Timeline of the Roman Empire

By zoecjin
  • 753 BCE

    The city of Rome is founded

    Legend said that the twin sons of Mars (Roman god of war), Romulus and Remus, had found Rome. Romulus had killed Remus, and became sole ruler of Rome, which he named after himself. Rome was ruled by kings for the following 240 years.
  • 509 BCE

    Rome becomes a republic

    The last king was overthrown and Rome was then ruled by elected officials known as senators. They formed a constitution with laws and complex republican government.
  • 218 BCE

    Hannibal invades Italy

    Hannibal had led the Carthage army in his famous crossing of the Alps to attack Rome. This had been a part of the Second Punic war.
  • 73 BCE

    Spartacus leads an uprising

    Spartacus, a Roman gladiator, led the slaves into an uprising.
  • 44 BCE

    Julius Caesar became the first dictator of Rome

    Caesar made his famous Crossing of the Rubicon and defeats Pompey in a civil war to become the supreme ruler of Rome. This signalled the end of the Roman republic.
  • 27 BCE

    Caesar Augustus becomes the first Roman emperor

    Caesar Augustus became the first Roman emperor, which signalled the beginning of the Roman Empire.
  • 64

    The burning of Rome

    Legend says that the Emperor Nero had watched the city burn whilst playing a lyre.
  • 80

    The Colosseum is built

    The Colosseum, one of the best examples of Roman engineering, was finished. It's said that it could seat 50,000 spectators.
  • 121

    The Hadrian Wall is built

    TO keep out the barbarians, a long wall (the Hadrian Wall) was built across northern England
  • 306

    Constantine becomes Emperor

    Constantine had converted Rome to Christianity, and Rome would have then become a Christian empire. Prior to this, Rome persecuted the Christians.
  • 308

    Theodosius I declares Christianity the sole religion of Rome

    Theodosius I declared Christianity to be the only and sole religion of the Roman Empire.
  • 395

    Rome splits

    Rome splits from one to two separate empires.
  • 410

    The Visigoths sack Rome

    The Visigoths sack Rome, and this was the first time in 800 years that the city of Rome had fallen to an enemy.
  • 476

    The end of the Western Roman Empire

    The Western Roman Empire fell, and so did Ancient Rome. The last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, was defeated by German Goth Odoacer. This signalled the beginning of the Dark Ages in Europe.
  • 1453

    The fall of the Byzantine Empire

    The Byzantine Empire ends as it falls to the Ottoman Empire.