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However, the 3rd century CE heralded a period of decline marred by civil wars and instability. Despite a brief resurgence under Constantine the Great—who embraced Christianity as a state religion—the Western Roman Empire faced invasions from various Germanic tribes, leading to its eventual demise with the deposition of the last emperor in 476 CE.
The Chaotic Dark Ages and the Emergence of City-States
The fall of Rome ushered Italy into a chaotic Dark Age dominated by fragmentation. The once-unified territory succumbed to the rule of different tribes, most notably the Ostrogoths, and later, Byzantine attempts under Emperor Justinian to restore the glory of Rome.