Answer:
What important factors contributed to the eventual decline of the western half of the Roman empire?
Among the factors that contributed to the decline of the Western Roman Empire we have:
- Political turmoil and ineffective leadership from many emperors
- The division of the Empire in two, which benefited Constantinople more than it did Rome
- Inflation due to the continuous debasing of the currency.
- And most importantly, the constant invasions from barbarian peoples from what is now Germany.
What were some of the major consequences of its decline, especially in western Europe and parts of the Mediterranean?
The consequences of the fall of the Western Roman Empire were many. The whole political body that had kept rule over the territory fell apart, and was replaced by many kingdoms.
Urbanization fell sharply, with some cities losing over 90% of their population, this in turn caused the ruralization of the economy, and the disappearance of most trade networks, which also increased poverty.
Feudalism would become the main economic system, replacing the slave-based economy of the Roman Empire.