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The city of Rome is founded.
Rome ruled by kings for the next 240 years -
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
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Spartacus the gladiator leads the slaves in an uprising.
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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. -
Julius Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March by Marcus Brutus.
Hope to bring back the republic, but civil war breaks out. -
The Roman Empire begins as Caesar Augustus becomes the first Roman Emperor
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Much of Rome burns
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The Colosseum is built. One of the great examples of Roman engineering seats up to 50,000 spectators.
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The Hadrian Wall is built to keep out the barbarians. Built across northern England.
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Hannibal invades Italy
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Constantine becomes Emperor. Constantine converts to Christianity and Rome becomes a Christian empire.
Prior to this Rome persecuted the Christians. -
Theodosius I declares Christianity to be the sole religion of the Roman Empire
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Rome splits into two empires.
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The Visigoths conquer Rome. First time in 800 years that the city of Rome has fallen
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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.