# Western Roman Empire — WHE Definition Discussion

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/western-roman-empire-whe-definition-discussion/16447>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [September 27, 2019, 7:02am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/western-roman-empire-whe-definition-discussion/16447 "2019-09-27T07:02:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2019, 7:02am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/western-roman-empire-whe-definition-discussion/16447/1 "2019-09-27T07:02:08Z")

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The Western Roman Empire is the modern-day term for the western half of the Roman Empire after it was divided in two by the emperor Diocletian (r. 284-305 CE) in c. 285/286 CE. The Romans themselves did not use this term. At its height (c. 117 CE), the Roman Empire stretched from Italy through Europe to the British Isles, across North Africa, down through Egypt and up into Mesopotamia and across Anatolia. By 285 CE the Roman Empire had grown so vast that it was no longer feasible to govern all the provinces from the central seat of Rome.

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_This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at [https://www.worldhistory.org/Western\_Roman\_Empire/](https://www.worldhistory.org/Western_Roman_Empire/)._

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**Author:** ![JPryst](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/jpryst/32/168_2.png) [@JPryst](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/JPryst)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/western-roman-empire-whe-definition-discussion/16447/2 "2026-07-30T19:38:28Z")

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Unlisted on July 30, 2026, 7:38pm UTC