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753? BC
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Legendary founding of Rome by Romulus.
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715?-672 BC
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Numa Pompilius, according to tradition, succeeded Romulus as king; established religious and civil law.
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c616 BC
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Etruscans, a people of northern Italy, gained control of Rome; ruled as the Tarquin kings: Etruscan civilization greatly influenced Roman civilization.
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509 BC
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Tarquin kings driven out by Romans; uprising caused, according to tradition, by rape of the Roman woman Lucrece; Roman Republic founded.
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c509-527 BC
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Roman Republic; two consuls elected annually; Senate, established as
advisory body to the kings, continued and formalized, and finally dominated
government during the republic; government at first controlled by patricians
[aristocrats) with plebeians gaining rights and powers over the centuries.
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496 BC
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Battle of Lake Regillus; Romans defeated neighboring Latins.
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c494 BC
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Plebes seceded to the Sacred Mount to protest oppression by the patricians;
tribunate created.
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from 471 BC
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Tribunes of the plebs elected in the Councilium Plebis (assembly).
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458 BC
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Cincinatus became dictator; defeated the Aequi.
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c450 BC
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Twelve Tables drawn up as Rome's legal code; plebeian unrest over harsh treatment by patrician magistrates brought about code; be-came the basis of Roman law until 2d cent. BC.
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444 BC
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Election of military tribunes begun after plebs agitated for greater powers.
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443 BC
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Office of censor established, remained part of Roman government until 22 BC. 405 -396 BC Romans put the Veii under siege; the town was finally captured and destroyed. c391 BC Augurs (prophets] abolished.
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390 BC
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Rome sacked by the Gauls; Camillus traditionally believed to have brought about the Gauls' withdrawal.
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367 BC
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Tribunes C. Licinus and L. Sextus initiated important reforms; plebe, after years of agitation, permitted to name one consul from their ranks; later eligible to hold all other offices, and distinction between patrician and pleb disappeared.
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367 -345 BC
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Romans variously at war with the Gauls, and neighboring Latin tribes; southern Etruria captured; Hernici, Volsci, and others defeated.
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343-341 BC
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First Samnite War; marked beginning of Rome's move to take control of the Campania.
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340 -338 BC
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Latin Wars; Italian cities rebelled for equal status with Rome but were defeated by Roman armies.
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339 BC
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Publilian Laws; plebe, or plebeians, gained further power by the reforms of Quintus Publilius Philo.
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316 -304 BC
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Second Samnite War.
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312 BC
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Construction of Appian Way began.
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290 BC
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Sabines conquered by Rome.
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298 -290 BC
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Third Samnite War; Romans defeated the rebelling tribes, asserting firm control in central Italy.
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287 BC
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Reform of the dictator Quintus Hortensius issued after plebeians seceded to the Janiculan hill; Lex Hortensia gave plebeians equal status with patricians by making the plebiscita (resolutions) of the plebeians binding on all citizens without the approval
of the Senate.
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282-272 BC
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War with the Greek king Pyrrhus, who sought to defend the Greek colony of Tarentum (southern Italy) against the Romans; noted I Rome (empire) Battle of Asculum fought (279 BC); Pyrrhus finally: withdrew to Greece.
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264 -241 BC
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First Punic War against Carthage Rome won control of Sicily, a valuable grain-producing region.
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238 BC
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Romans took control of Sardinia, previously a Carthaginian possession.
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229 -228, 219 BC
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Illyrian Wars conducted on behalf of Greeks against pirates; led to Greek recognition of Roman power.
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218 -201 BC
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Second Punic War against Carthage, Hannibal crossed the Alps into Italy and nearly conquered the Romans; Scipio defeated Hannibal in Africa; Rome gained control of Spain and Carthaginian islands in Mediterranean; Carthaginian power broken.
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214 -205 BC
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First Macedonian War fought with Macedon; Macedonians, in alliance with Carthage, successful against Rome.
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c204-149 BC
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Cato the Elder flourished, noted statesman who advocated return to the traditional Roman ways; urged destruction of Carthage.
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200-196 BC
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Second Macedonian War fought; Macedonian power reduced; Roman hegemony in Greece established.
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171-168 BC
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Third Macedonian War fought; Romans victorious and Macedon divided into four, republics.
