The Roman Govt. survived for longer than Rome, it picked up and moved to Constantinople, continued to rules most of the Empire another 100 years, than afterward could no longer manage to do so. At one point in time, the Emporer from Constantinople, Justinian, managed to exert power over most of Italy again. Subsequently, then the Dark adn Middle Ages follwoed, at whien society certainly was not at the same level it was during the Empire, over much of Europe.