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753 BCE
Founding of Rome
Rome was an unimportant town in Latium until conquered by the Etruscans. The location of Rome gave it advantages over it's Latin neighbors. Located fifteen miles from the mouth of the Tiber River at a point where hills made further navigation impossible Rome became a center for communication and trade from both East-West and North-South. -
509 BCE
Founding of Roman Republic
With the founding of The Republic, Monarchy was brought to a sudden end in Rome. Consuls formed they led the army, had religious duties, served as judges. Most important assembly formed was the centuriate assembly which was the Roman army acting in a political capacity. Each man equipped himself with his own weapons meaning organization was by class according to wealth. The centuriate was made up of 100 men, voting by century proceeded in order of classification from the Calvary down. -
264 BCE
The first Punic war
264 BCE senate votes to send troops to Messanu to expel Punic garrison. Romans destroy Carthage fleet at Sicily in 241.Rebellion broke out in Carthage in 238. Rome took the opportunity to seize Sardinia & Corsica demanding Carthage pay another war indemnity undoing the peace treaty of 241. -
218 BCE
The second Punic War
Saguntines interfered with the Spanish tribes allied with Hannibal. The Romans sent an embassy reminding Saguntine of the injunction not to cross the Ebro River in Spain. Hannibal captured Saguntines Romans gave the ultimatum to Carthage demanding Hannibal to surrender. Carthage refused Rome declared war in 218 BCE -
146 BCE
The Third Punic War
Rome had a policy change in how enemies were treated begin treating their enemies harshly. Romans took advantage of a technical breach of the peace to destroy Carthage. In 146 BCE Scipio took the city plowed up it's land putting salt in the furrows. Romans incorporated Carthage as the province of Africa. -
60 BCE
The first Triumvirate
The first triumvirate was formed between Caesar, Crassus & Pompey. A Triumvirate is an agreement among the three politicians each seeking his own private goals, further undermining the republic. The three politicians formed it because the senate had blocked what all three had wanted. -
44 BCE
Death of Caesar
On 15 March 44 BCE Caesar entered the senate without a body guard he was stabbed to death.His death was followed by thirteen years of civil war at the end of the civil wars the republic would be no more. His Successor would be his 18 year old grand nephew Gaius Octavius. -
31 BCE
Battle of Actium
Octavian's best general Agrippa cut off the enemy by land and see winning the naval battle. Octavian pursued Antony & Cleopatra back to Alexandria in Egypt where they both committed suicide. This made Octavian the absolute ruler of the Mediterranean world. He would now have to restore peace, prosperity and confidence. This would require establishing a constitution reflecting the new realities of the empire while not offending traditional republican prejudices. -
68
Death of Nero
Nero Ruled from 54-68 CE. Nero was incompetent and unpopular with the people. His inability to control his armies led to rebellion at Gaul in 68 CE. Nero was known as the Antichrist it is believed he was responsible for the great Roman Fire which destroyed the Roman economy. Nero profited and benefited from the fire he built the Golden Palace on land that was cleared from the fire. -
121
Death of Marcus Aurelius
Considered one of the five good Emperors ruled from 161 to 180 CE allowed his son Commodus to succeed him. Commodus was incompetent undermining the respect in which the imperial office had. His assassination brought the return of civil war. -
Period: 272 to 327
Life of Constantine
in 324 Constantine defeated his last opponent to become sole emperor uniting the empire and ruling until 337. Constantine supported Christianity. Carried the imperial office toward autocracy. Erected new city of Constantin on the site of ancient Byzantium making it the new capital of the empire. The city was dedicated in 330 BCE lasting until the Turks took over in 1453. The peace and unity did not last long. After his death Constantius II won the struggle for succession. -
476
Fall of Rome
The fall of Rome can be attributed to several causes. Among them religious with the rise of Christianity. Division of the empire in which four emperors ruled, two in the east and two in the west. The Roman empire was invaded by many foreign enemies the most barbaric being the Goths. The pressure of defending it's borders on all sides became to much for the Romans to keep up with. The emperor's raised taxes to help pay for the soldiers to protect them increasing the burden of the people.
