The Roman army, famed for its discipline, organisation, and innovation in both weapons and tactics, allowed Rome to build and defend a huge empire which for centuries would dominate the Mediterranean world and beyond.
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Definition
Timeline
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750 BCE - 510 BCEThe semi-legendary celeres or trossuli - a 300-man cavalry corps which the first kings of Rome incorporated into the legion - is formed, later their number is increased to 600.
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578 BCE - 535 BCEServius Tullius, the king of Rome, increases the number of the cavalry corps (equites) to 1,800.
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498 BCE - 493 BCERome defeats the Latins.
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c. 400 BCEThe Roman cavalry is expanded to include riders who can pay for their own horse.
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396 BCERoman expansion begins with the capture of Veii from the Etruscans.
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c. 390 BCE"Gallic Catastrophe:" Brennus of the Senones defeats the Romans at Allia, and subsequently sacks Rome.
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343 BCE - 341 BCEFirst Samnite War (Rome vs. Samnites).
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326 BCE - 304 BCESecond Samnite War.
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298 BCE - 290 BCEThird Samnite War. Victory for Rome, peace with the Etruscans.
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297 BCECelts and Samnites join forces and defeat the Romans at Camertium.
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c. 295 BCEIn a battle lasting all day, Romans narrowly defeat a force of Celts and Samnites at Sentinum.
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285 BCE - 282 BCERome defeats the Celts in Italy. Rome's dominance in central Italy is secured.
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284 BCEGauls of the Insubres and Boii tribes defeat the Romans at Arretium.
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283 BCERome decisively defeats the Senones at Picenum.
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280 BCE - 272 BCERoman war against Tarentum. Rome conquers Tarentum. Rome's dominance in lower Italy is secured.
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264 BCE - 241 BCEFirst Punic War. Carthage cedes Sicily to Rome.
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c. 250 BCE - c. 200 CEOriginally a Celtiberian weapon, the Gladius Hispaniensis was commonly used by Roman soldiers for more than four centuries.
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229 BCE - 228 BCERome fights Illyrian pirates. Queen Teuta pays tribute to Rome.
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222 BCERome conquers Cisalpine Gaul (modern-day Provence, France).
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Aug 216 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Cannae, the worst defeat in Roman history.
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214 BCE - 205 BCEFirst Macedonian War: Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon.
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200 BCE - 196 BCESecond Macedonian War: Roman victory.
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194 BCERomans defeat Antiochus III at Battle of Magnesia.
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193 BCEThe Boii are defeated by the Romans, suffering, according to Livy, 14,000 dead.
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190 BCEBattle of Magnesia ad Sipylum, disastrous defeat for Antiochos III against Romans.
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172 BCE - 168 BCEThird Macedonian War: Perseus of Macedon challenges Rome and is defeated.
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Jun 168 BCERomans defeat Perseus of Macedon at Pydna.
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149 BCE - 146 BCEThird Punic War.
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149 BCERome sends an army of 80,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry to attack Carthage.
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133 BCERome captures Numantia. End of Iberian resistance.
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113 BCERomans defeated at Noreia by the Cimbri.
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107 BCE - 100 BCEGaius Marius reforms the Roman army.
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c. 100 BCERoman cavalry riders are by now classified as auxilia and organised in wings or alae.
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88 BCE - 63 BCEMithridates of Pontus fights three wars to free Greece from Rome.
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86 BCEThe Roman general Sulla sacks Athens and the port of Piraeus.
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63 BCEThe Roman general Pompey defeats the Seleucid Antiochus XIII and incorporates Syria as a province of the Roman empire.
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58 BCE - 51 BCEJulius Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
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58 BCECaesar attacks the Helvetii while on migration and defeats them.
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57 BCEA Roman army under Caesar narrowly defeats an army of Nervii, Atrebates, and Viromandui.
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56 BCEThe navies of Rome and the Veneti Gauls clash resulting in a Roman victory. This is the first recorded naval battle in the Atlantic Ocean.
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55 BCE - 54 BCEJulius Caesar's expeditions in Britain.
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53 BCEBattle of Carrhae. Crassus is captured and executed by the Parthians.
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52 BCEJulius Caesar is defeated at Gergovia by Vercingetorix.
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52 BCEAfter becoming trapped and besieged at Alesia, Vercingetorix surrenders to Caesar.
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27 BCE - 19 BCECantabrian Wars: Roman conquest of the Iberian Penninsula.
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27 BCEAugustus creates the Praetorian Guard.
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2 BCEAugustus appoints two Prefects (praefectus praetorio) to command the Praetorian Guard.
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5 CEThe term of service for the Praetorian Guard is extended from 12 to 16 years.
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6 CEAugustus creates the aerarium militare, a treasury drawn from taxes in order to fund a professional Roman army.
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9 CEThe Rhine River is established as the boundary between the Latin and German speaking worlds, following the defeat of the Roman army, under the command of Varus, at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.
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15 CEGermanicus leads 12,000 men across the Rhine to attack the Chatti.
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c. 23 CEThe castra praetoria, permanent camp of the Praetorian Guard, is built in Rome by Sejanus.
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43 CEClaudius commences the Roman conquest of Britain.
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60 CE - 61 CEBoudicca's Revolt in Britain.
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75 CE - 77 CERomans defeat the last of the Northern tribes; Roman conquest of Britain complete.
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101 CE - 106 CETrajan conquers Dacia.
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167 CE - 180 CEMarcomannic Wars.
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192 CEEmperor Commodus is murdered, civil war ensues (until 197 CE).
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195 CEFirst Parthian war.
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270 CEThe cohortes urbanae in Rome is given its own camp, the castra Urbana.
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293 CEEmperor Carausius assassinated by Allectus.
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312 CEConstantine defeats Maxentius at Milvian Bridge.
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Sep 324 CEConstantine I defeats Licinius at Chrysopolis.
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367 CEPicts, Scots, Saxons, and Franks attack the Roman Empire.
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455 CEVandals sack Rome.
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488 CE - 493 CETheodoric the Great of the Ostrogoths conquers Italy.
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536 CE - 562 CEThe Byzantine Empire conquers Italy.
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607 CE - 627 CEEast Rome defeats Sasanian Persia.