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149 -146 BC
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Third Punic War against Carthage; Carthage captured and completely destroyed; Carthaginian territories made into Roman province of Africa.
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149 -148 BC
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Fourth Macedonian War fought; led to Roman annexation of Macedon and complete domination of Greece.
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143 -133 BC
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Numantine War. Scipio Africanus the Younger finally defeated the Celtiberians in Spain after long war against them.
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c134 -132 BC
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First Servile War, unsuccessful slave uprising against Romans in Sicily.
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133 BC
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Tribune T. Gracchus assassinated by opponents of his land reforms, which sought to improve the peasants' lot.
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133 BC
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Kingdom of Mysia (Pergamum) passed to Rome on the death of its king; Romans organized it as the province of Asia.
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121 BC C.
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Gracchus killed; as tribune he had instituted radical reforms, including the land re-forms of his brother, T. Gracchus, and measure forcing government to supply grain at a fair price; reforms reversed after his tribunate and he was killed in subsequent ri
ots.
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111-105 BC
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Romans subdued rebellion in Africa led by King Tugurtha begun by Marius, completed by Sulla.
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105 BC
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Romans defeated by invading Cimbri and Teutones at the Battle of Arausio in Gaul; the tribes then invaded Italy.
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104-100 BC
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Marius reelected consul each year.
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102-101 BC
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Romans, led by Marius, defeated the Cimbri at the Battle of Aquae Sextae (102 BC) and Vercellae (101); Marius hailed as a great hero.
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c102-99 BC
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Second Servile War, unsuccessful slave uprising against Romans in Sicily.
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| 91 BC
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M. Drusus advanced reforms, including measure granting citizenship to all Italian peoples subject to Rome; Drusus killed.
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c90 -88 BC
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Social War, unsuccessful uprising of Italian tribes against Rome; full citizenship granted to all Italian peoples.
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88-87 BC
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Civil war began; Sulla marched his troops into Rome after tribune Publius Sulpicius Rufus tried to impose reforms by force; Marius, a leader of the popular party, fled and Rufus was executed; Sulla, leader of the optimates (aristocrats) became consul (87
BC) and left Rome to lead armies in First Mithridatic War.
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88-84 BC
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First Mithridatic War; Mithridates of Pontus attempted to seize the Roman province of Asia during the Social War, Roman consul Sulla defeated him.
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87 BC
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Cinna, popular party leader, became consul at Rome; attempted to put through Rufus, reforms in Sulla's absence and was driven out of Rome; reentered Rome with Marius, help and massacred many of Sulla's followers.
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83 -82 BC
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Sulla, returning from the Mithridatic War, defeated supporters of the popular party; ordered proscription of members of the faction.
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83 -81 BC
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Second Mithridatic War; Romans attacked Mithridates; restored conquered territory at the end of the war.
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82-79 BC
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Sulla ruled as dictator instituted conservative reforms to increase power of the Sen-ate and limit that of the tribunes and judiciary; retired after reforms were enacted.
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77 BC
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Pompey defeated attempt by M. Lepidus to rescind Sulla's reforms by force.
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c75 -43 BC
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Cicero flourished; great Roman statesman and orator.
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74-63 BC
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Third Mithridatic War; this war resulted in the complete conquest of Pontus and its annexation to the Roman province of Asia.
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73 -71 BC
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Third Servile War, unsuccessful slave uprising in Italy led by Spartacus; slave army defeated by Crassus and Pompey.
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70 BC
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Pompey and Crassus became consuls; rescinded Sulla's reforms, thus restoring power to popular faction.
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70 -19 BC
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Vergil lived; considered leading poet of his age.
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65 -8 BC
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Horace lived; among the great Latin poets.
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64 BC
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Pompey added domains of Seleucids to the empire as a province; reorganized Rome's province of Asia.
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64 BC
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Palestine brought under Roman control by Pompey.
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64 -63 BC
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Conspiracy of Catiline.
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60 BC
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First triumvirate formed by Caesar' Pompey, and Crassus.
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59 BC
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Caesar, as consul appointed himself to take charge of Gaul for five years (later extended another five years).
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59 BC-AD 17
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Roman historian, Livy, lived; wrote history of Romans.
