Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

Rome is Founded

753 BCE

A Latin tribe built a village that eventually became Rome. Their village was built on a hill in central Italy, named Palatine. In time, the village grew larger into a mighty city that spread over seven hills.

Rome Becomes a Republic

509 BCE

The Romans overthrew the last Etruscan king and Rome is now a republic. In a republic, elected officials work for the interests of the people. To the patricians, "the people" meant the patricians themselves, not the plebeians. So the patricians had all the power to themselves.

The First Period of Expansion Begins

509 BCE

The first period began when the Romans drove the last Etruscan king out of power. The Romans wanted to protect their borders and to gain more land. This led to a series of wars. They conquered their Latin neighbors in central Italy. They also defeated their old masters, the Etruscans. The Romans also made allies, or friends, of their former enemies. In the end, Rome and its allies controlled all of Italy.

The Plebeians Protest

494 BCE

The plebeians struggled to gain a share of the political power enjoyed by patricians. Since most of the people were plebeians, they decided to march out of the city and camped on a nearby hill. They refused to come back until the patricians met their demands. Rome was in crisis, work in the city and on the farms came to a halt. Without the plebeians, patricians feared that the army would be helpless if an enemy struck at Rome.

The Twelve Tables

451 BCE

The plebeians demanded that the laws need to be written down so the patricians couldn't change them whenever they want to. So the laws were written down on tablets called the Twelve Tables.

The Second Period of Expansion Begins

264 BCE

Rome's growth threatened another great power, the city of Carthage in North Africa. During the second period of expansion, Rome and Carthage fought three major wars. Through these wars,
Rome gained control of North Africa, much of Spain, and the island
of Sicily. Roman armies also conquered Macedonia and Greece.

The Third Period of Expansion Begins

145 BCE

During the third period of expansion, Rome came to rule the entire
Mediterranean world. In the east, Rome took control of Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt. In the west, a general named Julius Caesar conquered much of Gaul. A civil war also occurred in the the Third Period of Expansion. Roman generals were becoming dictators, trying to become the leader of Rome. Caesar himself ruled as a dictator before he was murdered. Then Caesar's grandnephew, Octavian, seized power. Rome is now an empire.

Great Roman Civil War

49 BCE

Many Roman generals were becoming greedy. They used their army to fight against the Senate for power in Rome. Julius Caesar became a dictator after he defeated Pompey. The frightened Senate named Caesar dictator for life. With Caesar in control, the republican form of government was at an end.

The Fourth Period of Expansion Begins

44 BCE

The fourth period of expansion began with the start of the empire. The first emperor, Augustus, added a great deal of new territory by pushing the borders of the empire all the way to natural boundaries, like rivers, to make it easier to defend. Later emperors added more territory.

Rome Reaches its Peak

117

At its height, the Roman Empire stretched from the island of Britain in the west to the Black Sea in the east.

Rome Separates into Two

285

In 285, Emperor Diocletian decided that the Roman Empire was too big to manage for on emperor. So his solution was to divide the Roman Empire into two parts, the east and the west. The west was ruled by Rome, while the east was ruled by Constantinople.

The City of Rome is Conquered

410

A Germanic tribe called the Visigoths invaded Rome. They looted the treasures, killed and enslaved many Romans, and destroyed many buildings.

The Western Empire Falls

476

Odoacer took control of Rome. He became king of Italy and forced the last emperor of Rome, Romulus Augustulus, to give up his crown. Many historians consider this to be the end of the Roman Empire.

The Fall of the Eastern Roman Empire

1453

The Byzantine Empire comes to an end as it falls to the Ottoman Empire.