The Western Roman Empire collapsed under the weight of the Germanic invasions, internal infighting and a sting of usurpers. The Eastern Roman Empire was not affected by invasions, maintained internal cohesion and the rule of the emperor remained effective. It also prospered. It had the province of Egypt, the breadbasket of the empire which supplied 50% of the grain produced in both east and west. Zeno, an emperor of the east also commissioned Theodoric the Great, the king of the Ostrogoths, to invade Italy on his behalf during the collapse of the west because he did not want a powerful rival ruler in Italy. He wanted all power for himself.

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