Timeline of ancient Rome
See also: Timeline of Rome history and Timeline of the Roman Empire
This is a timeline of events concerning ancient Rome, from the city foundation until the last attempt of the Eastern Roman Empire to re-conquer Rome.
7th century BCE
- 673/642 BCE : reign of Tullus Hostilius
- 642/617 BCE : reign of Ancus Marcius
- 616/575 BCE : reign of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus
6th century BCE
A graphical timeline is available at Timeline of the Roman Republic |
- 578/534 BCE : reign of Servius Tullius: defined the sacred boundary of Rome - the pomerium
- first census
- 534/509 BCE: reign of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king
- builds temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
- 509 BCE
- expulsion of Tarquinius Superbus
- first consuls are Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
- First Plebeian (commoner) senators appointed (conscripti) to fill vacancies created by the overthrow of the monarchy
- possible siege of Rome : Roman-Etruscan Wars
- 508 BCE: office of pontifex maximus (high priest) created when these powers are stripped from the consuls; possible second siege of Rome by Etruscans : Roman-Etruscan Wars
- 504 BCE: Consul Publius Valerius Publicola grants due process rights to all Roman citizens, criminalizes all future attempts to plot to seize a tyranny
- 501 BCE: Offices of Roman Dictator and Master of the Horse created
5th century BCE
- 496 BCE: Rome defeats the Etruscan-led Latin League at the battle of Lake Regillus
- 494 BCE: Following the first Secession of the Plebs, two tribunes of the plebs and two plebeian aediles are elected for the first time
- 471 BCE: Plebeians allowed to organize by tribe, reorganization of Plebeian Council from Curia to Tribe.
- 459 BCE: The college of the tribune of the Plebs is raised from two to ten tribunes
- 449 BCE: Plebeian Council resolutions ("plebiscites") given full force of law over Plebeians and Patricians, but still subject to Senate veto
- The Decemviri publish the Twelve Tables of Roman law
- 447 BCE: Tribal Assembly created: two quaestors elected for the first time
- 445 BCE: Marriage between patricians (aristocrats) and plebeians (commoners) allowed
- 443 BCE
- The office of consul is replaced by an assembly of military tribunes with consular powers, the Tribuni militum consulari potestate for this year.
- Office of Censor created. Duties of Censor were Consular duties until this point, where consuls are replaced.
- 421 BCE: Number of quaestors raised from 2 to 4; office opened to plebeians
- 408 BCE: consul replaced with Tribuni militum consulari potestate.
4th century BCE
- 396 BCE
- Rome captures and sacks the Etruscan city of Veii after a 10-year siege, the final assault was conducted by Marcus Furius Camillus
- Roman soldiers earn their first salary
- 394 BCE: Office of consul replaces Tribuni militum consulari potestate.
- 391 BCE: Office of Tribuni militum consulari potestate replaces office of consul.
- 390 BCE: Gauls defeat Roman army : battle of the Allia
- sack of Rome by the Gauls
- 375/371 BCE: Anarchy years: no magistrates elected
- 367 BCE: Office of consul replaces Tribuni militum consulari potestate for last time.
- 366 BCE: Patricians agree to allow Plebeian Consuls to be elected (the first being Lucius Sextius Sextinus). By this, Plebeians acquire de facto right to be elected Censor or appointed Dictator. As a concession, the Plebeians allow the Patricians to create the offices of Praetor and Curule Aedile, and allow only Patricians to run for these offices.
- 351 BCE: Elected : first non-patrician Dictator
- 351 BCE: Elected : first non-patrician censor
- 343 BCE: Rome captures Campania and Capua : First Samnite War
- 342 BCE
- Battle of Mount Gaurus.
- Lex Genucia passed:
- no man can hold the same office before 10 years have elapsed from the first election
- Second law passed, disallowing any man from holding two offices at once.
- 341 BCE: Rome withdraws from the conflict with the Samnites. End of First Samnite War.
