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100
Julius Caesar assassinated
March 15, 44 B.C.E. Julius Caesar was assassinated. He created a triumvirate in 60 B.C.E. but tried to become the only ruler, or a dictator. Because of Julius gaining more and more power, a large group of senators gathered to assassinate him. In the Ides of March, Julius Caesar was killed. -
100
2nd triumvirate formed
Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus create the second triumvirate. Octavian and Mark Antony persuade Lepidus to retire, so they become the two rulers of the Roman Republic. -
100
Republic to Empire
When Mark Antony meets Cleopatra, they fall in love, and seek to be the rulers of Rome, and over rule Octavian. Octavian sees this coming and battles with Mark Antony, Octavian comes out victorious. Cleopatra, thinking her lover had been killed, commits suicide with an asp, and when Mark Antony finds out his lover has died, he commits suicide as well. Octavian becomes the first emperor of Rome, and it becomes an empire. -
Period: 100 to 500
Rome
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110
Beginning of Pax Romana
Pax Romana started 27 B.C.E. Pax Romana is Latin for Roman Peace. This 200 year peace started under Augustus Caesar's (Octavian) rule. Rome went under this because of the great amount of land they ruled, strong army, fair tax system, clear laws and improved roads that made trade easy. -
161
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius reigned for 19 years, from 161C.E.-180C.E. He was the last of 5 consecutive good emperors. He unified the empire economically, and spent most of his rule putting down rebellions and fighting invasions. Before he died, Marcus chose the next emperor, his son Commodus. -
306
Constantine
Constantine ruled from 306 C.E. to 337 C.E. During his rule civil war broke out. His army did not have a good chance of winning the war. But he saw the chairo symbol in the clouds. He had his soldiers put the symbol on the shields and he was victorious. Constantine believed the symbol was sent from the Christian God, and so he vowed to become Christian. -
313
Edict of Milan
The Edict of Milan, signed in 313 C.E., was a document that granted freedom to Romans to practice any religion they chose. The letter was signed by both Constantine, who ruled the western part of the empire, and Licinius, who ruled the eastern part. Constantine encouraged Christianity. -
337
End of Constantine's Reign
In 330 C.E. Constantine moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium. He renamed this city Constantinople, meaning city of Constantine. He moved the capital because there were better trade routes on the eastern side of the empire. The trade routes allowed the Roman Empire to exchange goods, ideas and religion with other people. 337 C.E. marks the end of Constantine's rule. -
410
Visigoths
In 410 C.E. the Visigoths captured and looted Rome. The Visigoths were a group of Germanic people. This was the start of the fall of Rome. -
455
Vandals
The Vandals, in 455 C.E., attacked Rome but they left powerless. The Vandals were an eastern German tribe. -
476
Ostrogoths
The Ostrogoths' attack on Rome lead its final collapse. In 476 C.E. Rome fell and was taken over by Germanic Tribes. -
Commodus and end of Pax Romana
180 C.E. marks the beginning of Commodus' rule and the end of Pax Romana, or Roman Peace. Commodus loved the idea of emperor, the money and fame, but not the ruling part. He spent the empire's money on social gatherings and entertainment. He ordered all rich people to death and as emperor took their money. Commodus was bringing the empire down. -
Commodus Assassination
192 C.E. marks the end of Commodus' reign and his assassination. His sister plotted his first assassination, but it fell through. The second assassination plot did work though, and Commodus was no more. The empire falls into 50 years of decline. -
Diocletian
Diocletian's rule went from 284 C.E. to 305 C.E. He had a different take on being emperor. He named a co-emperor and two vice-emperors. He split the empire into two parts, the western and eastern empire. Diocletian decided to rule the eastern empire, while Maximian (co-emperor) ruled the western half. He improved the tax structure and army in the western half until he abdicated the throne in 305 C.E.
