Italian History · Chronicle II of IX

Roman History

SPQR

From a village on the Tiber to an empire that outlived itself.

Span: 753 BC – 476 AD
Entries: 66
Next: Early Middle Ages

Frontispiece · Capitoline Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, Capitoline Museums, RomeWikimedia Commons (public domain)

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Entry 1 of 66

753 BC
Founding of RomePolitical
Founding of Rome
Traditional date for the founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus, marking the beginning of Roman civilization.
Capitoline Wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, Capitoline Museums, Rome · Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
509 BC
Roman RepublicPolitical
Founding of the Republic
The Roman Republic is established after the overthrow of the last king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
494 BC
Conflict of the OrdersPolitical
First Secession of the Plebs
Plebeians withdraw from Rome in protest against debt and patrician domination, forcing the creation of the office of Tribune of the Plebs.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
451 BC
Legal ReformPolitical
Twelve Tables issued
Rome publishes the Twelve Tables, the first written Roman law code, laying the foundations of Roman legal tradition.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
390 BC
Gallic InvasionMilitary
Sack of Rome by Gauls
The Gauls under Brennus sack Rome, except for the Capitoline Hill, marking one of Rome's greatest defeats.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
340 BC
Latin WarMilitary
Latin War and the devotio of Decius Mus
Rome defeats a coalition of Latin allies demanding equal political rights, dissolves the old Latin League and remakes its alliances on terms that bind Italy ever more tightly to Roman authority.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
312 BC
Roman ExpansionCultural
Appian Way begun
Construction begins on the Appian Way, the great military road that helps Rome project power across Italy.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
280 BC
Pyrrhic WarMilitary
Pyrrhus invades Italy
Pyrrhus of Epirus crosses to Italy at the invitation of Tarentum, defeats the Romans at Heraclea with his elephants, and inaugurates the conflict that ends with Rome's mastery of southern Italy.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
264 BC
First Punic WarMilitary
First Punic War begins
Rome and Carthage begin the First Punic War, a 23-year conflict for control of Sicily and the Western Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
241 BC
First Punic WarMilitary
Rome defeats Carthage
Rome defeats Carthage, gaining control of Sicily and emerging as the dominant power in the Western Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
218 BC
Second Punic WarMilitary
Hannibal crosses the Alps
Hannibal Barca leads his army, including war elephants, across the Alps into Italy, beginning the Second Punic War.
Hannibal crossing the Alps, lithograph by Heinrich Leutemann · Heinrich Leutemann, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
216 BC
Second Punic WarMilitary
Battle of Cannae
Hannibal achieves his greatest victory at the Battle of Cannae, destroying the Roman army in one of history's most brilliant tactical victories.
The Death of Paulus Aemilius at the Battle of Cannae · John Trumbull, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
202 BC
Second Punic WarMilitary
Rome defeats Hannibal
Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal at the Battle of Zama, ending the Second Punic War and establishing Roman dominance in the Mediterranean.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
149 BC
Third Punic WarMilitary
Third Punic War begins
Rome begins the Third Punic War, determined to destroy Carthage once and for all.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
146 BC
Destruction of CarthageMilitary
Destruction of Carthage
Roman forces completely destroy Carthage, ending the Third Punic War and eliminating Rome's greatest rival.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
143 BC
Numantine WarMilitary
Numantine War begins
The Celtiberian town of Numantia rises against Roman pressure in the Iberian interior, beginning a twenty-year resistance that humiliates one Roman army after another.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
133 BC
Social ReformsPolitical
Tiberius Gracchus' reforms
Tiberius Gracchus proposes land reforms to help the poor, but is murdered by senators, marking the beginning of political violence.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
121 BC
Social ReformsPolitical
Gaius Gracchus' reforms
Gaius Gracchus continues his brother's reforms but is also killed, further destabilizing the Republic.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
111 BC
Jugurthine WarPolitical
Jugurthine War begins
Rome declares war on the Numidian king Jugurtha after his murder of his cousin Adherbal at Cirta, exposing the depth of senatorial corruption and the weakness of the Republic's armies.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
107 BC
Military ReformMilitary
Marian reforms
Gaius Marius reforms the Roman army by recruiting landless citizens, transforming the legions into a more professional fighting force.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
101 BC
Cimbric WarMilitary
Battle of Vercellae
Marius and Catulus annihilate the Cimbri on the Raudine Plain, ending the great northern threat that had haunted Rome for more than a decade.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
88 BC
Social WarMilitary
Social War begins
Italian allies revolt against Rome, demanding citizenship rights in the Social War.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
82 BC
Civil WarsPolitical
Sulla becomes dictator
Lucius Cornelius Sulla becomes dictator of Rome after defeating his opponents in civil war, beginning a new era of personal rule.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
73 BC
Slave RevoltMilitary
Spartacus' rebellion
Spartacus leads the largest slave rebellion in Roman history, threatening the Republic before being defeated.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
71 BC
Slave RevoltMilitary
Defeat of Spartacus
Marcus Licinius Crassus defeats Spartacus and crucifies 6,000 survivors along the Appian Way as a warning.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
63 BC
Catilinarian ConspiracyPolitical
Catilinarian Conspiracy
Cicero, as consul, exposes Catiline's plot to seize Rome by armed insurrection and executes its ringleaders without trial — a triumph that haunts him for the rest of his life.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
60 BC
First TriumviratePolitical
First Triumvirate formed
Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus form the First Triumvirate, a political alliance that dominates Roman politics.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
58 BC
Gallic WarsMilitary
Gallic Wars begin
Julius Caesar begins his conquest of Gaul, which will expand Roman territory and make him immensely wealthy and popular.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
49 BC
Civil WarMilitary
Caesar crosses the Rubicon
Caesar crosses the Rubicon River with his army, defying the Senate and beginning the civil war that will end the Republic.
Bust of Julius Caesar (Tusculum portrait) · Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
48 BC
Civil WarMilitary
Battle of Pharsalus
Caesar defeats Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus, becoming the undisputed ruler of Rome.
Battle of Pharsalus painting · Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
44 BC
AssassinationPolitical
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is assassinated by a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius, plunging Rome into another civil war.
The Death of Caesar, painting by Vincenzo Camuccini (c. 1804) · Vincenzo Camuccini, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
