Timeline Description: The Roman Empire was one of the greatest civilizations in history. It began in Rome in 753 BC. Rome controlled over two million square miles stretching from the Rhine River to Egypt and from Britain to Asia Minor. This timeline highlights the major events in the history of Ancient Rome. This timeline goes from 753 BC to 27 BC and then from 64 AD to 1453 AD.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 753 BC | Rome is founded Rome was founded by Romulus. Romulus was the first of the seven Roman kings. The original name of Rome was Roma. |
| 509 BC | Rome becomes a Republic The last king is expelled and Rome is now ruled by senators. There is a constitution with laws and Rome becomes a complex republican government. |
| 218 BC | Hannibal invades Italy Hannibal leads the Carthage army to attack Italy. This becomes part of the Second Punic War. |
| 45 BC | Julius Caesar becomes the first dictator of Rome Julius Caesar defeats Pompey in a civil war. He becomes the supreme ruler of Rome. This is the end of the Roman Republic. He hires Sosigenes, an Egyptian astronomer, to work out a new 12 month calendar. |
| 44 BC | Julius Caesar is assassinated Julius Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March by Marcus Brutus. They hope to bring back the republic, but civil war breaks out instead. |
| 27 BC | Roman Empire begins Octavius appoints himself "Augustus", which means the first emperor. |
| 64 | Much of Rome burns Nero set fire to Rome and blames the Christians for it. |
| 80 | Colosseum is built The Colosseum was built in 80 AD. The completion of the Colosseum was celebrated with 100 days of games. The Romans invade Scotland. |
| 122 | Hadrian Wall is built The Hadrian Wall was built in 122 AD. It was a long wall built across northern England in an effort to keep the barbarians out. |
| 306 | Constantine becomes Emperor in 306 AD Rome becomes a Christian empire. Before this, Rome persecuted the Christians. Constantius dies. His son Constantine is the new vice-emperor of Galerius. |
| 380 | Christianity Theodosius I proclaims Christianity as the sole religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD. |
| 395 | Rome splits In 395 AD, Rome split into two empires - the Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire. Each side had a ruler in charge of it. The Roman Empire was split by Theodosius. |
| 410 | The Visigoths sack Rome This was the first time in 800 years that the city of Rome has fallen to an enemy. It was a huge uproar. |
| 476 | End of the Western Roman Empire and the fall of Ancient Rome The last Roman Emperor Romulus Augustus is defeated by the German Goth Odoacer. This is the start of the Dark Ages in Europe. |
| 1453 | The Byzantine Empire ends The Byzantine Empire comes to an end as it falls to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Turks capture Constantinople in 1453 A.D. It is renamed Istanbul in 1930. |