- 340 BCE: Latin League pushes for independence : Latin War
- 339 BCE: Law passed (the lex Publilia) which requires the election of one Plebeian censor for each five-year term.
- 338 BCE: Latin League dissolved and Rome controls territory : Latin War Ends.
- 337 BCE: Elected the first non-patrician Praetor (Q. Publilius Philo).
- 326 BCE: Second Samnite War begins
- Samnites attack Campagnia
- 321 BCE: Battle of the Caudine Forks.
- 316 BCE: Battle of Lautulae.
- 311 BCE: Etruscans join the Samnites against Rome.
- 310 BCE: Battle of Lake Vadimo between Rome and the Etruscans.
- 308 BCE: Second Samnite war escalates as Umbrians, Picentini, and Marsians join against Rome.
- 306 BCE: The Hernici revolt against Rome (Livy ix. 42).
- 305 BCE: Samnite forces broken : Battle of Bovianum
- 304 BCE
- Aequi defeated.
- Rome conquers Central and Southern Italy
- Second Samnite War ends
- 300 BCE: Lex Ogulnia passed: priesthoods opened to plebeians
3rd century BCE
- 298 BCE: Third Samnite War begins
- 298 BCE: Rome captures Samnite cities Taurasia, Bovianum Vetus and Aufidena.
- 297 BCE: consul Fabius Maximus Rullianus defeats the Samnites near Tifernum (Liv. 10.14).
- 295 BCE: Battle of Sentinum.
- 294 BCE: Samnite victory at Luceria.
- 293 BCE: Battle of Aquilonia.
- 291 BCE: The Romans storm the Samnite city of Venusia.
- 290 BCE: Rome dominates Italian Peninsula : Third Samnite War ends.
- 287 BCE
- Last Plebeian Secession
- Lex Hortensia ends Senate veto power over Plebeian Council
- Conflict of the Orders ends.
- 283 BCE: Rome defeats the Etruscans and the Boii (a Gallic tribe) in the Battle of Lake Vadimo
- 281 BCE: Mounting tensions between Rome and Tarentum. Tarentum appeals to Pyrrhus of Epirus for aid.
- 280 BCE
- Pyrrhic War begins
- Pyrrhus lands army in Italy
- 280 BCE: Battle of Heraclea
- 279 BCE: Battle of Asculum
- 275 BCE: Battle of Beneventum
- 272 BCE
- Pyrrhus withdraws to Epirus
- Tarentum surrenders to Rome
- Pyrrhic War Ends
- Pyrrhic War begins
- 267 BCE: Number of quaestors raised from 4 to 6
- 264/241 BCE: Conquest of Sicily, First Punic War against Carthage
- 242 BCE: Office of Praetor peregrinus created
- 241 BCE: Sicily becomes the first Roman province : First Punic War Ends
- 238 BCE: Sardinia and Corsica become Roman Provinces in the "Truceless War" with Carthage
- 229 BCE: Adriatic Control : First Illyrian War begins.
- 227 BCE
- 224 BCE: Rome defeats Gaul invasion : Battle of Telamon
- 222 BCE: Rome defeats Gauls : Cisalpine Gaul
- 220 BCE: Adriatic Control : Second Illyrian War begins.
- 219 BCE: Demetrius defeated : Second Illyrian War ends.
- 218/201 BCE: Conquest Western Mediterranean : Second Punic War against Carthage. Rome is defeated at the Battle of the River Trebia.
