Why did the Roman Empire eventually fall in the West?

The fall of the Western Roman Empire was a long process rather than a single event. Repeated civil wars, heavy taxation, inflation, and reliance on mercenary troops weakened the state. At the same time, Germanic groups such as the Visigoths, Vandals, and Ostrogoths moved into Roman territory, while the Huns disrupted populations across Europe. The empire split permanently in 395 CE into eastern and western halves, and the eastern empire survived as Byzantium for centuries. The western imperial office ended in 476 CE when Romulus Augustulus was removed by Odoacer.