What attracts you to Late Rome?

[starman2012]

I'll answer anyway. :-)

The roman state had lost its people; every important segment of the population.

The people were still there, but the constituency (or support for the empire) was gone.

The interesting question about the late empire is, when did this process start and why?

It seems to have gradually accelerated after about 300 CE, and peaked in the early-mid fifth century. Part of the problem was that the empire alienated important groups, from the senators, barred from military command, to the barbarian recruits, victimized and alienated in 408.

And why did it not happen in the East?

I think it did, it's just that the East being less subjected to permanent invasion, managed to hold on long enough to regain a good constituency, or citizen support.