9. Collapse of Long-Distance Trade
The intricate Roman trade networks that once linked distant provinces collapsed after 476 AD. Piracy, insecurity, and deteriorating infrastructure made long-distance commerce nearly impossible. Communities grew increasingly isolated, turning to local production and self-sufficiency to survive. As discussed by Oxford Academic, this economic fragmentation contributed to the decline of urban markets, limited access to luxury goods, and deepened the economic challenges of the post-Roman world.