- 216 BCE: Hannibal defeats Roman forces : Battle of Cannae
- 214/205 BCE: Stalemate : First Macedonian War
- 213/211 BCE: Rome captures Syracuse : Siege of Syracuse
- 204/202 BCE: Scipio Africanus Major invades Africa, Hannibal recalled and defeated : Battle of Zama
- 202/196 BCE: Philip V of Macedon defeated : Second Macedonian War
2nd century BCE
- 197 BCE:
- Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Tarraconensis become Roman provinces
- Number of quaestors raised from 8 to 12
- number of praetors raised from 4 to 6
- 192/189 BCE: Mediterranean Dominance : RomanβSyrian War
- 180 BCE : Lex Villia annalis:
- minimum ages for the cursus honorum offices
- established an interval of two years between offices
- 172/167 BCE: Macedon divided into 4 client republics : Third Macedonian War
- 154/138 BCE: Roman conquest south of Lusitania : Lusitanian War
- 149/146 BCE: Iberian Conquest : Third Punic War
- 149/148 BCE: Macedon brought under Roman rule : Fourth Macedonian War
- 149 BCE: Permanent extortion court established : Lex Calpurnia
- 146 BCE: Scipio Aemilianus Africanus :
- 133 BCE: Tribune Tiberius Gracchus secures agrarian reform and is murdered
- 121 BCE:
- Rome acquires Transalpine Gaul province (south of modern France)
- Safe land route to Hispania
- Senatus consultum de re publica defenda approved to pacify tribune Gaius Gracchus
- 112 BCE: Jughurta of Numidia attacks in Numidia : Jugurthine War Starts
- 107 BCE:
- Gaius Marius elected consul based on election promise to end the war in one year.
- Marian reforms of the Roman Legions put into effect.
- 106 BCE
- Gaius Marius re-elected consul in absentia, to continue the Jugurthine War
- 105 BCE
- Jughurta captured : Jugurthine War ends
- Cimbri tribes inflict a major defeat on the Roman army : Battle of Arausio
- 104/102 BCE: Gaius Marius elected consul for three years in a row
- 102 BCE: Gaius Marius consular armies defeat Teutons : Battle of Aquae Sextiae
- 101 BCE: Proconsul Marius and consul Quintus Lutatius Catulus lead defeat of Cimbri : Battle of Vercellae
- 100 BCE
- Gaius Marius re-elected consul for 6th term
- Lucius Appuleius Saturninus political scandal forces Gaius Marius to retire from public life.
1st century BCE
A graphical timeline is available at Timeline of the Roman Empire |
- 91/88 BCEβ Social War, the last rebellion of the Italian nations against Rome
- 88 BCEβ Sulla crosses the pomerium with his legions and invades Rome
- 88/85 BCEβ First Mithridatic War against Mithridates VI of Pontus
- 83/82 BCEβ First Roman civil war, between Sulla and the popular faction; Sulla wins and becomes dictator; censor office abolished (to be recreated in 70 BCE)
- 83/82 BCEβ Second Mithridatic War; Sulla returns to Rome and is nominated dictator
- 82/72 BCEβ Sertorius, the last Marian general continues the civil war in Hispania
- 74/66 BCEβ Third Mithridatic War, eventually won by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, aka Pompey
- 73/71 BCE- Servile War led by Spartacus
- 67 BCEβ Pompey clears the Mediterranean of pirates
- 63 BCE
- 60/54 BCEβ An informal coalition is formed by GΔius JΕ«lius Caesar, Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus to govern the Roman republic. This coalition is often referred to as the First triumvirate, even though it did not have the official sanction of law required for a legal triumvirate.
