Timeline of ancient Rome

This is a Timeline of events concerning ancient Rome, from the city foundation until the last attempt of the Roman Empire of the East to conquer Rome.

8th century BC

753 BC – Traditional date for the founding of Rome by Romulus; Rome as a kingdom
753/715 BC – reign of Romulus
715/673 BC – reign of Numa Pompilius: creation of the Roman senate and the priestly offices

7th century BC

673/642 BC – reign of Tullus Hostilius: building of the Curia Hostilia – the senate-house
642/617 BC – reign of Ancus Marcius
617/578 BC – reign of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus: building of the Circus Maximus, Rome gets the first system of sewers; first census

6th century BC

578/534 BC – reign of Servius Tullius: defined the sacred boundary of Rome - the pomerium
534/509 BC – reign of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king: builds temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus
509 BC – Roman Republic begins: expulsion of Tarquinius Superbus: first consuls are Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
508 BC – The office of pontifex maximus (high priest) is created

5th century BC

496 BC – Rome defeats the Etruscans at the battle of Lake Regillus
494 BC – Two tribunes of the plebs and two plebeian aediles are elected for the first time
459 BC – The college of the tribune of the Plebs is raised from two to ten tribunes
451 BC – The Decemviri publishes the Twelve Tables of Roman law
447 BC – Assembly of the People created: two quaestors elected for the first time
445 BC - Marriage between patricians and plebeians allowed
443 BC
- The office of consul is replaced by an assembly of military tribune 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 BC – Number of quaestors raised from 2 to 4; office opened to plebeians
408 BC – Consul replaced with Tribuni militum consulari potestate continuously from this point on.

4th century BC

396 BC
- 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 BC – Office of consul replaces Tribuni militum consulari potestate.
391 BC – Office of Tribuni militum consulari potestate replaces office of consul.
390 BC – The Gauls defeat the Roman army at the battle of the Allia; sack of Rome by the Gauls
375/371 BC – Anarchy years: no magistrates elected
367 BC – Office of consul replaces Tribuni militum consulari potestate for last time.
366 BC –
- Elected the first non-patrician consul: Lucius Sextius Sextinus
- Office of Praetor urbanus created
351 BC – Elected the first non-patrician censor
343 BC – Beginning of the First Samnite war
342 BC
- Battle of Mount Gaurus.
- Lex Genucia passed: no man can hold the same office before 10 years have elapsed from the first election
341 BC – Rome withdraws from the conflict with the Samnites. End of First Samnite war.
340 BC – Rome enters the Latin War on the side of the Samnites.
338 BC – End of the Latin War. Latin League dissolved, and territory placed under Roman control.
326 BC – Second Samnite war begins.
321 BC – Battle of the Caudine Forks.
316 BC – Battle of Lautulae.
311 BC – Etruscans join the Samnites against Rome.
310 BC – Battle of Lake Vadimo between Rome and the Etruscans.
308 BC – The Second Samnite war escalates when the Umbrians, Picentini, and Marsians join the war against Rome.
306 BC – The Hernici revolt against Rome (Livy ix. 42).
305 BC – Battle of Bovianum ends with Samnite defeat and the end of main Samnite resistance.
304 BC – Aequi defeated.
304 BC – End of the Second Samnite War. Rome establishes many new colonies and gains control over much of central and southern Italy.
300 BC – Lex Ogulnia passed: priesthoods opened to plebeians

3rd century BC

298 BC – Third Samnite war begins
298 BC – The Romans capture the Samnite cities of Taurasia, Bovianum Vetus and Aufidena.
297 BC – Consul Fabius Maximus Rullianus defeats the Samnites near Tifernum (Liv. 10.14).
295 BC – Battle of Sentinum.
294 BC – Samnite victory at Luceria.
293 BC – Battle of Aquilonia.
291 BC – The Romans storm the Samnite city of Venusia.
290 BC – End of the third Samnite War.
283 BC – Rome defeats the Etruscans and the Boii (a Gallic tribe) in the Battle of Lake Vadimo
281 BC - Mounting tensions between Rome and Tarentum. Tarentum appeals to Pyrrhus of Epirus for aid.
280 BC
- Pyrrhus lands army in Italy. Begiining of the Pyrrhic War.
- Battle of Heraclea
279 BC – Battle of Asculum.
275 – Battle of Beneventum.
272 BC
- Pyrrhus withdraws to Epirus, end of the Pyrrhic War.
- Tarentum surrenders to Rome.
267 BC – Number of quaestors raised from 4 to 6
264/241 BC – First Punic War against Carthage
242 BC - Office of Praetor peregrinus created
241 BC – Following the defeat of Carthage, Sardinia and Corsica becomes the first Roman province
229 BC – First Illyrian War begins.
227 BC
- First Illyrian War ends with the surrender of Queen Teuta.
- Number of quaestors raised from 6 to 8; number of praetors raised from 2 to 4
224 BC – Rome defeats invading Gallic army at the Battle of Telamon
223 BC – Rome defeats Gauls in Cisalpine Gaul
220 BC – Second Illyrian War begins.
219 BC – Second Illyrian War ends.
218/201 BC – Second Punic War against Carthage. Rome is deafeated at the Battle of the River Trebia.
216 BC – Hannibal inflicts a disaster for Rome at the Battle of Cannae
214/205 BC – First Macedonian War, Romans defeated
213/211 BC – Siege of Syracuse, Rome captures the city
204/202 BC – Scipio Africanus Major invades Africa, Hannibal recalled and defeated in the Battle of Zama in 202 BC
202/196 BC – Second Macedonian War, Roman victory

