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1200 BCE
Beginning of First Iron Age
Proto-Villanovan culture, part of the central European Urnfield culture system, first appears in Italy. Their settlements were usually built on hills and circumscribed with fortifications. The economy was mostly based on agro-pastoral activities, metallurgy and trades. Latins were a distinctive subset of the proto-Villanovan culture that appeared in parts of the Italian peninsula in the first half of the 12th century BC. -
Period: 1194 BCE to 1184
Trojan War
The legendary conflict between the early Greeks and the people of Troy in western Anatolia. According to tradition, the end of the Trojan war and the beginning of the Trojan hero Aeneas's journey when he escaped the Greeks with others in search of a new land. -
1181 BCE
Aeneas Lands in Italy
According to legend, Aeneas lands in Italy, marries Lavinia, the daughter of Latinus, king of the Latins. It is said that his descendants go on to found Rome. -
Period: 800 BCE to 300 BCE
Etruscan Civilization
The Etruscan civilization flourished in central Italy between the 8th and 3rd century BCE. The culture was well known for its rich mineral resources and as a major trading power in the Mediterranean Much of its culture and even history was later either destroyed or assimilated into that of its conqueror, Rome. -
753 BCE
Rome Founded
According to legend, Ancient Rome was founded by twin brothers, and demigods, Romulus and Remus. According to the legend the brothers had an argument over who would rule the city and Romulus killed Remus and named the city after himself. Romulus becomes the first king of Rome. -
715 BCE
Numa Pompilius
Numa Pompilius becomes the second king of Rome. He is credited with the formulation of the religious calendar and with the founding of Rome's other early religious institutions. -
509 BCE
Rome Becomes a Republic
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, is overthrown. Rome will now be ruled by elected senators. A republican government is formed with a constitution and laws. In the beginning only wealthy families, the patricians, held power and only they could hold political or religious offices. -
450 BCE
Twelve Tables Established
The Twelve Tables is the foundation of Roman Law. The Twelve Tables stated the rights and duties of the Roman citizen. Their formulation was the result of considerable upset by the plebeian class, who had been excluded from the higher benefits of the Republic. -
390 BCE
Battle of Allia
The Gallic tribe, Senones, led by Brennus defeats the Roman army at the confluence of the Tiber and Allia rivers. The loss is noted as the greatest Roman defeat by a foreign invader up to this point. Aftert the defeat, Romans learn their lesson and build a stronger army. -
264 BCE
First Punic War
The Fist Punic War is the first of three wars between Rome and Carthage and resulted in the destruction of Carthage. The First Punic War was fought to establish who would control the strategic islands of Corsica and Sicily. -
218 BCE
Second Punic War
Hannibal, an ancient Carthaginian general, invades Italy. He leads his army over the Alps to invade Rome. -
Period: 149 BCE to 146 BCE
Third Punic War
Romans capture and destroy the city of Carthage and then sell its surviving inhabitants into slavery. Rome becomes leaders in the Mediterranean. -
Period: 133 BCE to 121 BCE
Gracci
Brothers Tiberius and Gaius serve as tribunes for the plebs, which are the lower class of Roman society. The main goal of the Gracci reforms was to redistribute public land that was held by wealthy to the poor and veterans. The reforms did not have a great impact on Rome but the violence they brought into politics would remain.