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100
The First Punic War
In 264 BC violence broke out between Rome and Carthage, the beginning of the First Punic War. This war was fought mostly at sea so Carthage's powerful navy dominated thr fighting early on. -
100
The Second Punic War
In 218 BC the Carthaginian general Hannibal led a well-trained army and a force of war elephants across the Pyrenees and the Alps to invade Italy. While Hannibal was in Italy, Romans sailed to Africa and besieged Carthage itself. This siege made Hannibal withdraw from Italy and return home. In 202 BC, Scipio took the city and ended the Second Punic War. -
100
Establishment of Rome
In 753 BC, Romulus and Remus, twin brothers who were raised by a she-wolf, founded the city of Rome. The people who built Rome were members of an Indo-European tribe known as the Latins. The location not only lay across valuble trade routes, but had easy access to the sea. -
100
The Roman Republic begins
In 509 BC, the Romans revolted and threw out their last king, a tyrant. In the early days, patricians elected officials from among themselves. Organized in clans, patrician families controlled every aspect of society. -
100
Julius Caesar becomes dictator
Caesar defeated Pompey in the civil war to take full control of the Republic. The Senate declared him dictator for life in 44 BC. As dictator, Caear brought many changes to Rome. He gave citizenship to people in the provinces and gave public land to veterans. -
100
The Laws of the Twelve Tables
Around 450 BC, the plebeians forced the patricians to have all laws written down. The laws were displayed in the Roman Forum on 12 large bronze tablets. Becuase the laws were posted, patrician judges could not make decisions based on their own opinions. -
100
The Augustan Age
In 27 BC the Senate gave Octavian a title of honor, "Augustus". For more than 40 years, Augustus remained at the head of the state. Augustus divided the power to rule Rome between him and the Senate. However, most finiancial and administrative matter came under Augustus's control. Augustus took special care of Rome. -
Period: 100 to 180
The Pax Romana
The Pax Romana period is from the beginning of Augustus's reign in 27 BC to the death of the last of the Good Emperors in AD 180. Several traits such as stabel government, a strong legal system, widespread trade, and peace characterized this long era. -
313
Constantine ends all persecution of Christians
After winning a battle, Constantine became a patron of Christianity. In 313 Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, which made Christianity legal within the empire. His support for Christianity helped it spread rapidly through the Roman Empire. -
476
The last Western Roman Empire is overthrown
The Huns overwhelmed the west. Despite their withdrawal due to Attila, the western empire lay in shambles. The barbarian commander Odoacer overthrew the last emperor in the west. Though the empire in the west collapsed, the Eastern Empire did not.