2nd century BC

197 BC –
- 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 BC – Syrian war against the Seleucid dynasty
180 BC – Lex Villia annalis: established minimum ages for the cursus honorum offices; determined an interval of two years between offices
172/167 BC – Third Macedonian War, Roman victory
154/138 BC – War against the Lusitanians
149/146 BC – Third Punic War against Carthage
149/148 BC – Fourth Macedonian War
149 BC – A permanent extortion court is established by Lex Calpurnia
146 BC – Scipio Aemilianus Africanus (Scipio Africanus the Younger) puts an end in the Punic and Macedonian threat by destroying the cities of Carthage and Corinth; Macedonia and Africa are annexed as provinces
133 BC – The tribune Tiberius Gracchus is murdered after approving an agrarian reform
121 BC
- Rome acquires the province of Transalpine Gaul (south of modern France) and a safe land route to Hispania
- The Senate approves the first Senatus consultum de re publica defenda to deal with the threat of violence started by tribune Gaius Gracchus
112 BC – Jugurthine War against king Jughurta of Numidia begins.
107 BC
- 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 BC
- Gaius Marius elected consul a second time, and in absentia, to continue the Jugurthine War.
105 BC
- Jugurthine War ends with the capture of Jughurta.
- The invading tribe of the Cimbri inflict a major defeat on the Roman army in the battle of Arausio
104/102 BC - Gaius Marius elected consul for three years in a row
102 BC - Consular armies under Gaius Marius defeat Teutons in the Battle of Aquae Sextiae
101 BC - Romans under Marius (proconsul) and Quintus Lutatius Catulus (consul) defeat the Cimbri in the Battle of Vercellae
100 BC
- Gaius Marius elected consul for a 6th time.
- Political scandal surrounding Lucius Appuleius Saturninus forces Gaius Marius to retire from public life.

1st century BC

91/88 BC – Social wars, the last rebellion of the Italian nations against Rome
88 BC – Sulla crosses the pomerium with his legions and invades Rome
88/85 BC – First Mithridatic War against Mithridates VI of Pontus
83/82 BC – First Roman civil war, between Sulla and the popular faction; Sulla wins and becomes dictator; censor office abolished (to be recreated in 70 BC)
83/82 BC – Second Mithridatic War; Sulla returns to Rome and is nominated dictator
82/72 BC – Sertorius, the last Marian general continues the civil war in Hispania
74/66 BC – Third Mithridatic War, eventually won by Pompey
67 BC – Pompey clears the Mediterranean of pirates
63 BC –
- Fall of Jerusalem
- consulship of Cicero; Catiline conspiracies
59/54 BC – First triumvirate, an alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus
58/50 BC – Caesar fights the Gallic wars, acquiring the province of Gallia Comata
54/53 BC – First campaign against the Parthian Empire; Crassus utterly defeated and killed
49 BC – 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 BC – Caesar pursues and defeats the Optimates in Greece and Africa
44 BC – Caesar is assassinated in the Ides of March
44/42 BC – Third Roman civil war, between the assassins of Caesar (led by Cassius and Brutus) and Caesar's heirs, Octavian and Mark Antony
43 BC – Octavian, Antony and Lepidus form the second triumvirate
36 BC – Antony's Parthian campaign ends in failure
32 BC – End of peaceful relations between Octavian and Antony
31 BC – In the battle of Actium, Octavian decisively defeats Antony and Cleopatra
30 BC – Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide; Egypt becomes a Roman province
27 BC – End of the Republic, beginning of the Roman Empire: Octavian is now called Augustus Caesar and becomes the sole ruler of Rome
28/24 BC – Augustus' campaigns against the Cantabrians in Hispania Tarraconensis (see Cantabrian Wars)
16/15 BC – Augustus' campaigns against the Alpine tribes
12/7 BC – Tiberius and Drusus conquer Pannonia and campaign against the Germanic tribes

