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753 BC: Romulus and his twin brother, Remus, found Rome on the site where they were suckled by a she-wolf as orphaned infants. Whether or not Romulus and Remus actually exsisted, the people who built Rome were members of an Indo-European tribe known as the Latins who had reached Italy in 1000s Bc.
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509 BC, when the Romans revolted and threw out the last king, a tyrant. In place of the monarchy, the Romans established a new type of government a republic. Organized in clans the patirician families controlled everything, Patrician maintained their power through a patronage system in which wealthy Romans provided support to the lower ranking families.
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Around 616 BC, however, it came under the rule of the Estruscans of northern Italy. From evidence found at Estruscan cemeteries, scholars believe that they were great metalworkers and jewelers whose culture had been heavily influenced.
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449 BC, in 449 BC, the Law of Twelve Tables was formed. This is one of the earliest known set of written laws, This law gave plebeians more rights. Since the law was written down, the rights of the plebians couldn't be taken away.
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In 60 BC the three men tool over the Roman Republic as the First Triumvirate, or rule of three men. Eventually Crassus died, and Caesar and Pompey faced off in a civil war. Caesar defeated Pompey and took full control of the Republic.
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In 43 BC the Second Triumvirate, composed of Caesar's adopted son and heir, Octavian; aloyal officer named Marc Anthony; and the high priest Lepidus, took power. Soon Lepidus was pushed aside as Anthony and Octavian agreed to govern half the empire each--Octavian in the west and Athony in the east.
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In 27 BC the Senate gave Octavian a title of honor--Augustus, "the revered one." This title. a religious honor. is the name by which he is still known today. He was also given the right to wear a crown of laurel and oak leaves.
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In AD 96 a new line of emperors established itself on the Roman throne. Called the Good Emperors, these five rulers governed Rome for almost a century. Almost all Good Emperors were from the provinces rather than from Rome.
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27 BC. Pax Romana, Roman peace in Latin, began in 27 BC. Augustus' reign began in 27 BC. Pax Romana ended after the the Good Emperor's reign in 180 AD. This long era was characterized by many things. The most important of which are a stable government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and most importantly, peace.
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For more then 40 years Augustus remained at the head of the state. In Rome the legacy of the Augustan Age was even more impressive. Augustus took special care of Rome itslef, creating a police force and fire brigades and stockpiling food and water supplies.
