4th5thcentury

The 4th–5th centuries represent a pivotal era in late antiquity, spanning the years 300 to 499 CE. It marks the transition from the classical Roman Empire to a more fragmented set of political entities across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. During the early part of this period, Roman imperial power continued to exert influence over the Mediterranean, with emperors such as Constantine I (who reigned from 305 to 337) promoting Christianity and founding Constantinople as a new capital.

The latter half of the 4th century witnessed increasing incursions by Germanic tribes. The Goths, Huns, and Franks began to settle within the empire’s borders, bringing about a blend of Roman administrative structures and tribal customs. The Battle of Adrianople in 378, where Emperor Valens was defeated by the Goths, highlighted the shifting military dynamics. Simultaneously, Christianity continued to spread, culminating in its adoption as the state religion under Constantine and reaffirmed by the Council of Nicaea in 325.

The 5th century brought about the eventual dissolution of the Western Roman Empire in 476 when Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer. In the East, the Byzantine Empire survived, preserving Greek and Roman legal traditions under emperors like Justinian I, whose codification of law in the 6th century would later influence European jurisprudence.

Culturally, the period saw the rise of early Christian monasticism, the preservation of classical literature by scholars in both the Eastern and Western worlds, and developments in art that merged Roman motifs with Germanic styles. The era laid foundations for medieval Europe, blending Roman institutions with emerging feudal societies.