- 58/50 BCEβ Caesar fights the Gallic Wars, acquiring the province of Gallia Comata
- 54/53 BCEβ First campaign against the Parthian Empire; Crassus utterly defeated and killed
- 49 BCEβ Caesar crosses the Rubicon (alea iacta est) and begins the Second Roman civil war against the Optimates, the conservative faction of the Senate, led by Pompey
- 48/45 BCEβ Caesar pursues and defeats the Optimates in Greece and Africa
- 44 BCEβ Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March
- 44/42 BCEβ Third Roman civil war, between the assassins of Caesar (led by Cassius and Brutus) and Caesar's heirs, Octavian and Mark Antony
- 43 BCEβ Octavian, Antony and Lepidus form the second triumvirate
- 36 BCEβ Antony's Parthian campaign ends in failure
- 32 BCEβ End of peaceful relations between Octavian and Antony
- 31 BCEβ In the battle of Actium, Octavian decisively defeats Antony and Cleopatra
- 30 BCEβ Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide; Egypt becomes a Roman province
- 27 BCEβ End of the Republic, beginning of the Roman Empire: Octavian is now called Augustus Caesar and becomes the sole ruler of Rome
- 28/24 BCEβ Augustus' campaigns against the Cantabrians in Hispania Tarraconensis (see Cantabrian Wars)
- 16/15 BCEβ Augustus' campaigns against the Alpine tribes
- 12/7 BCEβ Tiberius and Drusus conquer Pannonia and campaign against the Germanic tribes
==1st century CE
- 5β Tiberius conquers Middle East
- 6β Judaea becomes a Roman province
- 6/9β Rebellions in Pannonia and Dalmatia suppressed by Germanicus
- 9β Three Roman legions are ambushed and massacred by the Germans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
- 11β Germania Inferior and the Rhine secured by Germanicus
- 14β Death of Augustus, Tiberius becomes emperor
- 14/15β Germanicus campaigns against the Germanic tribes
- 25β Caesar Germanicus adopts his nephew Castor as his heir
- 26β Tiberius retires to Capri, governing Rome by proxy
- 28β The tribe of the Frisii rebel because of taxes
- 31- The fall of Sejanus
- 37β Tiberius dies; Caligula becomes emperor
- 41β Caligula assassinated, Claudius becomes emperor
- 43β Claudius orders the Roman invasion of Britain
- 54β Claudius is allegedly poisoned by his wife Agrippina. Her son Nero becomes emperor
- 58/63β Nero orders war then peace with Parthia. Armenia is secured.
- 60/61β Boudica, queen of the Iceni, leads a rebellion in Britain.
- 64β Great Fire of Rome
- 66/74β First JewishβRoman War
- 68β military coup leads to Nero's suicideβ end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty; succeeded by Galba, Zealot Temple Siege in Jerusalem
- 69β Year of the Four Emperors: after the assassination of Galba, Otho and Vitellius briefly become emperors before Vespasian's accession to power in the end of the year; Flavian dynasty begins
- 69/70β Civilis leads the Batavian rebellion in Germania Inferior; defeated by Quintus Petillius Cerialis
- 71/84β Pacification of Britain, conquest of modern Wales and Scotland
- 79
- Titus becomes emperor
- August 24, An eruption of Vesuvius destroys much of Pompeii and Herculaneum
- 80βRome partially destroyed by fire
Marchβ Inauguration of the '"Colosseum'"
- 81β Titus dies suddenly; his brother Domitian becomes emperor
- 85β King Decebalus of Dacia rebels and invades Moesia
- 89β Rebellions in Germania Inferior and Pannonia force peace with Decebalus of Dacia
- 96β Domitian assassinatedβ end of Flavian dynasty; succeeded by Nerva, the first of the Five good emperors
- 98β Trajan becomes emperor
2nd century
- 101/102β First Dacian War
- 105/106β Second Dacian War; king Decebalus commits suicide and Dacia becomes a province
- 106β Building of Trajan's Forum and construction of Trajan's column
- 113/117β Trajan's successful campaigns against the Parthian Empire
- 115/117β Jewish rebellion that started in Egypt (Kitos War)
- 117β Hadrian becomes emperor
- 121/125β Hadrian travels through the Northern Empire
- 122β construction of Hadrian's Wall begins
- 128/132β Hadrian travels through Africa and the Eastern Empire
- 131/135 - Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt
- 138β Antoninus Pius becomes emperor
- 140/143β After a rebellion Antoninus conquers Scotland; construction of Antonine Wall begins
- 150/163β rebellions in Scotland, Antonine Wall is abandoned and reoccupied several times
- 161β Marcus Aurelius becomes emperor
- 162/166β Lucius Verus successful campaigns against the Parthian Empire
- 167β The tribe of the Marcomanni crosses the Danube and invades Dacia
- 168/175β Marcus Aurelius' campaigns against the Marcomanni
- 180β Death of Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five good emperors; Commodus becomes emperor
- 184β Antonine Wall abandoned for the last time
- 193β Commodus is murdered. After the short reigns of Pertinax and Didius Julianus, Septimius Severus becomes emperor. There is opposition from first Pescennius Niger and then Clodius Albinus
- 197β Septimius Severus secures the empire after the battle of Lugdunum
- 198β Septimius Severus invades Parthia
3rd century
- 208/211β Severus campaigns against the Caledonians
- 211β Severus dies. His sons Caracalla and Geta become joint emperors. Caracalla has Geta murdered shortly thereafter.