1st century

5 – Tiberius conquers Germania Inferior
6 – Judaea becomes a Roman province
6/9 – Rebellions in Pannonia and Dalmatia suppressed by Germanicus
9 – Three Roman legions are ambushed and massacred by the Germans in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
11 – Germania Inferior and the Rhine secured by Germanicus
14 – Death of Augustus, Tiberius becomes emperor
14/15 – Germanicus campaigns against the Germanic tribes
25 – Caesar Germanicus adopts his nephew Castor as his heir
26 – Tiberius retires to Capri, governing Rome by proxy
28 – The tribe of the Frisii rebel because of taxes
31 – The fall of Sejanus
37 –Caligula becomes emperor
41 –Claudius becomes emperor
43 – Claudius orders the Roman invasion of Britain
54 –Nero becomes emperor
60/61 – Boudica, queen of the Iceni, leads a rebellion that devastates Britain
64 – Great Fire of Rome destroys 2/3 of the city; Nero blames the Christians and orders first persecution
66/74 – Jewish rebellions in Judea
68 – Nero commits suicide – end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty; succeeded by Galba
69 – 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
69/70 – Civilis leads the Batavian rebellion in Germania Inferior; defeated by Quintus Petillius Cerialis
71/84 – Pacification of Britain, conquest of modern Wales and Scotland
79 –
- Titus Flavius becomes emperor
- August 24, An eruption of Vesuvius destroys much of Pompeii and Herculaneum
80 – Rome partially destroyed by fire
81 – Domitian becomes emperor
85 – King Decebalus of Dacia rebels and invades Moesia
89 – Rebellions in Germania Inferior and Pannonia force peace with Decebalus of Dacia
96 – Domitian killed – end of Flavian dynasty; succeeded by Nerva, the first of the Five good emperors
98 – Trajan becomes emperor

2nd century

101/102 – First Dacian War
105/106 – Second Dacian War; king Decebalus commits suicide and Dacia becomes a province
106 – Building of Trajan's Forum and construction of Trajan's column
113/117 – Trajan's successful campaigns against the Parthian Empire
115/117 – Jewish rebellions in Egypt
117 – Hadrian becomes emperor
121/125 – Hadrian travels through the Northern Empire
122 – construction of Hadrian's Wall begins
128/132 – Hadrian travels through Africa and the Eastern Empire
131/135 - Jewish rebellions led by Simon bar Kokhba
138 – Antoninus Pius becomes emperor
140/143 – After a rebellion Antoninus conquers Scotland; construction of Antonine Wall begins
150/163 – rebellions in Scotland, Antonine Wall is abandoned and reoccupied several times
161 – Marcus Aurelius becomes emperor
162/166 – Lucius Verus successful campaigns against the Parthian Empire
167 – The tribe of the Marcomanni crosses the Danube and invades Dacia
168/175 – Marcus Aurelius' campaigns against the Marcomanni
180 – Death of Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five good emperors; Commodus becomes emperor
184 – Antonine Wall abandoned for the last time
193 – Commodus is murdered. After the short two and a half month reign of Pertinax, Septimius Severus becomes emperor. There is opposition from first from Pescennius Niger, then from Clodius Albinus
197 – Septimius Severus secures the empire after the battle of Lugdunum
198 – Septimius Severus invades Parthia

