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From a societal standpoint it has been posited that [[immorality]] and [[homosexuality]] so weakened the spirit of the Empire that it was unable to stand firm against the Barbarians. Certainly poets such as [[Catullus]] and [[Juvenal]] describe many unnatural practices that may well have contributed to the final collapse just four hundred years later.  Well known British writer [[Edward Gibbon]], who wrote the influential ''[[Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'' was an [[advocate]] of this view.  While his book stood the test of time as a masterpiece of Roman history, even being required reading in some American schools for the first half of the 20th century, modern historians seek answers in other areas.

From a societal standpoint it has been posited that [[immorality]] and [[homosexuality]] so weakened the spirit of the Empire that it was unable to stand firm against the Barbarians. Certainly poets such as [[Catullus]] and [[Juvenal]] describe many unnatural practices, in the former case predating the accession of Augustus, that may well have contributed to the final collapse a mere 20 generations later.  Well known British writer [[Edward Gibbon]], who wrote the influential ''[[Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'' was an [[advocate]] of this view.  While his book stood the test of time as a masterpiece of Roman history, even being required reading in some American schools for the first half of the 20th century, modern historians seek answers in other areas. Furthermore, Gibbon also proposed the unsubstantiated view that the advent of Christianity contributed to the enervation of the empire.  

== The actual "Fall" ==

== The actual "Fall" ==