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58 -51 BC
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Gallic Wars; Caesar's military campaigns led to the conquest of all Gaul and gave him great power and prestige.
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53 BC
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Roman invasion of Parthia halted at Battle of Carrhae; Crassus killed soon after; first triumvirate began to break up.
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52 BC
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Pompey, now leader of the optimates' elected sole consul at Rome; engaged in power struggle with Caesar, leader of the popular party.
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49 BC
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Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army in Gaul.
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49 BC
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Civil war (49-46 BC) began; Caesar, refusing to disband his army, led his soldiers in the famous crossing of the Rubicon (Jan. 10-11); marched into Italy against Pompey.
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49 BC
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Caesar laid siege to Pompey's forces at Brundisium, in Italy; Pompey escaped (Mar.) to Greece.
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49 BC
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Caesar entered Rome; did not institute customary proscription of opponents.
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49 BC
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M. Antony made tribune.
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49 BC
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Caesar successful in fighting against Pompey's supporters in Spain.
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49 BC
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Caesar elected consul after renouncing his election as dictator; resumed to pursuit of Pompey.
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48 BC
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Caesar defeated by Pompey at Dyrrhachium (now in Albania).
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48 BC
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Battle of Pharsalus, in Greece; Caesar routed Pompey's forces (Aug. 9); Pompey fled to Egypt.
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48 BC
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Pompey killed in Egypt by order of King Ptolemy XII.
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48 -47 BC
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Alexandrine War; Caesar, pursuing Pompey, had entered Alexandria, Egypt; found himself under siege by Egyptian forces; dallied with Cleopatra; broke siege and subdued Egypt; installed Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII on the Egyptian throne.
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47 BC
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Caesar defeated Pharnaces II at the Battle of Zela in brief war in Syria and Pontus; Caesar said of the war, "Veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered!; Caesar next went to Africa.
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46 BC
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Caesar victorious against the last of Pompey's forces at the Battle of Thapsus (Feb. 6); Cato the Younger committed suicide; Roman Senate named Caesar dictator for ten years.
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46 BC
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Back in Rome, Caesar pardoned his enemies and began program of reform aimed at im-proving lot of the populace; then went to Spain to war against Pompey's sons.
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46 BC
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Caesar instituted the Julian Calendar.
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45 BC
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Caesar defeated Pompey's sons at the Battle of Munda, Spain; was made consul for ten years. 44 BC Caesar assassinated (Mar. 15) by opponents who feared his growing power; Cassius, Marcus Brutus, and Decimus Brutus among the assassins; M. Antony rose to
power in Rome; began to organize against the assassins, who had fled Rome.
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44-43 BC
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Octavian, Caesar's heir, attempted to claim his rights, but was at first opposed by Antony; the two formed an alliance against Caesar's assassins the next year.
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43 BC
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Second Triumvirate formed (Nov.) by Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus.
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43 BC-AD 17
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Ovid lived; wrote classics of Latin poetry.
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43 BC
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Cicero executed on orders from Antony, whom he had opposed.
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42 BC
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Forces of Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus won decisive victory at the Battle of Philippi (Oct. 27); Brutus and Cassius committed suicide.
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42 BC
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Marc Antony began his celebrated love affair with Cleopatra.
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40 BC
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Treaty of Brundisium wed Marc Antony to Octavian's sister, Octavian to rule the West, Antony the East; Lepidus to rule Africa.
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c39 BC
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Herod made king of Judea by Marc Antony.
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36 BC
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Octavian defeated Sextus Pompey, a powerful opponent, at the Battle of Mylae.
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36 BC
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Octavian, consolidating his power, deposed Lepidus; Antony, meanwhile, renewed his love affair with Cleopatra (unpopular in Rome) and thus aroused opposition in Rome.
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35 -33 BC
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Octavian conquered Illyria.
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31 -30 BC
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Final struggle between Octavian and Antony; Antony and Cleopatra defeated at the Battle of Actium (31 BC) and the two lovers committed suicide soon after; Octavian became sole ruler of Rome.
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30 BC
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Egypt made a Roman province after Octavian killed King Ptolemy XIV.
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27 BC
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Octavian accepted imperial title, Augustus, marked beginning of Roman Empire.
