In what year did the Western Roman Empire fall?

The Western Roman Empire is recognized to have fallen in 476 AD, a pivotal moment in history that marked the end of ancient Rome's dominance in the western part of the empire. In this year, the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed by the Germanic king Odoacer. This event is commonly used by historians as a significant marker representing the transition from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages.

Understanding the context surrounding the fall of the Western Roman Empire helps clarify why 476 AD is considered the correct answer. The other dates listed are not associated with the formal end of the empire. For example, 395 AD is the year when Theodosius I, the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and western halves of the empire, died; however, the empire itself continued to exist for nearly a century afterward. Similarly, 486 AD does not correspond to any major event marking the end of the Western Roman Empire, and 509 AD is well after its fall, associated instead with the establishment of the Frankish kingdom under Clovis. Thus, 476 AD stands out as the definitive year marking the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.