Fall of the Western Roman Empire: Europe in AD 400 and AD 500
Between 400 and 500 the Western Roman Empire breaks up into Germanic kingdoms, while the Eastern Roman Empire survives. Between AD 400 and AD 500, 7 states appear on the map of Europe and 5 disappear. Among those that vanish: Persia, Hunnic Empire, Caucasian Alans. New on the map: Vandals, Saxons, Suebi. Western Roman Empire loses the most territory.
Open AD 500 in the interactive map
States that disappeared
| State | Area in AD 400 |
|---|---|
| Persia | 2.28 million km² |
| Hunnic Empire | 870,000 km² |
| Caucasian Alans | 270,000 km² |
| Geats | 30,000 km² |
| Gepids | 30,000 km² |
New states on the map
| State | Area in AD 500 |
|---|---|
| Vandals | 350,000 km² |
| Saxons | 110,000 km² |
| Suebi | 100,000 km² |
| Anglo-Saxons | 80,000 km² |
| Thuringians | 70,000 km² |
| Basques | 60,000 km² |
| Armorica | 20,000 km² |
States that grew or shrank
| State | Change in area |
|---|---|
| Western Roman Empire | −2.27 million km² |
| Visigoths | +530,000 km² |
| Ostrogoths | +510,000 km² |
| Franks | +310,000 km² |
| Burgundians | +120,000 km² |
What happened in between
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| AD 410 | Visigoths sack Rome | Rome |
| AD 451 | Battle of the Catalaunian Plains | Battle of the Catalaunian Plains |
| AD 476 | Fall of the Western Roman Empire | Ravenna |
| AD 496 | Clovis converts to Catholicism |
Battles of the period
- Ephesus · AD 431
- Battle of the Catalaunian Plains · AD 451
People of the period
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| AD 354 – AD 430 | Augustine of Hippo | Theologian |
| c. AD 355 – AD 415 | Hypatia | Philosopher and mathematician |
| AD 482 – AD 565 | Justinian I | Byzantine emperor |
Questions
How did the map of Europe change between AD 400 and AD 500?
Between AD 400 and AD 500, 7 states appear on the map of Europe and 5 disappear. Among those that vanish: Persia, Hunnic Empire, Caucasian Alans. New on the map: Vandals, Saxons, Suebi. Western Roman Empire loses the most territory.
Which states disappeared from the map of Europe between AD 400 and AD 500?
Persia, Hunnic Empire, Caucasian Alans, Geats, Gepids.
Which new states appeared between AD 400 and AD 500?
Vandals, Saxons, Suebi, Anglo-Saxons, Thuringians, Basques, Armorica.
Borders are drawn from the nearest available maps and are approximate.
Last updated 10 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.