-
753 BCE
Rome Founded
The city of Rome is founded.
Rome ruled by kings for the next 240 years -
509 BCE
Rome becomes a republic
Rome becomes a republic. The King is overthrown and Rome is ruled by elected officials called senators. There is a constitution with laws and a complex republican government -
72 BCE
Spartacus leads the slaves
Spartacus the gladiator leads the slaves in an uprising. -
45 BCE
Julius Caesar becomes the first dictator of Rome
Julius Caesar becomes the first dictator of Rome.
Caesar makes Crossing of the Rubicon, defeats Pompey in a civil war.
This signals the end of the Roman Republic. -
44 BCE
Julius Caesar assassinated
Julius Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March by Marcus Brutus.
Hope to bring back the republic, but civil war breaks out. -
27 BCE
Caesar Augustus- first Roman Emperor
The Roman Empire begins as Caesar Augustus becomes the first Roman Emperor -
64
Rome Burns
Much of Rome burns -
80
Colosseum is built
The Colosseum is built. One of the great examples of Roman engineering seats up to 50,000 spectators. -
121
Hadrian Wall is built
The Hadrian Wall is built to keep out the barbarians. Built across northern England. -
218
Hannibal invades Italy
Hannibal invades Italy -
306
Constantine becomes Emperor
Constantine becomes Emperor. Constantine converts to Christianity and Rome becomes a Christian empire.
Prior to this Rome persecuted the Christians. -
380
Theodosius I declares Christianity the sole religion
Theodosius I declares Christianity to be the sole religion of the Roman Empire -
395
Rome splits
Rome splits into two empires. -
410
Visigoths overtake Rome
The Visigoths conquer Rome. First time in 800 years that the city of Rome has fallen -
476
end of the Western Roman Empire/ fall of Ancient Rome
The end of the Western Roman Empire and the fall of Ancient Rome. Last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus is defeated by the German Goth Odoacer. This signals the start of the Dark Ages in Europe.