43 BC
Second TriumviratePolitical
Second Triumvirate formed
Octavian, Mark Antony, and Lepidus form the Second Triumvirate to defeat Caesar's assassins and rule Rome.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
42 BC
Civil WarMilitary
Battle of Philippi
The forces of the Second Triumvirate defeat Brutus and Cassius, avenging Caesar's death.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
31 BC
End of the RepublicMilitary
Battle of Actium
Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium, ending the civil wars and the Roman Republic.
The Battle of Actium, painting by Lorenzo A. Castro (1672) · Lorenzo A. Castro, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
27 BC
Roman EmpirePolitical
Augustus becomes Emperor
Octavian takes the title Augustus and becomes the first Roman Emperor, beginning the Pax Romana.
Augustus of Prima Porta, marble statue (1st century AD) · Vatican Museums, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 4
Early EmpirePolitical
Death of Augustus
Augustus dies after a 41-year reign, succeeded by Tiberius, marking the first peaceful imperial succession.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 9
Frontier CrisisMilitary
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Three Roman legions are destroyed in Germany by Arminius, ending Augustus' hopes of expanding the empire deep into Germania.
The Varus Battle, painting by Otto Albert Koch (1909) · Otto Albert Koch, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 14
Julio-Claudian DynastyPolitical
Tiberius becomes Emperor
Tiberius becomes Emperor, beginning a reign marked by paranoia and the rise of the Praetorian Guard's political power.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 37
Julio-Claudian DynastyPolitical
Caligula becomes Emperor
Caligula becomes Emperor, beginning a reign of extravagance and cruelty that ends in his assassination.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 41
Julio-Claudian DynastyMilitary
Claudius becomes Emperor
Claudius becomes Emperor and conquers Britain, expanding the empire to its greatest extent.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 54
Julio-Claudian DynastyPolitical
Nero becomes Emperor
Nero becomes Emperor, beginning a reign that starts well but ends in tyranny and persecution of Christians.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 64
Great FireEvent
Great Fire of Rome
A great fire destroys much of Rome, and Nero allegedly plays his lyre while watching the city burn.
The Fire of Rome, painting by Hubert Robert (1771) · Hubert Robert, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 68
Year of Four EmperorsPolitical
Year of Four Emperors begins
Nero commits suicide, beginning the chaotic Year of Four Emperors in which four different men rule Rome.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 69
Flavian DynastyPolitical
Vespasian becomes Emperor
Vespasian becomes Emperor, founding the Flavian Dynasty and beginning a period of stability and reconstruction.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 70
Jewish RevoltMilitary
Destruction of Jerusalem
Titus destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, ending the Jewish Revolt and beginning the Jewish diaspora.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 79
Natural DisasterEvent
Eruption of Vesuvius
Mount Vesuvius erupts, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum and preserving them for archaeology.
The Last Day of Pompeii, painting by Karl Bryullov (1830–1833) · Karl Bryullov, via Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 80
Flavian DynastyCultural
Colosseum completed
The Colosseum is completed under Titus, becoming the symbol of Roman engineering and entertainment.
The Colosseum, Rome · Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 96
Imperial TransitionPolitical
Nerva becomes Emperor
After the assassination of Domitian, Nerva becomes emperor and begins the adoptive succession that leads into the era of the Five Good Emperors.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 98
Five Good EmperorsPolitical
Trajan becomes Emperor
Trajan becomes Emperor, beginning the golden age of the Five Good Emperors and the greatest extent of the empire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 117
Peak EmpirePolitical
Hadrian becomes Emperor
Hadrian becomes Emperor and consolidates the empire's borders, building Hadrian's Wall in Britain.
Bust of the Emperor Hadrian, Capitoline Museums, Rome · Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 122
Frontier DefenseMilitary
Hadrian's Wall begun
Construction begins on Hadrian's Wall to defend Roman Britain from northern tribes.
Hadrian's Wall near Housesteads, Northumberland · Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 180
End of Pax RomanaPolitical
Death of Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius dies, ending the Pax Romana and beginning the decline of the Roman Empire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 193
Year of Five EmperorsPolitical
Year of Five Emperors
Five different emperors rule Rome in a single year, beginning the Crisis of the Third Century.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 212
Citizenship ReformPolitical
Constitutio Antoniniana
Caracalla grants citizenship to all free men in the empire, fundamentally changing Roman society.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 235
Crisis of Third CenturyMilitary
Crisis of the Third Century begins
The empire enters a 50-year period of civil war, barbarian invasions, and economic collapse.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 284
Dominate PeriodPolitical
Diocletian becomes Emperor
Diocletian becomes Emperor and reforms the empire, ending the Crisis of the Third Century.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 313
ChristianizationReligious
Edict of Milan
Constantine issues the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance to Christians throughout the empire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 325
Christian EmpireReligious
First Council of Nicaea
Constantine convenes the First Council of Nicaea, establishing a common statement of Christian belief and deepening imperial involvement in church affairs.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 330
New CapitalPolitical
Founding of Constantinople
Constantine dedicates Constantinople as the new capital of the Roman Empire, shifting power eastward.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 378
Gothic WarMilitary
Battle of Adrianople
The Goths destroy a major Roman army and kill Emperor Valens at Adrianople, exposing the empire's military weakness in the late fourth century.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 395
Division of EmpirePolitical
Division of Roman Empire
Theodosius divides the empire into Eastern and Western halves, never to be reunited.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 410
Barbarian InvasionsMilitary
Sack of Rome
Alaric and the Visigoths sack Rome, the first time the city has been taken by foreign invaders in 800 years.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 451
Defense of the WestMilitary
Battle of the Catalaunian Plains
A Roman-led coalition under Aetius halts Attila's advance into Gaul, winning one of the last major military victories of the Western Empire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 452
Barbarian InvasionsMilitary
Attila invades Italy
Attila the Hun invades Italy but is persuaded to withdraw by Pope Leo I.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 455
Barbarian InvasionsMilitary
Vandals sack Rome
The Vandals sack Rome, carrying off treasures including those taken from the Temple in Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
AD 476
Fall of Western EmpirePolitical
Fall of Western Roman Empire
Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor, is deposed by the Germanic chieftain Odoacer, ending the Western Roman Empire.
Meanwhile, elsewhere · 3
58 more entries, to AD 476

