The Roman Empire, at its height (c. 117), was the most extensive political and social structure in western civilization. Building upon the foundation laid by the Roman Republic, the empire became the largest and most powerful political and military entity in the world up to its time and expanded steadily until its fall, in the west, in 476.
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Definition
Timeline
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753 BCEThe legendary founding date of Rome.
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212 BCEThe Romans conquer Saguntum from the Carthaginians.
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206 BCE - 205 BCEThe Romans conquer Gades. End of the Carthaginian presence on the Iberian Peninsula.
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191 BCEDelphi comes under Roman control.
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c. 191 BCEThe Achaean League signs a treaty of alliance with Rome.
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188 BCERome gives Samos its independence.
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166 BCERome gives dominion over the Cyclades to Athens.
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c. 150 BCEMacedonia becomes a Roman province.
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150 BCEThe Lusitani are betrayed and slaughtered by the Romans.
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148 BCECorcyra is made part of the Roman province of Macedonia.
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146 BCEThessalonica is made the captial of the Roman province of Macedon.
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146 BCEEnd of the Third Punic War. Carthage is destroyed and its lands become the Roman province Africa.
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146 BCEUtica is made the capital of the Roman province of Africa.
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133 BCELydia and its captial Sardis comes under Roman rule.
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129 BCESamos becomes part of the Roman province of Asia.
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96 BCECyrenaica becomes a Roman province.
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74 BCEThe city of Cyrene comes under Roman control.
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64 BCETyre becomes a Roman colony.
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64 BCEByblos conquered by the Roman general Pompey the Great.
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63 BCEJerash in Jordan becomes part of the Roman province of Syria.
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48 BCEButrint formally becomes a Roman colony.
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44 BCEJulius Caesar founds the Roman colony of Corinth.
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41 BCERome takes control over Naxos in the Cyclades.
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37 BCE - 4 BCEReign of Herod the Great over Judea.
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31 BCEOctavian uses Corcyra as a Roman naval base.
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30 BCEEgypt becomes province of the Roman Empire.
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30 BCE - 476 CEEgypt remains a province of the Roman Empire.
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27 BCE - 19 BCECantabrian Wars: Roman conquest of the Iberian Penninsula.
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27 BCEPhilippi gains the honorary title of Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis.
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c. 27 BCEAugustus makes Gortyn the capital of the Roman province of Crete & Cyrene.
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25 BCEGalatia is peacefully absorbed into the Roman Empire.
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14 BCE - 96 CERome launches an extensive cultural patronage and construction programme in Iberia.
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1 CE - 100 CEMithraism spreads in the Roman empire.
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6 CEPublius Quinctilius Varus is made governor of Germania.
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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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43 CERomans invade Britain under Aulus Plautius.
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43 CE - 47 CERomans conquer South Britain and claim the territory as part of Roman Empire.
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43 CEClaudius commences the Roman conquest of Britain.
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44 CECaesarea made capital of imperial province.
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47 CE - 50 CELondinium (London) founded, roads constructed.
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51 CEBriton rebel leader Caratacus defeated, rebellion crushed.
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54 CE - 60 CERoman general Corbulo successfully campaigns in Armenia.
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68 CE - 69 CEYear of the Four Emperors: Civil war in Rome.
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75 CE - 77 CERomans defeat the last of the Northern tribes; Roman conquest of Britain complete.
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76 CE - 138 CELife of Emperor Hadrian.
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85 CE - 86 CEDacians invade Moesia and defeat the Romans.
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86 CEThe Roman general Cornelius Fuscus invades Dacia. He is ambushed and his army is annihilated.
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88 CEResolved to avenge Fuscus' defeat, Domitian sends another army to Dacia under Tettius Iulianus. This general is victorious on the mountainous pass of Tapae, in the south-west of modern Romania.
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101 CE - 106 CETrajan conquers Dacia.
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106 CEJerash in Jordan becomes part of the Roman province of Arabia.
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115 CE - 117 CERome occupies Mesopotamia.
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116 CEInvasion and annexation of the Fertile Crescent region by Rome under Trajan.
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11 Aug 117 CE - 10 Jul 138 CEReign of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
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121 CE - 125 CEFirst trip of Hadrian around the Empire: Gaul, Germania, Noricum, Britain, Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia, Asia, Greece, Moesia, Dacia, and Pannonia.
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26 Apr 121 CE - 17 Mar 180 CELife of Marcus Aurelius.
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142 CEThe Antonine Wall built under Antoninus Pius, north of Hadrian's Wall.
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165 CE - 167 CEPlague epidemic in the Roman empire.
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167 CEMarcomanni sack Aquileia.
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167 CE - 180 CEMarcomannic Wars.
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168 CEGermanic tribes cross the Danube into the Roman Empire.
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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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197 CE - 198 CESecond Parthian war.
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198 CE - 209 CEReign of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus.
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200 CECompletion of the Roman road system.
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c. 204 CE - 270 CELife of Plotinus.
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209 CE - Dec 211 CEReign of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus and his brother Geta (Feb - Dec 211 only with Geta).
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212 CECaracalla's edict grants Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire.
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212 CERome withdraws from region of Scotland.
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212 CERoman citizenship granted to all inhabitants of the empire.
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232 CEEmperor Maximinus Thrax commands a legion in Egypt.
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234 CEEmperor Maximinus Thrax is governor of Mesopotamia.
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238 CEYear of the Six Emperors in the Roman Empire.
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242 CEOsroene, with its capital at Edessa, is made into a Roman province.
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250 CEThessalonica is made a Roman colony.
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260 CEShapur I captures the Roman emperor Valerian at Edessa.
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261 CEThugga is made a Roman colonia.
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262 CE - 266 CEOdaenathus expels Persian garrisons and restores Syria and Armenia to the Roman Empire. Odaenathus invades Mesopotamia, and inflicts two defeats upon Shapur I, which ends with the sack of Ctesiphon.
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Sep 270 CE - c. Sep 275 CEReign of Roman emperor Aurelian.
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271 CEAurelian defends the Roman Empire against Juthungi, Alamanni, and Marcomanni incursions.
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272 CE - 273 CEAurelian successfully campaigns against Palmyra.
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285 CEThe Roman empire is split into the Western and Eastern Roman empires.
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312 CERoman emperor Constantine I tolerates Christianity.
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337 CEAscension of Constantius II.
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337 CEDeath of Emperor Constantine I.
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361 CEDeath of Constantius II.
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367 CEPicts, Scots, Saxons, and Franks attack the Roman Empire.
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376 CEThe Visigoths are fleeing the Huns, entering the Eastern Roman Empire.
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391 CEEmperor Theodosius I closes pagan temples.
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410 CERome withdraws forces from Britain.
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410 CEThe Romans withdraw from Britain.
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426 CERoman Emperor Theodosius II orders closure of Epidaurus sanctuary.
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439 CEVandals take Carthage from the Western Roman Empire and make it their new capital.
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523 CEEmperor Justinian seizes Caesarea.
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565 CEDeath of Justinian I after 38 years ruling the Roman Empire.