- 217β Caracalla assassinated; Macrinus becomes emperor
- 218β Macrinus deposed and executed, Elagabalus is installed on the throne
- 222β Elagabalus is murdered. Alexander Severus becomes emperor
- 231-33β War against Persia
- 235β Alexander killed in a soldier mutiny. Maximinus Thrax becomes emperor.
- 238β Year of the Six Emperors. The Senate supports a revolt of Gordian I and Gordian II in Africa. These two are defeated by an ally of Thrax, and the Senate appoints Balbinus and Pupienus as co-emperors. They are soon assassinated, and Thrax is killed in a mutiny. The young Gordian III becomes emperor.
- 241β Victory over the Persians at Resaina.
- 244β Romans defeated at Misiche. Philip the Arab becomes emperor.
- 249β Decius usurps the throne with support from the Danubian legions. He names his son Herennius co-emperor.
- 251β Decius and Herennius defeated and slain by Cniva, king of the Goths. Another son of Decius, Hostilian, is briefly emperor, but dies in a plague outbreak. Gallus and his son Volusianus become emperors.
- 252β King Shapur I of Persia defeats the Romans at Barbalissos.
- 253β Aemilianus becomes emperor after leading a revolt and Gallus and Volusianus are slain by their own troops. Valerian and his son Gallienus become emperors after Aemilianus is killed by his own soldiers. Shapur captures Antioch.
- 257β Valerian retakes Antioch. The Franks invade Gaul and Hispania. The Alemanni invades Italy but are defeated at Milan.
- 258β Goths invade Asia Minor
- 260β Valerian is taken captive by the Persians. Retreating Persian army attacked by Odaenathus of Palmyra. Postumus proclaimed emperor in Gaul. He is also supported in Hispania and Britain.
- 267β Odaenathus assassinated. His widow Zenobia takes control of Palmyra
- 268β Gallienus defeats Gothic invasion, but is later assassinated. Claudius II becomes emperor.
- 269β Postumus is killed. Victorinus proclaimed emperor in Gaul and Britain. The Palmyrenes takes Egypt and Syria. Claudius defeats the Goths at Naissus in Moesia.
- 270β Claudius dies of plague. After a brief rule by Claudius' brother Quintillus, Aurelian becomes emperor.
- 271β Aurelian campaigns against the Vandals, Juthungi and the Sarmatians. Victorinus is murdered and his soldiers proclaim Tetricus I emperor
- 272β Aurelian defeats Zenobia at Antioch and Emesa and takes Palmyra. Zenobia is captured. The province of Dacia is abandoned.
- 273β Palmyra revolts. The city is destroyed by Aurelian.
- 274β Aurelian defeats the army of Tericus at the Catalaunian fields.
- 275β Aurelian is murdered. Tacitus becomes emperor.
- 276β Tacitus dies. After the brief reign and assassination of Florianus, Probus becomes emperor.
- 277β The Burgundians, Longiones, Alemanni and Franks defeated.
- 279β Probus campaigns against the Vandals in Illyricum.
- 282β Carus proclaimed emperor. Probus killed by his own troops.
- 283β Carus dies during an invasion of Persia. His sons Carinus and Numerian become emperors.
- 284β Numerian dies. Diocletian proclaimed emperor and marches against Carinus.
- 285β Carinus dies in battle against Diocletian. Diocletian splits the empire into two halves and appoints Maximian emperor of the Western portion while Diocletian rules the East.
