbanized, had shorter and more defensible frontiers, and faced a somewhat different sequence of external pressures. Peter Heather and others emphasize that barbarian migrations, triggered by the arrival of the Huns, overwhelmed the West specifically.
Frequently asked questions
How long did the Roman Empire last?
The Roman Empire began in 27 BCE with Augustus. The Western Empire lasted until 476 CE — about 500 years. But the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, the direct continuation of the Roman state, lasted until 1453 CE, making Rome an imperial power for nearly 1,500 years in total.
Did the Roman Empire really fall in 476 CE?
Only the Western half. In 476 CE the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed. The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued for another 977 years, until Constantinople fell to the Ottomans in 1453.
Were the Byzantines really Romans?
Yes. The Byzantine Empire is a modern label; its people called themselves Romans (Rhomaioi) and considered their state the continuous Roman Empire. The term 'Byzantine' was popularized by later historians, not used at the time.
When did the Roman Empire begin?
The imperial period began in 27 BCE, when the Senate granted Octavian the title Augustus, making him the first Roman emperor. Rome itself, as a city and then a Republic, was much older — traditionally founded in 753 BCE, with the Republic dated to 509 BCE.
Why did the Western Empire fall but not the Eastern?
The East was wealthier, more urbanized, and had shorter, more defensible frontiers, while the West bore the brunt of barbarian migrations set off by the Huns in the late 4th and 5th centuries. The exact balance of internal weakness versus external shock is still debated by historians.
Further reading
1. The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians — Peter Heather (2005)
External shock, not internal decay, killed the Western Empire: the Huns triggered a migration crisis on Rome's frontiers that no late-antique state could have survived.
Heather’s account of the fall is the direct answer to when, and in what sense, the empire ended.
Pick this if: Readers who want the fuller account. (Level: Intermediate)
2. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome — Mary Beard (2015)
Rome's history is inseparable from the sources that transmit it; the most interesting question is often not 'what happened' but 'how do we know, and who is telling us.'
Beard for the thousand years before that.
Pick this if: Readers who want the fuller account. (Level: Beginner)
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Explore related events on the timeline
- The Fall of the Western Roman Empire, 476 CE
- Augustus, the first Roman emperor
- Julius Caesar and the end of the Republic
Related guides
Sources consulted
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Fall of the Western Roman Empire'
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Byzantine Empire'
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