3. The Erosion of Roman Institutions
After 476 AD, the once-sturdy foundations of Roman governance began to crumble. Political structures, administrative systems, and legal codes rapidly deteriorated, leaving vast regions without effective oversight or stability. Without the unifying force of Roman law and bureaucracy, local leaders and warlords vied for power, intensifying regional chaos. As the BBC notes, this breakdown of institutions paved the way for the fragmentation that would define early medieval Europe.
