Topics 7 - 9 Timeline

Roman Monarchy Ends

509 BCE

The Roman Monarchy ended when the last Etruscan king was overthrown. After the fall of the monarchy, the Roman Republic was formed. This event is important in showing how the Romans shifted from the governmental system of a monarchy to a republic.

Plebeians Get Representation

494 BCE

In 494 BCE the Plebeians threatened to leave Rome if they weren't allowed to have some representation in Roman politics. They were allowed by the Roman elites to have two tribunes on the council. Now they had at least some say in what happens to them. This signifies the beginning of the true Roman Republic since they are beginning to give everyone representation.

Plebeian Assembly Gets Equal Power

278 BCE

In 278 BCE the Plebeian Assembly finally reached power that was equal to the council of Roman elites. The Plebeian Assembly then had the power to pass laws to all Roman citizens. Though it took the plebeians about 200 years to get power equal to the rich, they finally achieved it. This shows the Roman Republic becoming more of a fair republic since they let every social class have a say in what laws are passed.

Sulla Wins in Roman Civil War

81 BCE

In 81 BCE Sulla won the civil war he started in Rome and made himself dictator of Rome. He could have ruled for life if he desired since his followers were so loyal to him, but he decided to step down as all other Roman dictators had. This shows the Roman Republic starting to fall apart and the idea of a Roman Empire starts to become more appealing to Roman society.

Rome Defeats Last Hellenistic Kingdom

63 BCE

The Romans' defeat of the last Hellenistic Kingdom, the Seleucid Kingdom, signifies a large expansion of the Roman Empire. This is important in showing how Rome went from a republic to an empire because a major reason why Rome changed governments is that there was too much land to govern efficiently with a republic.

Caesar Declares War On Rome

49 BCE

In 49 BCE Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with all of his troops after being told by Rome that if he returned that he would be imprisoned. The act of crossing the Rubicon River with an army was illegal and signaled that Caesar had declared war on Rome. This is important in showing how Rome went from being a Republic to becoming an Empire because Caesar was the one who started making the Roman Empire. He couldn't have started making the Roman Empire if he hadn't attacked Rome.

Julius Caesar Becomes Ruler of Rome

46 BCE

In 46 BCE, a few years after his defeat of Pompey and other Roman forces, Julius Caesar returned to Rome and became its ruler. In the two years he ruled before his assassination, Caesar began the process of changing Rome from a republic into an empire. This is important to the transformation of Rome from a republic to an empire because Caesar is the one who put it all in motion.

Beginning of the Roman Empire

23 BCE

In 23 BCE, Octavian finished what his great-uncle Julius Caesar started, The Roman Empire. Octavian became the first Roman emperor and was renamed Augustus, meaning "venerable".

The Goths Sack Rome

410

The Goths were a Germanic tribe that grew powerful and invaded Rome. Once the Goths breached the Roman borders they began to sack Rome. The Roman Emperor Honorius had to give the Goths territory in southern Gaul to convince them to leave. This shows the beginnings of the fall of Rome as Germanic tribes grew powerful and invaded Rome. Rome had to begin to give away its land to avoid being destroyed completely.

The Fall of Rome

476

Rome finally fell in 476 CE due to Germanic kings taking over the Roman throne. Though many people see this as the end of Rome, it was only the Western side of Rome that fell. Byzantium and Eastern Rome survived for approximately another thousand years before they were defeated by the Ottoman Empire.