The Roman Timeline

The Founding of Rome

753 BCE

Rome was founded in 753 BC by twin brothers, Romulus and Remus, who were raised by a she-wolf. As they grew older, Romulus and Remus decided to found a city on the banks of the Tiber River. However, they soon got into an argument over where to locate the city, and Romulus ended up killing Remus. Romulus then became the first king of Rome and named the city after himself. He invited people from neighboring communities to come and live in the new city, and it quickly grew in size and importance.

The Roman Republic

509 BCE

After the overthrow of the Roman monarchy. The last king, Tarquin the Proud, was expelled from Rome after his son Sextus Tarquinius raped a noblewoman named Lucretia. This event sparked a revolt among the Roman people, who established a new form of government with two consuls elected by the people to govern the city. The Roman Republic had a complex system of checks and balances, dividing power between branches of government such as the Senate and popular assemblies.

The Death of Constantine

337 BCE

Constantine the Great died on May 22, 337 AD, in Nicomedia, present-day Izmit, Turkey. He had ruled the Roman Empire for over 30 years and had made significant contributions to its history, including the founding of a new capital, Constantinople, and his support of Christianity. His cause of death is uncertain, but it is believed to be related to his age or a fever. His death led to the division of his empire among his three sons, causing instability and conflict.

The First Punic War

264 BCE

The First Punic War was fought between Rome and Carthage from 264-241 BC after a dispute over control of Sicily. Rome emerged victorious, gaining control of Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica.

The Start of Punic Wars

264 BCE

The Punic Wars were a series of three wars fought by Rome and Carthage between 264-146 BC.

The Second Punic War

218 BCE

The Second Punic War began in 218 BC when the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy with elephants and defeated the Romans in several battles. However, Rome ultimately prevailed and annexed Carthaginian territory.

The Third Punic War

149 BCE

The Third Punic War was fought between Rome and Carthage from 149-146 BC. Rome, seeking to eliminate Carthage as a potential rival, besieged and destroyed the city, killing or enslaving its inhabitants and sowing salt into the surrounding fields to prevent future agricultural growth.

The End of Punic War

146 BCE

The Punic Wars ended with the destruction of Carthage in 146 BC at the end of the Third Punic War. This solidified Rome's dominance in the Mediterranean and allowed for further expansion of the Roman Empire.

The First Triumvirate

60 BCE

The First Triumvirate was a political alliance formed in 60 BC between Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. They agreed to work together to advance their political agendas and consolidate their power in Rome. Julius Caesar used his influence to secure the consulship and became governor of Gaul. Pompey and Crassus supported his actions. The First Triumvirate lasted until Crassus death in 53 BC, which weakened the alliance and eventually led to the outbreak of civil war between Caesar and Pompey.

The Death of Julius Caesar

44 BCE

In 44 BC, Julius Caesar, the Roman general and statesman, was assassinated by a group of senators who feared his growing power. This event sparked a period of political instability and civil war in Rome, eventually leading to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire under Caesar's adopted son, Octavian.

The Conspiracy to Murder Julius Caesar

44 BCE

The conspiracy to murder Julius Caesar was led by senators who feared his growing power and perceived him as a threat to the Roman Republic. The group, including Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, believed that by assassinating Caesar, they could restore the Republic to its former state. The conspirators carried out their plan on March 15, 44 BC, stabbing Caesar to death during a meeting of the Senate.

The Battle of Actium

31 BCE

At the Battle of Actium, off the western coast of Greece, Roman leader Octavian wins a decisive victory against the forces of Roman Mark Antony and Cleopatra, queen of Egypt.

The Death of Nero

68

Nero was the fifth Roman emperor who ruled from 54-68 AD, but his reign was marked by political instability and repression of political opponents. After the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, Nero faced increasing criticism, and a rebellion broke out against him in 68 AD. He fled Rome and eventually took his own life. Nero's death marked the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which had ruled Rome since Augustus.

The Death of Marcus Aurelius

180

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor who ruled from 161 to 180 AD, known for his philosophical writings and military campaigns. During his reign, he faced various challenges, including political unrest and military threats. He died in 180 AD while on a military campaign, possibly from an infectious disease. After his death, his son Commodus became emperor and proved to be a tyrannical ruler, bringing an end to the Pax Romana, a period of relative peace and stability in the Roman Empire.

The Early Life of Constantine

272

He was a Roman emperor who ruled from 306 to 337 AD. He was born in 272 AD in present-day Serbia and was the son of Emperor Constantius Chlorus and Helena. After his father's death, he was proclaimed emperor by his troops and went on to become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire. Constantine is famous for his conversion to Christianity and his role in making Christianity the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

The Fall of Rome

476

The fall of Rome refers to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. The decline and fall of the Roman Empire was a complex process that took several centuries, marked by economic instability, military decline, political corruption, and invasion by barbarian tribes. The fall of Rome is often seen as a symbol of the end of ancient civilization and the beginning of the Middle Ages. The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued to exist for another thousand years.