Roman Empire in AD 476 at a glance
In AD 476 the empire covered about 1.94 million km². That is 58.9% less than at AD 395. It took in all or part of 19 modern countries, with the biggest shares of North Macedonia (100%), Lebanon (100%) and Kosovo (100%). Only the Eastern half remained.
The Germanic general Odoacer deposed the boy emperor Romulus Augustulus and did not name a successor. The emperor in Constantinople carried on ruling the East.
Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus; the Western empire ends, the East continues. Ruler at the time: Zeno (East).
- 1.94 million km²area of the empire
- -58.9%since AD 395
- 19modern countries inside
- 19provinces held
After the Western empire ended, only the East remained: about 1,941,191 km².
The Eastern empire only (the provinces held in the East at 395; the Danube frontier was already under pressure). This outline is built by joining the provinces held at the date, using AWMC province outlines from AD 200, so the frontier shapes are the AD 200 ones. Dates, not borders, are the evidence here. Borders are approximate and debated.
What changed since AD 395
The area fell by about 2,776,651 km² (58.9%), from 4,717,842 km² to 1,941,191 km². Provinces no longer held: Africa Proconsularis, Alpes (Maritimae, Cottiae, Graiae et Poeninae), Aquitania, Hispania Baetica, Britannia, Corsica, Dalmatia and Pannonia Superior, Gallia Belgica, Gallia Cisalpina (northern Italy), Gallia Lugdunensis, Gallia Narbonensis, Germania Inferior, Germania Superior, Hispania Tarraconensis, Italia (peninsula), Lusitania, Mauretania (Caesariensis and Tingitana), Noricum, Numidia, Pannonia Inferior, Raetia, Sardinia and Sicilia.
Modern countries no longer inside: Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Germany, Hungary, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom and Vatican City.
Which modern countries were inside the empire in AD 476?
19 modern countries were at least partly inside the empire. The share is the part of today's country that fell inside the outline above. The largest shares were North Macedonia, Lebanon, Kosovo, Israel, Palestine and Bulgaria.
| Country | Share inside | Area inside (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| Roman North Macedonia | 100% | 25,385 |
| Roman Lebanon | 100% | 9,980 |
| Roman Kosovo | 100% | 10,860 |
| Roman Israel | 99% | 21,929 |
| Roman Palestine | 99% | 6,010 |
| Roman Bulgaria | 99% | 111,365 |
| Roman Cyprus | 97% | 9,027 |
| Roman Greece | 96% | 126,576 |
| Roman Albania | 85% | 24,001 |
| Roman Syria | 82% | 151,804 |
| Roman Turkey | 79% | 615,885 |
| Roman Serbia | 54% | 42,260 |
| Roman Egypt | 46% | 460,892 |
| Roman Jordan | 36% | 32,350 |
| Roman Libya | 14% | 224,152 |
| Roman Romania | 6.6% | 15,688 |
| Roman Iraq | 5.3% | 23,130 |
| Roman Montenegro | 2.2% | 306 |
| Roman Saudi Arabia | 0.9% | 17,569 |
Shares are measured against the part of each country inside a box around the Mediterranean world, so overseas territories do not count. A country counts as inside only above 1% of its area or 500 km².
Provinces held in AD 476
- Achaea
- Aegyptus
- Arabia Petraea
- Asia, Bithynia et Pontus and Thracia
- Cilicia
- Crete
- Cyprus
- Cyrenaica
- Epirus
- Galatia, Cappadocia and Pontus
- Judaea (Syria Palaestina)
- Lycia et Pamphylia
- Macedonia
- Mesopotamia
- Moesia Inferior
- Moesia Superior
- Osrhoene
- Syria
- Syria Phoenice
Province outlines are the AD 200 ones. Where the source map joins several provinces, the province page says so.