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27 BC-AD 476
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Roman Empire; Roman domains reached their greatest extent during this period; first 200 years marked by peace (Pax Romana) and prosperity.
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27 BC-AD 14
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Augustus (Octavian) ruled as first Roman emperor, had complete control of
the military and the provinces; reformed both the military and provincial
administration; undertook a building program and patronized the arts, fostering the "Augustan Age."
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Emperor Augustus (Octavian), built the city "Augustus Vindelicorum"
located in the Germanicus region. Today, known as Augsburg in Bavaria,
Germany, it is my home town. Augsburg played major roles throughout
history and recently celebrated its 2,000 Year anniversary (1985).
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c8-6 BC
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Jesus of Nazareth born.
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AD 14-c 130
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Silver Age of Latin literature.
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AD 14 -37
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Tiberius reigned as emperor, following Augustus' death; Tiberius turned over effective rule to the intriguer, Sejanus (AD 23-31), but finally had him executed.
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AD 16
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Germanicus Caesar suppressed a revolt by Arminius in Germany.
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AD 30
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Jesus crucified at Jerusalem.
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AD 37 -41
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Caligula reigned, became insane and ruled as a cruel tyrant.
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AD 41-54
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Claudius I reigned; dominated by his wives; added Mauretania (AD 41-42) to the empire and began final conquest of Britain (AD 43).
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AD 54 -68
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Nero reigned; notorious tyrant.
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AD 64
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Rome destroyed by great fire; Nero, suspected of having had it set, blamed the Christians and thereupon began persecutions of Christians; Nero rebuilt Rome.
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AD 65
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Conspiracy to overthrow Nero discovered.
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AD 66 -73
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First Jewish revolt in Judaea; Jerusalem destroyed (AD 70).
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AD 68
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Nero overthrown; Galba recognized as emperor by Praetorian Guard.
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AD 69 -79
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Vespasian reigned as emperor following a struggle for power; founded Flavian dynasty.
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AD 69-82
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Colosseum built.
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AD 78-84
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Agricola conquered much of Britain; served as governor.
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AD 79-81
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Titus reigned.
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AD 79
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Pompeii buried under volcanic ash during eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
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AD 81-96
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Domitian reigned, bought off the army and the Roman mobs and increased the powers of the emperor; unsuccessful in wars in Dacia; assassinated.
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AD 96-98
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Nerva reigned; introduced legal and tax reforms.
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AD 98-117
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Trajan reigned as emperor; warred against Parthia, gaining territories east of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; empire reached its greatest extent (AD 116).
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AD 107
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Dacia became a province after a long war against barbarians there (from AD 101 ).
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AD 117 -138
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Hadrian reigned; undertook considerable building in provinces; imperial edicts became the sole source of Roman law (from AD 131); economic problems, exacerbated by excessive taxation, began to appear.
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AD 132 -135
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Second Jewish revolt; Jews thereafter forbidden to live in Jerusalem.
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AD 138 -161
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Antonius Pius reigned; reign marked by general peace and stability.
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AD 161 -180
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Marcus Aurelius reigned; despite persecution of Christians, his rule considered wise and humane; he was famous exponent of Stoicism.
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AD 166-167
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Plague throughout the empire; spread by Roman soldiers returning from war with Parthia (AD 162-165).
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AD 180-192
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Commodius reigned; gave himself up to dissolute life and his reign marked
the start of Rome's decline; by arrangement with conspirators, a wrestler named Narcissus strangled Commodius during a match.
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AD 193-211
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Septimus Severus reigned; his reign began long period of instability in which Praetorian Guard controlled selection of the emperors.
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AD 212
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Roman citizenship granted to nearly all within the empire by Emperor Caracalla (reigned AD 211-217).
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FROM AD c214
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Alemanni and Goths began at-tacks on Roman outposts on the northern frontier in Germany.
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AD 250
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Decius (reigned AD 249-251); began general persecution of the Christians.
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AD 253-270
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Barbarians broke through Roman frontier defenses; Alemanni advanced to Milan; Franks passed beyond the Rhine; Goths invaded the Balkans.
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AD 260
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Emperor Valerian (reigned AD 253-260) captured during wars with Persians.
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AD 270
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Claudius II (reigned AD 268-2701; halted advance of the Goths; allowed them to settle Dacia.
