ancient rome By chungus toes 509 BCE roman republic is founded 449 BCE the law of the 12 tables is instituted 218 BCE hannibal invades italyy 73 BCE the spartacus slave uprising 45 BCE julius caesar becomes a dictator 44 BCE julius caesar is assasinated 27 BCE augustus becomes the first emperor of rome 38 emperor caligula's reign begins 64 great fire of rome 80 construction of the colosseum 165 antonine plague 180 age of the five good emperors 96-180 330 capital of the empire is moved to constantinople 380 empire converts to christianity 410 sack of rome