One major difference between the powers of emperors in the east and west was the level of their control over the military. In the Western Roman Empire, the emperor had direct command of the military, and could use it to enforce his authority and maintain control over the empire. In the Eastern Roman Empire, however, the emperor did not have direct control over the military, and instead relied on a system of regional military governors to maintain control over the provinces. This difference in military control contributed to the decline and fall of the Western Roman Empire, as the emperors were unable to effectively control their armies and maintain their authority.