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753 BCE
The city of Rome is founded
Legend has it that the twin sons of Mars, the god of war, named Romulus and Remus founded the city. Romulus killed Remus and became ruler of Rome and named the city after himself. Rome was ruled by kings for the next 240 years. -
509 BCE
Rome becomes a republic
The last king is overthrown and Rome is now ruled by elected officials called senators. There is a constitution with laws and a complex republican government. -
476 BCE
The end of the Western Roman Empire and the fall of Ancient Rome
The last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus is defeated by the German Goth Odoacer. This signals the start of the Dark Ages in Europe. -
410 BCE
The Visigoths sack Rome.
This is the first time in 800 years that the city of Rome has fallen to an enemy. -
306 BCE
Constantine becomes Emperor.
Constantine would convert to Christianity and Rome would become a Christian empire. Prior to this Rome persecuted the Christians. -
218 BCE
- Hannibal invades Italy
Hannibal leads the Carthage army in his famous crossing of the Alps to attack Rome. This is part of the Second Punic war. -
121 BCE
The Hadrian Wall is built
To keep out the barbarians a long wall is built across northern England. -
80 BCE
The Colosseum is built.
One of the great examples of Roman engineering is finished. It can seat 50,000 spectators. -
64 BCE
Much of Rome burns
Legend has it that Emperor Nero watched the city burn while playing a lyre. -
45 BCE
Julius Caesar becomes the first dictator of Rome
Caesar makes his famous Crossing of the Rubicon and defeats Pompey in a civil war to become the supreme ruler of Rome. This signals the end of the Roman Republic. -
44 BCE
Julius Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March by Marcus Brutus
They hope to bring back the republic, but civil war breaks out. -
73
Spartacus
the gladiator leads the slaves in an uprising -
380
Theodosius
I declares Christianity to be the sole religion of the Roman Empire. -
1453
The Byzantine Empire
comes to an end as it falls to the Ottoman Empire.
