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753 B.C. In 753 B.C. Rome was founded. According to the legend it was founded by Romulus and Remus, who were twin sons of the god Mars. The twins were abandoned as infants and raised by a she wolf. The twins then decided to build a city near where they were raised.
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600 B.C. The first settlers arrived in prehistoric times. Three groups settled in the region and eventually faught for control. The Latins, Greeks, and Etruscans were the three groups. The Latins made the original settlement in Rome.
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509 B.C. The last king in Rome was Tarquin the Proud. He was a harsh tyrant. He was driven from power. After this the Romans declared to never be ruled by a king again.
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Around 600 B.C. An Etruscan became king of Rome around 600 B.C. It became a city that covered almost 500 square miles. Many kings ordered the construction of Romes first temples and public centers. The most famous was the Forum.
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265 B.C. Roman power grew steadily as the legions faught for control of the Italian Peninsula. The Romans dominated central Italy. They also eventually defeated the Etruscans and the Greeks.
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264 B.C. In 264 B.C. Rome and Carthage went to war. This was the beginning of the Punic Wars. It was a long struggle. The first war lasted 23 years and ended with the defeat of Carthage.
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218 B.C. Hannibal was the 29 year old mastermind behind the second Punic War. He was a brilliant military stragetist, and wanted to avenge Carthages previous defeat. So, he put together an army of 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 60 elephants. His intent was to capture Rome.
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216 B.C. Hannibal´s greatest win was at Cannae. His army inflicted ginormous losses on the Romans. However, the Romans regrouped and got aid from their many allies and stood firm. They stopped Hannibal from taking Rome.
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202 B.C. The Romans finally found a military leader that matched Hannibals boldness. He was a general named Scipio. He made a plan that forced Hannibal to return to defend his native city. Finally, in 202 B.C. Hannibal was defeated.
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70 B.C. Rome´s wins in the Punic Wars gave it dominance over the western Mediterranean. The Romans tried to conquer the eastern half. By this time Rome´s Mediterranean empire stretched from Anatolia in the east, to Spain in the west. Such growth and power brought a new set of difficulties.
