Topics 7-9 Timelines: How Did Rome Go From Monarchy, to Republic, to Empire and then Fall?

By lydiasch
  • 509 BCE

    Roman Republic Founded

    Roman Republic Founded
    The Romans overthrew the last Etruscan king and established a full Republican form of government, with elected senators making all of the important political decisions.
  • Period: 500 BCE to 360 BCE

    Conflict of Orders

    In Rome, the rich not only had a virtual monopoly on political power but in many cases had the legal right to either enslave or at least extract labor from debtors. During this time, the plebeians struggled to get more political representation, threatening to leave Rome, and rendering it almost defenseless. This social structure of pure unequalness made Roman society and every form of government it had unstable.
  • Period: 100 BCE to 44 BCE

    Julius Caesar

    Julius Caesar was a Roman general and politician that became increasingly powerful and ultimately began to replace the Republic with an empire. He had himself declared dictator for life and filled the Senate with his supporters. Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators who resented his power and genuinely desired to save the Republic. The result was not the restoration of the Republic but the continuation of the Empire with his great-nephew becoming emperor.
  • Period: 83 BCE to 30 BCE

    Mark Antony

    Mark Anthony was Julius Caesar’s right-hand man and skilled general. He joined forces with Caesar’s great-nephew, then known as Octavian, and later Augustus. Together, they seized control in Rome and then launched a successful campaign against the old republican loyalists. Both of them were responsible for the creation of the Roman Empire, and Augustus could not have done it without Mark Anthony.
  • Period: 63 BCE to 14

    Caesar Augustus

    Augustus was unquestionably the architect of the Roman Empire. He eliminated all political rivals and set up a permanent hereditary emperorship, and he claimed to be restoring the Republic. He assumed unlimited power in making or vetoing legislation as well. Augustus transformed the Senate and equestrian class into a real civil service to manage the enormous empire. He is considered to be one of the greatest Roman Emperors of all time.
  • 32

    Rise of Christianity

    Rise of Christianity
    Christianity developed in Judea in the mid-first century CE, based first on the teachings of Jesus and later on the writings and missionary work of his apostle, Paul. This posed a threat to the Rome Empire because the new religion went against Roman society and their polytheistic religion.
  • Period: 235 to 284

    Time of Multiple Crises

    The basis of the crises was increasing pressure from foreign invaders on the Roman borders coupled with political instability within the Empire itself. During this time, the Romans were fighting the Sasanians, who recently took control of Persia. They also had to worry about the Germanic groups along Rome's northern borders growing larger and better-organized.
  • Period: 245 to 316

    Diocletian

    Diocletian reorganized the empire and pulled it back from the brink because of all the economic and political crises. He recognized the sheer size of the empire was a liability to its effective governance, so Diocletian decided to share power with a co-emperor. Diocletian decided to further divide responsibility and each emperor took on a junior emperor. Instead of a smooth transition to the next emperor after he retired, the Empire was plunged into civil war.
  • Period: 272 to 337

    Constantine

    Constantine succeeds Diocletian. He did away with the system of co-emperor and left things as they had been under Diocletian's reforms. The eastern and western halves of the Empire still had separate administrations and he kept up the size and organization of the army. He was the first Christian emperor, making the Empire Christian as well. Constantine also founded a new capital city named Constantinople. He is considered one of the greatest Roman emperors.
  • 476

    Barbarian Invasion

    Barbarian Invasion
    The Roman Empire experienced multiple invasions from foreign civilizations. The first to invade was the Huns; they were central Asian warriors that were expert horsemen, skillful warriors, and unattached to any particular land. The Goths, who were from Russia, were next to attack the Romans. They killed the emperor and destroyed a Roman army in an open battle. The empire collapsed soon after these invasions.