Final answer:
The fall of the Roman Empire is traditionally dated to 476 CE but was a gradual process. The end was marked by the deposition of Emperor Romulus August ulus by Odoacer, yet Roman cultural influence persisted afterwards. The Eastern Roman Empire continued until 1453 CE.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conventional date for the fall of the Roman Empire is 476 CE, when the German general Odoacer deposed the last Roman emperor of the west, Romulus August ulus. It is important to note that while the political structure of the Roman Empire in the west ended, many aspects of Roman culture persisted for centuries thereafter. The Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire, continued until it fell in 1453 CE.
The citizens living during the time of the fall would not have experienced an abrupt change but rather a gradual transition. For them, the concept of an 'end of the empire' would have been quite different from our historical perspective. Latin continued as the language of the educated and many Roman institutions lingered even as political authority changed hands. The empire's decline was a complex process influenced by factors such as internal corruption, barbarian invasions, and significant cultural transformations. These factors led to the splintering of the western empire into various political entities by the end of the fifth century.