- 286β Carausius revolts in Britain.
- 293β Diocletian appoints Constantius I and Galerius as caesars. Carausius murdered by Allectus who proclaims himself emperor.
- 296β Allectus defeated and slain.
- 299β Galerius defeats the Sarmatians and the Carpi
4th century
- 301β Diocletian issues the Edict on Maximum Prices.
- 303β Diocletian orders the persecution of Christians.
- 305β Diocletian and Maximian abdicate. Constantius and Galerius becomes Augusti. Maximinus is appointed Caesar in the east and Severus in the west.
- 306β Constantius dies at York. His son Constantine I proclaimed emperor. Maxentius, son of Maximian, proclaims himself emperor in Rome.
- 307β Maxentius reinvests his father Maximian as emperor. Severus is put to death. Galerius lays siege to Rome.
- 308β Conference of Carnuntum. Diocletian convinces Maximian to step down. Licinius appointed Caesar in the East.
- 310β Maximian again proclaims himself emperor, but is captured by Constantine. He commits suicide.
- 311β Galerius dies at Sardica. Maximinus and Licinius split his realm between them.
- 312β Constantine defeats and kills Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. Licinius marries Constantine's sister Constantia. Constantine converts to Christianity.
- 313β Licinus defeats Maximinus twice. Maximinus dies at Tarsus.
- Constantine issues Edict of Milan, ending persecution of Christians and establishing religious toleration throughout the Empire.
- 314β Constantine defeats Licinius at Cibalae
- 317β Constantine defeats Licinius on the Campus Ardiensis. Licinius forced to cede all his European provinces except Thrace.
- 318β Excommunication of Arius.
- 324β Constantine defeats Licinius at the Hebrus River and at Chrysopolis. Licinius abdicates.
- 325β The Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
- 326β Constantine orders the death of his oldest son, Crispus.
- 330β Constantine makes Constantinople the capital.
- 332β Constantine campaigns against the Goths.
- 334β Constantine campaigns against the Sarmatians.
- 337β Constantine dies at Nicomedia. His three sons, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans become emperors.
- On the years 337β361, see also: Itineraries of the Roman emperors, 337β361
- 338β Constantine II defeats the Alemanni. War with Persia.
- 340β Constantine II invades Italy. He is ambushed and slain by Constans at Aquileia.
- 341β Constans and Constantius II issue a ban against pagan sacrifice.
- 347β The Donatists revolt in Africa.
- 348β Constantius defeats the Persians at the Siege of Singara.
- 350β Magnentius usurps the throne in the west. Constans is captured and killed. Nepotianus attacks Rome with a band of gladiators
- 351β Constantius appoints his cousin Constantius Gallus as Caesar. Magnentius is defeated at Mursa.
- 353β Constantius defeats Magnentius at Mons Seleuci. Magnentius commits suicide.
- 354β Constantius Gallus is put to death.
- 355β Julian is appointed Caesar in Gaul.
- 357β Julian defeats the Franks at Strasbourg.
- 360β With a Persian war imminent, Constantius orders Julian to send several legions east. The troops mutiny and proclaim Julian Augustus.
- 361β Constantius dies of illness, naming Julian his successor. Julian openly declares himself a pagan, but his attempt at rejuvenating paganism in the empire fails.
- 363β Julian invades Persia, but forced to retreat, he is mortally wounded during a skirmish and dies. Jovian is proclaimed emperor.
- 364β Jovien dies of accidental asphyxiation. Valentinian I becomes emperor and splits the empire with his brother Valens.
- 375β Valentinian dies and is succeeded by Gratian as Western emperor.
- 378β Valens is defeated and killed by the Goths at the Battle of Adrianople. Theodosius I succeeds him as Eastern emperor.
- 380- Edict of Thessalonica issued by Theodosius I makes Christianity the State church of the Roman Empire
- 384β Gratian is murdered, Valentinian II becomes emperor.
