B.C.E. 753

Legendary founding of Rome by Romulus

509

Republic is established

264-241

First Punic War with Carthage

218-201

Second Punic War ends with Roman triumph—Hannibal

149-146

Third Punic War—Rome besieges and destroys Carthage

60

1st Triumvirate: Pompey, Caesar, Crassus

49-48

Civil Wars

44

Caesar is assassinated

43

Octavian is elected consul—2nd Triumvirate: Antony & Lepidus

41

Mark Antony meets Cleopatra in Egypt

31

Antony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian at Actim

27

Octavian becomes Emperor—title of Augustus

4 (circa)

Birth of Jesus

C.E. 14

Augustus dies

54

Nero is Emperor

64

Rome burns giving Nero an excuse to persecute Christians

79

Mt. Vesuvius erupts burying Pompei and Hurculaneum

161

Marcus Aurelius is Emperor

303

Intense persecution of Christians under Deocletian

395

Roman Empire divided into Eastern and Western halves

410

Alaric, Visigoths, captures and sacks Rome

452

Attila, Huns

455

Vandals sack Rome

476

Odoacer, Germanic chieftain, deposes last Western Emperor of Rome