In the late 6th century BCE, the small city-state of Rome overthrew the shackles of monarchy and created a republican government that, in theory if not always in practice, represented the wishes of its citizens. From this basis the city would go on to conquer all of the Italian peninsula and large parts of the Mediterranean world and beyond. The Republic and its institutions of government would endure for five centuries, until, wrecked by civil wars, it would transform into a Principate ruled by emperors. Even then many of the political bodies, notably the Senate, created in the Republican period would endure, albeit with a reduction in power.
More about: Roman Republic9 days left
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Definition
Timeline
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753 BCEThe legendary founding date of Rome.
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534 BCE - 510 BCEReign of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, last king of Rome.
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509 BCEQuaestors become a prominent position in the Roman Republic.
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495 BCELucius Tarquinius Superbus, last king of Rome, dies in exile at Cumae.
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484 BCEThe first temple of the Dioscuri (Castor & Pollux) is dedicated in Rome's Forum Romanum by Aulus Postumius following his victory over the Latins at the Battle of Lake Regillus.
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450 BCEThe number of Roman quaestors is increased to four and made open to plebians.
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450 BCEThe laws of the 'Twelve Tables', the basis of Roman law, are compiled.
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c. 440 BCERoman quaestors are chosen by the assembly rather than the consuls.
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367 BCELivy mentions Celtic armies in Ancona and one such group moves against Rome once more.
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343 BCE - 341 BCEFirst Samnite War (Rome vs. Samnites).
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340 BCE - 338 BCELatin War, victory for Rome.
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334 BCERome signs a peace treaty with the Senones tribe.
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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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294 BCEA Roman army led by L. Postimius Megellus defeats an army from Etruscan Volsinii.
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285 BCERoman forces heavily defeat the Senones at Lake Vadimo.
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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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283 BCERomans defeat the Etruscans and Celts at lake Vadimo.
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282 BCEA Celtic army with many youth among their ranks is again defeated by Romans.
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280 BCEThe Romans conquer the Etruscan cities of Tarquinia, Volsinii and Vulci.
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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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241 BCE - 238 BCEThe rebellion of the mercenaries: Unpaid mercenaries under the leadership of Mathos and Spendios rebel against Carthage. Despite a peace treaty, Rome seizes the opportunity to strip Carthage of Sardinia and Corsica.
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229 BCE - 228 BCERome fights Illyrian pirates. Queen Teuta pays tribute to Rome.
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225 BCETwo Roman armies surround and defeat a Celtic army at Telamon.
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223 BCERomans successfully campaign against Celtic tribes of Cisalpine Gaul.
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222 BCEThe Celts are defeated at Clastidium by Roman forces.
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222 BCERome conquers Cisalpine Gaul (modern-day Provence, France).
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219 BCEIllyrian coast is under Roman control.
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216 BCE"Hannibal ante portas." Hannibal directly threatens the city of Rome, but cannot advance due to lack of supplies and reinforcements.
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Aug 216 BCEHannibal wins the battle of Cannae, the worst defeat in Roman history.
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c. 215 BCE - c. 216 BCEThe Boii crush a Roman army 25,000 strong at Litana. Victory was, in part, achieved by pushing precariously cut trees down atop the horrified Romans as they marched.
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214 BCE - 205 BCEFirst Macedonian War: Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon.
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204 BCEScipio Africanus sails to North Africa in the Second Punic War.
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201 BCESyracuse joins the Roman Republic, province of Sicily is formed.
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200 BCE - 196 BCESecond Macedonian War: Roman victory.
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193 BCEThe Boii are defeated by the Romans, suffering, according to Livy, 14,000 dead.
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191 BCE - 134 BCEVarious resistance movements against Rome in Iberia. Viriato leads the Lusitanians against Rome from 154 to 139 BC.
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191 BCEAntiochus III and his army, including many Galatians, are defeated by Rome at Magnesia.
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190 BCEBattle of Magnesia ad Sipylum, disastrous defeat for Antiochos III against Romans.
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c. 188 BCEThe treaty of Apamea Kibotos. Peace and alliance is established between the Seleucid Empire and Rome joined by its allies, such as Pergamon and Rhodes. The Seleucids have to evacuate all the land and the cities from Asia Minor and to pay a huge war indemnity.
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172 BCE - 168 BCEThird Macedonian War: Perseus of Macedon challenges Rome and is defeated.
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149 BCE - 146 BCEThird Punic War.
