What attracts you to Late Rome?

[Frank]

When I first began reading about the Late Empire in the 1970s and 80s it was still common to find the claim that when Theodosius died in 395 he left behind a strong and united empire. It is only more recent work that has demonstrated that by 400 the empire was already in 'terminal decline'.

Theodosius reign was heavily overrated by christian historians due to his measures against pagans. Every important pro-christian emperor was called "the Great" and so they overlooked the real great emperors.
Looking to the Battle at Frigidus, you could call Theodosius I the gravedigger of the western field army and door opener for the Visigoths.

However, 400 AD and even after the first sack of Rome most romans believed not, that they lived at the eve of doom. Thats the interesting point about this era. Well, looking to the eastern provinces, they were actually correct.