Ancient Rome timeline

Timeline of Ancient Rome & the Roman Empire

1000-753 BCE

Roman Empire Begins

200-133 BCE

Winning World Mastery

390-275 BCE

Rome Conquers Italy

14-180 CE

The Imperial History of Rome

509 BCE

The Latin Aristocracy Revolts

Bibliography

Roman History

http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/historians/narrative/romanhistory.html

Accessed 29/5/2016.

Wikipedia History of Rome

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome#/media/File:Roma_Plan.jpg

Accessed 29/05/2016

Halfway down the Italian peninsula is a small river called the Tiber. The Latins are the group of people who live there. They share the area with the Etruscans. Over time a city forms as the merchant village of the Latins combines with the Etruscans on the north side of the river and a range of settlements on the hills around. The city is called Rome.

Rome was supported by the other Latin cities to the south. They were united under the Latin League and had made a treaty with Rome for defense. In 390 BCE the Gauls captured Rome. Eventually the Romans got Rome back. The Latin League became restive under the growing power and arrogance of their ally and they attempted to break away from its control. Rome won the two years' war which followed (340-338 BCE). The Samnites were also proving a nuciance. Eventually in the decisive battle of Sentinum (295 BC) made Rome supreme over all central and northern Italy.decisive battle of Sentinum (295 BC) made Rome supreme over all central and northern Italy.

Rome was now well launched on its way to world domination. One conquest led to another. Most of the conquered lands were ruled by governors who tried to amass in their one year of office, wealth for a lifetime. They also introduced greedy collectors, who purchased the privilege of collecting the taxes. The suddenly enriched officeholders acquired estates and bought little farms off the peasants. The peasants were poor and could not compete with the great plantations. Between the wealthy and the vast moneyless mob there was bitter hostility. War of class against class was bound to come sometime.

Augustus was followed by his stepson Tiberius (14-37 CE), who was a capable but unpopular ruler. Then came the mad Caligula (37-41 CE), whose life was ended by his own officers after he had reigned for only four years. Claudius (41-54 CE) was not a strong ruler; but his generals conquered the southern part of Britain. The infamous Nero (54-68 CE) was the last ruler of the line of Augustus. For two years there were struggles for the throne between rival military commanders, and civil war was threatened. Domitian was followed by a line of five great emperors—perhaps the wisest and noblest line of rulers the world has ever seen.

In spite of Rome's development, the Latin aristocracy resented the Etruscan kings. The Etruscans were expelled from the city, and Rome became a republic. From that time the title of king was hateful to the Roman people. Four times the old king Tarquin attempted to regain power but they all failed. In the end the Latins were crushed and the Romans gained power.

133 BCE

180 CE

494 BCE

1000 BCE

753-509 BCE

The Early Kings of Ancient Rome

133-31 BCE

The Roman Revolution

180-476 CE

Decline and Fall

264-146 BCE

The Punic Wars

494-287 BCE

The Struggle of the Order

The early Romans kept no written records so their history is mixed with fables and myths. This makes it really hard for historians to find the truth. According to the myths and legends Romulus founded Rome in 753 BCE but Romulus is only mythical. Legend also says that Numa Pompilius succeeded Romulous and added 2 months to the then 10 month calendar. He then was succeeded by Tullus Hostilus who conquered Alba Longa. During the reign of the next king Ancus Martius, Rome's seaport on the mouth of the Tiber was built.

From 180 CE to 284 CE, the Senate recognized 27 men as emperors. Supported by the Roman legions, many others laid claim to the title. The succession of short terms was finally stopped by Diocletian (284-305), who abolished the last of the republican liberties. The decline of Rome was complete when Constantine moved his capital to the Greek city of Byzantium on the Black Sea in 330 CE. The Roman Empire was ending, so the barbarians of the Middle Ages took its place; but the Eastern, or Byzantine, Empire lasted another 1,000 years.

Two centuries of warfare had turned Rome into a nation of soldiers. Its only remaining rival in the western Mediterranean was the colony of Carthage. Carthage was the chief sea power, just as Rome was the chief land power. The Carthaginians sank the trading vessels of any other city which dared to bid for a share of the rich commerce of this region. Such insolent behavior was intolerable to the equally haughty pride of Rome, so the Punic Wars began in 264 BCE. This continued with interruptions until Carthage was finally destroyed in 146 BCE

The death of Tiberius marked the beginning of a century of revolution and civil war that ended in the establishment of the Roman Empire. Rivalry between Marius and Sulla, an adherent of the senate, for command in a war against the Mithradates in Asia Minor led Sulla to march with his troops on Rome. For the first time Rome was invaded by a Roman army. As soon as Sulla and his legions were safely out of the way in Asia, Marius in turn seized Rome with his army and massacred many of the senatorial leaders.The only thing that saved the vast edifice of Roman power from crashing to final destruction was the emergence of two brilliant statesmen, Gaius Julius Caesar and his great-nephew Augustus (Octavian).

To make their problems right, the plebeians went on strike. In 494 BCE they marched out of Rome and threatened to make a new city. The patricians were terrified. They agreed to cancel all debts and the plebeians were granted the right to be represented by tribunes. In 350 BCE the plebeians were admitted to the dictatorship. The growing power of the plebs was marked by the gradual rise of a new voting body, the comitia tributa, in which one man's vote counted as much as another's.