Ancient Rome War Timeline

Roman Expansion Begins(396 BCE)

396 BCE

The Romans surrounded and capture Veii, an Etruscan city, in 396 BCE. Later Roman historians claim that the siege lasts 10 years, in reference to the Trojan War. This victory marks the beginning of Roman expansion.

The Pyrrhic War Ends with a Roman Victory (275 BCE)

275 BCE

The Pyrrhic War broke out in 280 BCE between Rome and the Greek city of Tarentum, which called on the brilliant commander King Pyrrhus of Epirus for aid. While Pyrrhus wins a number of victories, he loses one-third of his forces, leading this kind of battle to be known as a "Pyrrhic victory." In 275 BCE the Romans defeat Pyrrhus, ending the Pyrrhic War.

The First Punic War Breaks out Between Rome and Carthage (264 BCE)

264 BCE

In 264 BCE, the First Punic War breaks out between Rome and Carthage, a city-state on the northern coast of Africa. In 241 BCE Rome defeats Carthage and wins control of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia.

Rome Destroys Carthage in the Third Punic War (146 BCE)

146 BCE

The Third Punic War breaks out in 149 BCE, and Rome chooses to destroy Carthage completely. Survivors are killed or sold into slavery, and Roman soldiers pour salt on the earth to prevent anything from growing. This victory confirms Rome's place as master of the western Mediterranean.

Claudius launches the Roman invasion of Britain

43 BCE

An army of four legions and approximately 20,000 auxiliaries, commanded by senator Aulus Plautius, landed at Richborough, Kent. The Romans met a large army of Britons, under the Catuvellauni kings Caratacus and his brother Togodumnus, on the River Medway, Kent. The Britons were defeated in a two-day battle, then again shortly afterwards on the Thames.

The Battle of Actium Ends the Last Civil War of the Roman Republic (31 BCE)

31 BCE

Civil war breaks out after Caesar is assassinated in 44 BCE, and his adopted son Octavian vies for power with his former assistant Marc Antony. Antony and Octavian meet west of Greece in the naval Battle of Actium, which ends in a decisive victory for Octavian. He establishes himself as emperor, thus ending the Republic and starting the Roman Empire.

The Visigoths defeat Rome

378

Wars in Asia send Hun warriors west across Central Asia, and these armies push Germanic peoples, including the Visigoths, further west into Roman territory. Roman legions are unable to prevent the Germanic invaders from taking over territory, and in 378, Rome suffers a massive defeat at Adrianople at the hands of the Visigoths. This marks Rome's decline of power.

Odoacer ends Roman rule

476

The Hun leader Attila launches a savage campaign across Europe, sending even more Germanic peoples into the Roman empire. In 476, the Germanic leader Odoacer deposes the Roman emperor, which officially ends western Roman rule. However, Rome has already lost most of its territories, and the eastern portion of the Roman empire (later known as the Byzantine Empire) continues to rule until 1453.