- 392β Valentinian II dies of apparent suicide, though murder by Arbogast is more likely. Arbogast installs the puppet Eugenius on the Western throne, but Theodosius refuses to recognize the usurper.
- 394β Eugenius and Arbogast are deposed and killed by Theodosius, who briefly reunites the empire for the last time.
- 395β Theodosius I dies, leaving the Western empire to his son Honorius and the Eastern empire to his son Arcadius.
5th century
- 410β Rome is sacked by Alaric I
- 423β After a long and disastrous reign, Honorius dies; succeeded by the usurper Joannes
- 425β Valentinian III becomes Western emperor
- 447β Eastern Rome loses to Attila the Hun
- 452β Attila the Hun is turned away from Rome by Pope Leo I.
- 455β Valentinian III is assassinated and succeeded by Petronius Maximus as emperor. Rome is plundered by the Vandals, and Maximus is killed during mob violence. Avitus becomes emperor of the west.
- 457β Avitus is deposed by the magister militum Ricimer and killed. Majorian is installed as Western emperor.
- 461β Majorian is deposed by Ricimer. Libius Severus becomes Western emperor.
- 465β Libius Severus dies, possibly poisoned by Ricimer.
- 467β Anthemius becomes western emperor with the support of Leo I.
- 468β War against the Vandals by the joint forces of both empires. Naval expedition ends in failure.
- 472β Ricimer kills Anthemius and makes Olybrius new western emperor. Both Ricimer and Olybrius die of natural causes. Gundobad becomes magister militum in Italy.
- 473β Gundobad makes Glycerius new western emperor.
- 474β Gundobad leaves Italy to take part in a succession struggle among the Burgundians. Glycerius is deposed by Julius Nepos who proclaims himself western emperor.
- 475β Julius Nepos forced to flee to Dalmatia by his magister militum Orestes. Orestes proclaims his own son Romulus Augustulus as western emperor.
- 476β Germanic general Odoacer kills Orestes, forces Romulus Augustus to abdicate and proclaims himself King of Italy. Traditional date for the fall of the western Roman Empire. The Eastern Roman Empire (later known as the Byzantine Empire) continues on.
- 480β Julius Nepos, still claiming to be emperor, is killed in Dalmatia.
6th century and beyond
- 533β Justinian I begins to restore the empire in the west; Belisarius defeats the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum and the Battle of Tricamarum
- 536β Belisarius recaptures Rome from the Ostrogoths
- 552β Narses defeats the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Taginae
- 553β Narses defeats the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Mons Lactarius
- 568β The Lombards invade Italy; no further attempts to restore the empire
- 607β Emperor Phocas donates The Pantheon to the Pope and has a column erected in the Forum.
- 640- The Roman legion of the East Roman army is disbanded, and the theme systems is introduced.
- 663β Constans II is the last emperor to visit Rome, and the city gradually slips out of imperial control
- 976- Basil II effectively becomes Emperor of the Romans after the death of John I Tzimiskes.
- 1014-Basil crushes Bulgarian forces in the battle of kliedion, and he is called the "Father of the army" by his troops.
- 1025-The eastern Roman empire is at its peak in the eleventh century, regaining its foothold in the Balkans and southern Italy. Yet marks the death of Basil II.
- 1071- The battle of manzikert devastated Byzantine forces in Anatolia losing the themata and tagmata to the Seljuk Turks.
- 1204β Crusaders sack Constantinople and establish the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
- 1261β Michael VIII Palaiologos recovers Constantinople from the Latin Empire.
- 1453β Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks. End of the Byzantine/eastern Roman Empire.
- 1461β Trebizond falls to the Ottoman Turks. End of the Empire of Trebizond and of the last remnant of the Roman Empire.
See also
- History of Rome
- Ancient Rome
- Founding of Rome
- Roman Kingdom
- Roman Republic
- Roman Empire
- Eastern Roman Empire
- List of ancient Romans
- List of Roman battles
- Military history of ancient Rome
- Political institutions of ancient Rome
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