Final answer:
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, various barbarian groups like the Vandals seized territories, establishing their own kingdoms, while the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, rose to greater prominence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fall of the Western Roman Empire and the Rise of New Powers
When the Roman Empire fell, specifically the Western Roman Empire, plenty of power voids were created across former Roman territories. This period saw the emergence of numerous barbarian kingdoms and the ascension of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire, to greater prominence.
Theodosius I was the last emperor to preside over both the eastern and western halves of the Roman Empire. After his death in 395 CE, his sons took over, splitting the empire between them with Arcadius in the East and Honorius in the West. The western empire, with its long and difficult to defend borders, was particularly vulnerable to invasions. In 406 CE, the freezing of the Rhine River allowed belligerents such as the Vandals to infiltrate and capture territories. Eventually, by the late 5th century, the fragmented West fell to various barbarian groups. One such group, the Vandals, managed to establish a kingdom in North Africa after crossing through Spain.
In contrast, the eastern half of the empire, based in Constantinople, continued to thrive for another millennium, owing to its wealth, better-organized defenses, and shorter frontline against invasions. The Byzantine Empire became the dominant Christian power in the eastern Mediterranean for centuries until its ultimate fall in 1453.