Chronology of Rome

MONARCHY		753	-	509 BC
REPUBLIC		509	-	31 BC
EMPIRE		31 BC	-	5th century AD
	Principate	31 BC	-	AD 284
	Dominate	AD 284	-	5th century
Important Events: First traces of Etruscan civilization in Italy ca. 1200 BC First Neolithic habitation on the site of Rome ca. 1000 BC Etruscan Villanovan Phase; first Etruscan cities appear 900-750 BC BC Iron Age settlement on Palatine Hill 8th cent. BC Greek colonization of Italy begins 8th cent. BC traditional date for the founding of Rome; 1st legendary king, Romulus 753 BC Rome ruled by native kings 753-616 BC Etruscan Orientalizing period; Greek and Near Eastern influences on Etruscans 750-600 BC founding of Carthage as a Phoenician colony from Tyre 725 BC Etruscan kings rule Rome (Lucius Tarquinius) 616-509 BC Etruscan Archaic period; height of Etruscan power and wealth; earliest Roman architecture by Etruscans; earliest Roman water system by Etruscans 600-480 BC Romans overthrow Etruscan king (Tarquinius Superbus); establish the Republic 509 BC Rome captures Veii (1st Etruscan city to fall) 396 BC sack of Rome by the Celts of Gaul 396 BC Rome captures Velzna (last Etruscan city to fall) 265 BC First Punic War: Rome defeats Carthage; becomes a naval power; captures Sicily 264-241 BC annexation of Sicily 241 BC annexation of Sardinia and Corsica 238 BC Second Punic War: Rome defeats Carthage after a near defeat by Hannibal; Carthage becomes Roman dependency; captures Spain 218-201 BC First Macedonian War; alliance of Macedonia and Carthage against Rome 215 BC Battle of Zama (Second Punic War): Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal 202 BC annexation of Spain 201 BC Second Macedonian War 200-196 BC Third Macedonian War 171-167 BC Third Punic War: final solution against Carthage 149-146 BC annexation of Macedonia 148 BC destruction of Carthage; ground sown with salt ` 146 BC annexation of North Africa 146 BC annexation of Pergamon 133 BC Roman citizenship extended through all Etruria 90 BC Civil War: Republic begins its slide into decadance and political and moral ambivalence 83-82 BC dictatorship of Sulla; abolition of constitutional reforms 82-81 BC annexation of Gallia Narbonensis (=southern France and the Riviera) 82-81 BC revolt of slaves in Italy led by Spartacus 73-71 BC annexation of Syria, Asia Minor & Judaea by Pompey 66-63 BC First Triumvirate (Pompey, Caesar, Crassus) = military dictatorship 60 BC consulship of Julius Caesar 59 BC Caesar conquers Gaul 58-49 BC Caesar invades Britain 55-54 BC Civil War: Caesar vs. Pompey and the Roman Senate 49-46 BC Caesar (victorius) dictator and consul "for life" 47-44 BC assassination of Julius Caesar by Senatorial forces 44 BC Civil War: Octavian & Antony vs. Roman Senate 44-42 BC Second Triumvirate (Antony, Lepidus, Octavian); Antony and Cleopatra rule from Egypt 43-31 BC Civil War: Battle of Actium death of Antony and Cleopatra; 31 BC annexation of Egypt 30 BC reign of Caesar Augustus (Octavian); Rome transitions from republic to empire 27 BC - AD 14 annihilation of Roman legions in Teutoberg Forest AD 9 reign of Tiberius 14 - 37