Video from Maiorianus
"In this video we explore how the city of Rome declined in the 5th century AD, and how far it was declined by 476 AD, when Romulus Augustus, the last emperor in the west, abdicated the throne. What would you have seen if you would have a time machine and could explore the city of Rome during these last years of the western empire? The main source for the state of the city of Rome from the late empire towards the early middle ages is Ferdinand Gregorovius' excellent book "History of the city of Rome in the middle ages". A must read for everyone interested in how Rome transformed from the great capital of the Roman empire, to the seat of the popes in the early middle ages. Scenes from Documentaries: 1. BBC The Rise and Fall of an Empire: The Fall of Rome 2. Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire: The puppet master Background music by Adrian von Ziegler: https://youtu.be/USz9cwVSaqg" from video introduction.
The Roman Empire has always held a great fascination for me and to realize all that they contributed to western civilization as you and I know it is really a blessing. They were pagans, idol worshippers, an often cruel and vicious society. The part they played in the salvation of humanity is well documented. So I found this video which sheds some light on the conditions and history behind the so called Fall of the Roman Empire.
"Constantine’s Rise to Power
In the Roman Empire, the transformation of Christianity into a state religion occurred after Constantine became a Christian. In my previous post, I discussed the fact that the early Church was separate from the Roman state, which often considered Christians unpatriotic and persecuted them. Indeed, the early Christians refused to worship the Roman gods who were believed to protect the empire. They also refused to participate in the cult of the emperor and serve in the army. The last major persecution was under Diocletian who later stepped down from his position. Flavius Valerius Constantinus, known as Constantine, rose to power in the period following Diocletian’s resignation, at a time as many as six rulers were fighting each other for supremacy. Constantine was born around AD 272. He developed his skills as a soldier early by participating in wars in Egypt and then joining his father, Constantius, in a British campaign. He earned the loyalty of the Gallic army which, after the death of his father, acclaimed him as “Caesar.” In 310, he defeated Maximian who had tried to replace him as commander of the Gallic armies. After the death of Galerius in AD 311, he crossed the Alps, defeated a competing army in Turin and advanced toward Rome. In AD 312, he met the forces of Maxentius nine miles north of Rome, and this is where a life-changing experience presumably occurred to him. In the afternoon before the battle, he saw a “flaming cross in the sky” with, on it, Greek words meaning “in this sign conquer.” The next morning, he said he dreamed that a voice told him to have his soldiers mark their shields with the symbol of Christ, the letter X with a line drawn through it and curling upward. He then went to battle with a standard that had on it the initials of Christ interwoven with a cross. This was in contrast to Maxentius’ banner, which displayed the symbol of the pagan god Mithras. Constantine won the battle and became the uncontested ruler of the Western Empire, while Licinius ruled the east..." from the article: How Christianity Became the State Religion in the Roman Empire
History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages, Volume 1 by Ferdinand Gregorovius (link) there are at least 7 volumes.