[haroldeveryman]

As the empire’s ability to defend its borders declined the Romans allowed barbarian tribes to settle border areas. This gave them a vested interest in defending the borders against raids by other barbarians. These Germans increasingly manned the regular western Roman armies, initially as grunts, and in time as generals. The western part of the empire broke up when one of these German generals (Odacer) informed the emperor that his services were no longer required and declared himself King of Italy. Thus, the Western empire went out with a wimper. Shortly thereafter the Eastern emperor Justinian reconquered Italy, Spain, and North Africa, but the western provinces were in such a sorry state economically that they was nothing but a financial drain on Constantinople and were gradually abandoned.

[FreedomCalls]

The western part of the empire broke up when one of these German generals (Odacer) informed the emperor that his services were no longer required

So when is La Raza going to inform The President that his services are no longer required in Atzlan?

[Oztrich Boy]

The western part of the empire broke up when one of these German generals (Odacer) informed the emperor that his services were no longer required and declared himself King of Italy. Thus, the Western empire went out with a wimper

Not necessarily a bad thing. An Ostrogothic successor state may have been the last best hope of Europe

Theodoric, who was educated in Constantinople and wanted to preserve the best features of Roman society. said "An able Goth wants to be like a Roman. Only a poor Roman would want to be a Goth."

With the society going on much as before, the average tenant-farmer would only have noticed that the new Gothic Lord was cheaper to keep tham the former Roman Aristocrat landlord, and kept the bandits under control better.

The real disaster was when the civilised Justinian tried to assert control over the West, failed, but destroyed the society while failing.