Roman History

Founding of Rome

Founding of the Republic

First Secession of the Plebs

Twelve Tables issued

Sack of Rome by Gauls

Latin War and the devotio of Decius Mus

Appian Way begun

Pyrrhus invades Italy

First Punic War begins

Rome defeats Carthage

Hannibal crosses the Alps

Battle of Cannae

Rome defeats Hannibal

Third Punic War begins

Destruction of Carthage

Numantine War begins

Tiberius Gracchus' reforms

Gaius Gracchus' reforms

Jugurthine War begins

Marian reforms

Battle of Vercellae

Social War begins

Sulla becomes dictator

Spartacus' rebellion

Defeat of Spartacus

Catilinarian Conspiracy

First Triumvirate formed

Gallic Wars begin

Caesar crosses the Rubicon

Battle of Pharsalus

Assassination of Julius Caesar

Second Triumvirate formed

Battle of Philippi

Battle of Actium

Augustus becomes Emperor

Death of Augustus

Battle of the Teutoburg Forest

Tiberius becomes Emperor

Caligula becomes Emperor

Claudius becomes Emperor

Nero becomes Emperor

Great Fire of Rome

Year of Four Emperors begins

Vespasian becomes Emperor

Destruction of Jerusalem

Eruption of Vesuvius

Colosseum completed

Nerva becomes Emperor

Trajan becomes Emperor

Hadrian becomes Emperor

Hadrian's Wall begun

Death of Marcus Aurelius

Year of Five Emperors

Constitutio Antoniniana

Crisis of the Third Century begins

Diocletian becomes Emperor

Edict of Milan

First Council of Nicaea

Founding of Constantinople

Battle of Adrianople

Division of Roman Empire

Sack of Rome

Battle of the Catalaunian Plains

Attila invades Italy

Vandals sack Rome

Fall of Western Roman Empire