The Roman Republic (800 -100 BCE)

Romen Republic

Period: 800 BCE to 20 BCE

Rome founded (Empire Building) 753 BCE

753 BCE

According to legend, Rome was founded by the twin brothers Romulus and Remus.

Greeks colonized southern Italy ( Empire Building) 750 BCE

750 BCE

Greeks started a colonization drive, that included southern Italy.

Roman conquest of Italy ( Empire Building) 500 -265 BCE

500 BCE

Rome had a strong, stable government which was able to take over Italy.

The Twelve Tables (Government) 450 BCE

450 BCE

Rome's first code of laws.

The Samnite Wars (War) 343 - 290 BCE

343 BCE

It was the first of three clashes between Rome and the Samnite hill tribes and ended in a Roman victory that saw the Republic begin to expand into Campania.

Council of the Plebs convened (Government) 494-287 BCE

287 BCE

Officials called the Tribunes of the Plebs protected the Plebeians.

Pax Romana (Government) 278 BCE

278 BCE

A series of five good emperors created a period of peace and prosperity.

First Punic War ( War) 264 - 241 BCE

264 BCE

It was fought between Ancient Carthage and the Roman Republic.

Plautus ( Culture) ~ 254 - 184 BCE

254 BCE

A Roman playwright of the Old Latin period.

Second Punic War (War) 218 - 201 BCE

218 BCE

Second War between Carthage and the Roman Republic referred to as The Hannibalic War by the Romans.

Terence ( Culture) ~ 185 - 159 BCE

185 BCE

A Roman comic playwright, a translator and an adapter of the Greek New Comedy. He was more refined and elegant than Plautus and also less popular.

Third Punic War (War) 149 - 146 BCE

149 BCE

The last war fought between Carthage and the Roman Republic.

Roman conquest of Mediterranean Sea (Empire Building) 133 BCE

133 BCE

Romans battled with Carthage for the Mediterranean trade route.

The great slave revolt in Sicily (Slavery) 104 BCE

104 BCE

70,000 slaves revolted.

Cicero (Culture) ~ 104 - 43 BCE

104 BCE

A Roman statesman, lawyer, political theorist, philosopher, and Roman constitutionalist. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He had a major influence on the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Lucretius (Culture) ~ 96 - 55 BCE

96 BCE

A Roman poet and the author of the philosophical epic De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of the Universe), a comprehensive exposition of the Epicurean world-view.

Catullus (Culture) ~84 - 54 BCE

84 BCE

A Latin poet of the late Roman Republic who wrote in the neoteric style of poetry, which is about personal life rather than classical heroes.

Enslavement of conquered. (Slavery) 80 - 8 BCE

80 BCE

More than 2,000,000 enslaved aliens were transported to Italy.

Spartacus leads slave revolt. (Slavery) 73 BCE

73 BCE

The most famous revolt, led by Spartacus, defeated several Roman armies.

First Triumvirate (Government) 60-53 BCE

60 BCE

Julius Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey ran the government.

Augustus named Imperator (Government) 27 BCE

27 BCE

The Senate gave Augustus the title of "Imperator" or commander in chief.