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146 BCERome sacks Corinth and dissolves the Achaean league. Greece is ruled by Rome.
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146 BCERoman influence over Greece begins to rise.
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137 BCE4,000 Celtiberians trap a force of 20,000 Romans at Numantia forcing their surrender.
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133 BCERome captures Numantia. End of Iberian resistance.
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133 BCEAttalus III, the last king of Pergamon, bequeathes the whole of Pergamon to Rome.
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133 BCENumantia falls to the Romans who besiege the oppidum. Mass suicide ensues among many of the survivors. Land reforms by Tiberius Gracchus.
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125 BCERome intervenes on behalf of Massalia against the Saluvii Celts.
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121 BCEGallia Narbonensis becomes a Roman province.
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113 BCERomans defeated at Noreia by the Cimbri.
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109 BCECimbri defeat a Roman army under Julius Silanus.
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106 BCEThe governor of the Roman province of Macedonia, M. Minucius Rufus, celebrates his victory over a raid of the Dacians allied with the Celtic tribe of the Scordiscii in the Balkans.
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106 BCERoman statesman and orator Cicero is born.
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105 BCECimbri, Teutons, and Ambrones are victorious at Arausio killing 60,000 Romans.
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102 BCEMarius, after reforming the Roman army, defeats the Teutons and Ambrones at Aquae Sextiae.
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101 BCEAt Vercellae the Romans crush the Cimbri.
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91 BCE - 89 BCESocial War between Rome and its Italian allies. Italians want Roman Citizenship and equal share in power. Only won by Rome by granting the Italian wishes.
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89 BCE - 63 BCEMithridatic Wars between Mithridates VI and Roman Republic .
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88 BCE - 87 BCEFirst Civil War between Marius and Sulla. First march on Rome by Sulla.
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83 BCEPompey fights under the Roman dictator Sulla.
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83 BCE - 82 BCESulla's second march on Rome. Mass Proscriptions.
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80 BCESulla is persuaded to give Pompey his first triumph in Rome.
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72 BCECrixos, a Celt and second in command under Spartacus, is killed. 300 Romans are sacrificed in his honor.
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71 BCEPompey is granted his second triumph for his victories in Spain.
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70 BCEPompey and Crassus are made consuls.
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67 BCEThe Gabinian Law is passed, giving Pompey great power to deal with pirates.
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66 BCEThe Manilian Law is passed, giving Pompey great power to deal with Mithridates VI of Pontus.
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64 BCEGalatia becomes a client state of Rome.
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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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62 BCEPompey returns to Italy, and disbands his army upon landing.
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60 BCE - 53 BCEFirst Triumvirate' between Caesar, Pompey and Crassus.
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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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58 BCE - 57 BCECicero is exiled from Rome.
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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 BCECaesar attempts to invade Britain.
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54 BCECaesar successfully invades Britain but withdraws to Gaul.
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54 BCE - 43 CERoman influence grows in Britain owing to trade.
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54 BCE - 53 BCEAmbiorix of the Eburones tribe destroys around 9,000 Roman soldiers at Atuatuca.
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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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51 BCECaesar's siege and capture of Uxellodunum ends the Gallic War.
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49 BCE - 48 BCEBurebistas sends Acornion of Dionysopolis as ambassador to negotiate an alliance with Pompey.
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49 BCECaesar crosses the Rubicon. Civil war between Caesar and Pompey begins.
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46 BCEThe Bellovaci unsuccessfully rise against Roman rule in Belgica.
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44 BCEThe Allobroges unsuccessfully rise against Roman rule in southern Gaul.
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44 BCECaesar becomes dictator for life. On the 'Ides of March' (15th) he is killed by conspirators including Brutus and Cassius. Octavian, son of Caesars niece Atia, is posthumously adopted as his heir.
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43 BCE - 36 BCESecond Triumvirate: Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus (official approval by the Roman Senate). Mass proscriptions including Cicero.
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43 BCERoman statesman and orator Cicero dies.
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42 BCEOctavian and Antony defeat Republicans under Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi (Greece).
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36 BCEOctavian strips Lepidus of all power but Pontifex Maximus (supreme priest). Lepidus dies of old age in 12 BC.
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33 BCEThe Belgic Morini and the Celts of Aquitania unsuccessfully rise against Roman rule.
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2 Sep 31 BCEThe Battle of Actium. Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
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27 BCEOctavian is given extraordinary powers and the name Augustus by the Roman Senate.
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