Rome and byzantine empires By julian679 753 BCE Rome is founded 509 BCE Rome becomes a republic 87 BCE Long reign of Chinese Emperor Wu Di ends 27 BCE augustus becomes the first roman emperor 1 BCE according too christian tradition Jesus is born 117 the roman empire reaches its largest extent 476 the western roman empire collapses 527 Justinian becomes byzantine emperor 1054 Great schism divides Eastern Orthodox and roman Catholic Churches 1453 Constantinople fall to the ottoman Turks. byzantine empire ends