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AD 270-275
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Aurelian reigned; withdrew from Dacia and drove Alemanni out of Italy.
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AD 284 -305
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Diocletian reigned; instituted wide-ranging administrative, military, and financial reforms; brought measure of stability to the empire, which by this time, however, was crumbling under the weight of costly bureaucracy, excessive taxation, and continuing
economic problems.
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AD 286
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Roman Empire divided into the Western and Eastern empires by Diocletian; named Maximian co-ruler, though by adopting him maintained theoretical unity of the empire.
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AD 293
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Diocletian divided the empire into four administrative units (two east, two west); each responsible to respective emperor.
|
|
AD 306
|
Constantine began his struggle against rivals for control in the Western Empire.
|
|
AD 312
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Battle of Milvian Bridge; Constantine defeated his last rival for control of the West; a vision he had before the battle led to his conversion to Christianity.
|
|
AD 312
|
Constantine became emperor in the West, Licinius emperor in the East.
|
|
AD 312
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Praetorian Guard abolished by Constantine.
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AD 313
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Edict of Milan issued by Constantine and Licinius; established toleration of Christianity throughout empire.
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AD 324
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Licinius, emperor of the East, defeated by Constantine.
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AD 324 -337
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Constantine reigned as sole ruler; Roman Empire reunited under him; he established his capital at Constantinople (AD 330).
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AD 325
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Constantine called the Council of Nicaea (1st ecumenical) to resolve question of Arianism; established role of emperor in Eastern church.
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AD 361 -363
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Julian the Apostate reigned; tried to reinstate paganism in the empire; Christianity reinstated on his death.
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AD 376
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Huns conquered Visigoths in region of modern Romania, bringing them into contact with Romans.
|
|
AD 378
|
Visigoths decimated Roman forces at the Battle of Adrianople; Eastern emperor Valens killed; Visigoths swept into Europe.
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AD 375-395
|
Theodosius I the Great reigned as emperor in the East; Valentinian II (AD 375-392) and Gratian (375-383) ruled in West.
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AD 383
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Gratian killed in revolt by Maximus; Maximus finally killed by Theodosius (AD 388). AD 390 Theodosius forced to do penance before bishop of Milan for massacring thousands of Greeks; marked victory of church over temporal power of the emperors.
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AD 394
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Battle of Frigidus; Theodosius defeated Eugenius, who had usurped and killed Valentinian II; Roman Empire united for last time under Theodosius.
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|
AD 395
|
Roman Empire permanently divided into Eastern and Western Empires on the death of Theodosius I.
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|
AD 395
|
Honorius became emperor of the West (ruled AD 395-423), Arcadius emperor of the East (ruled AD 395-408).
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AD 396-408
|
Stilicho, a Vandal and commander of Roman troops in the West, successful against invading barbarians; drove Visigoths out of Greece (AD 397), and blocked attempts to in-vade Italy; Gaul was meanwhile overrun by barbarians (AD 406).
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AD c402
|
Ravenna made capital of the West.
|
|
AD 407
|
Romans withdrew from Britain.
|
|
AD 408-450
|
Theodosius II reigned in the East.
|
|
AD 409-410
|
Visigoths under Alaric invaded Italy; sacked Rome (AD 410); subsequently invaded and conquered Spain.
|
|
AD 425-454
|
Valentinian III reigned in the West.
|
|
AD 429-431
|
Vandals crossed from Spain into Africa; conquered Roman territories in North Africa.
|
|
AD 441-443
|
Attila and his brother Bleda led the Huns in invasion of eastern Roman provinces.
|
|
AD 450-452
|
Attila the Hun invaded Gaul and Italy (AD 452).
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|
AD 455
|
Valentinian III murdered; succession of rulers set up in the West.
|
|
AD 455
|
Gaiseric, king of the Vandals, sacked Rome.
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|
AD 457-474
|
Leo I reigned as emperor of the East.
|
|
AD 474-491
|
Zeno reigned as emperor of the East; attempted to win control over the Goths.
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|
AD 475-476
|
Romulus Augustus reigned as last emperor of the West.
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|
AD 476
|
Odoacer defeated last Roman forces at Battle of Pavia; deposed Emperor Romulus Augustus (Sept. 4), thus ending Western Roman Empire.
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