[ClearCase_guy]

The Western Roman empire is usually considered to have ended in 476 AD when Odoacer, a German, became emperor. This had been an accepted date of the fall since Gibbon.

The Eastern (Byzantine) Empire lasted until 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Turks.

The plague of Justinian was a devastating event. But no one thinks the Roman world fell in 541 AD.

Journalists. They know nothing about everything.

[colorado tanker]

While it did not topple the Roman Empire, the plague insured the Dark Ages began very dark indeed.

[hinckley buzzard]

The Byzantine Justinian reconstituted much of the original western empire, recapturing from the Germanic tribes most of the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, including Rome. I suppose one could argue it wasn't really the "Roman" empire, but Justinian ruled as a Roman, having totally revised and strengthened the whole body of Roman law.