3rd century

208/211 – Severus campaigns against the Caledonians
211 – Severus dies. His son Caracalla becomes emperor
217 – Caracalla murdered; Macrinus becomes emperor
218 – Elagabalus usurps the throne
222 – Elagabalus is murdered. Alexander Severus becomes emperor
231-3 – War against Persia
235 – Alexander killed in a soldier mutiny. Maximinus Thrax becomes emperor.
238 – After revolts in Africa and Rome, Gordian III becomes emperor.
241 – Victory over the Persians at Resaina.
244 – Romans defeated at Misiche. Philip the Arab becomes emperor.
249 – Decius usurps the throne with support from the Danubian legions.
251 – Decius defeated and slain by Cniva, king of the Goths. Gallus becomes emperor.
252 – King Shapur I of Persia defeats the Romans at Barbalissos.
253 – Valerian and his son Gallienus become emperors. Shapur captures Antioch.
257 – Valerian retakes Antioch. The Franks invade Gaul and Spain. The Alemanni invades Italy but are defeated at Milan.
258 – Goths invade Asia Minor
260 – 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 Spain and Britain.
267 – Odaenathus assassinated. His widow Zenobia takes control of Palmyra
268 – Gallienus defeats Gothic invasion, but is later assassinated. Claudius II becomes emperor.
269 – Postumus is killed. Victorinus proclaimed emperor in Gaul and Britain. The Palmyrenes takes Egypt and Syria. Claudius defeats the Goths at Naissus in Moesia.
270 – Claudius dies of plague. Aurelian becomes emperor.
271 – Aurelian campaigns against the Vandals, Juthungi and the Sarmatians. Victorinus is murdered and his soldiers proclaim Tetricus I emperor
272 – Aurelian defeats Zenobia at Antioch and Emesa and takes Palmyra. Zenobia is captured. The province of Dacia is abandoned.
273 – Palmyra revolts. The city is destroyed by Aurelian.
274 – Aurelian defeats the army of Tericus at the Catalaunian fields.
275 – Aurelian is murdered. Tacitus becomes emperor.
276 – Tacitus dies. Probus becomes emperor.
277 – The Burgundians, Longiones, Alemanni and Franks defeated.
279 – Probus campaigns against the Vandals in Illyricum.
282 – Carus proclaimed emperor. Probus killed by his own troops.
283 – Carus dies during an invasion of Persia. His son Numerian becomes emperor.
284 – Numerian dies. Diocletian becomes emperor.
285 – Diocletian appoints Maximian co-emperor and assigns to him the western half.
286 – Carausius revolts in Britain.
293 – Diocletian appoints Constantius I and Galerius as caesar's. Carausius murdered by Allectus who proclaims himself emperor.
296 – Allectus defeated and slain.
299 – Galerius defeats the Sarmatians and the Carpi

4th century

301 – Diocletian issues the Edict on Maximum Prices.
303 – Diocletian orders the persecution of Christians.
305 – Diocletian and Maximian abdicates. Constantius and Galerius becomes Augusti. Maximinus is appointed Caesar in the east and Severus in the west.
306 – Constantius dies at York. His son Constantine I proclaimed emperor. Maxentius, son of Maximian, proclaims himself emperor in Rome.
307 – Maxentius reinvest his fater Maximian with the purple. Severus is put to death. Galerius lay siege to Rome.
308 – Conference of Carnuntum. Diocletian convinces Maximian to step down. Licinius appointed Augustus.
310 – Maximian again proclaims himself emperor, but is captured by Constantine. He commits suicide.
311 – Galerius dies at Sardica. Maximinus and Licinius split his realm between them.
312 – Constantine defeats and kills Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge. Licinius marries Constantine's sister Constantia
313 –
- Licinus defeats Maximinus twice. Maximinus dies at Tarsus.
- Constantine issues Edict of Milan, making all religions legal.
314 – Constantine defeats Licinius at Cibalae
316 – Diocletian dies.
317 – Constantine defeats Licinius on the Campus Ardiensis. Licinius forced to cede all his European provinces except Thrace.
318 – Excommunication of Arius.
324 – Constantine defeats Licinius at the Hebrus River and at Chrysopolis. Licinius abdicates.
325 – The Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.
326 – Constantine orders the death of his oldest son, Crispus.
330 – Constantine makes Constantinople the capital.
332 – Constantine campaigns against the Goths.
334 – Constantine campaigns against the Sarmatians.
337 – Constantine dies at Nicomedia. His three sons, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans become emperors.
338 – Constantine II defats the Alemanni. War with Persia.
340 – Constantine II invades Italy. He is ambushed and slain by Constans at Aquileia.
341 – Constans and Constantius II issues a ban against pagan sacrifice.
347 – The Donatists revolt in Africa.
348 – Constantius defeats the Persians at the Battle of Singara.
350 – Magnentius proclaims himself emperor in the west. Constans is captured and killed. Julius Nepotian attacks Rome with a band of gladiators
351 – Constantius appoints his cousin Constantius Gallus as Caesar. Magnentius is defeated at Mursa.
353 – Constantius defeats Magnentius at Mons Seleuci. Magnentius commits suicide.
354 – Gallus is put to death.
355 – Julian is appointed Caesar in Gaul.
357 – Julian defeats the Franks at Strasbourg.
360 – With a Persian war imminent, Constantius orders Julian to send several legions east. The troops mutinies and proclaims Julian Augustus.
361 – Constantius dies of illness, naming Julian his successor. Julian openly declares himself a pagan, but his attempt at creating a pagan rejuvinal leads to nought.
363 – Julian invades Persia, but forced to retreat, he is mortally wounded during a skirmish. the soldiers hail Jovian as emperor.
378 – Valens is defeated and killed by the Goths at the Battle of Adrianople.
395 – Theodosius I divided the empire into two halves.

5th century

410 – Rome is sacked by Alaric I
447 – Eastern Rome loses to Attila the Hun
455 – Rome is plundered by the Vandals
468 – Leo I launches a naval expedition against the Vandals
475 – Romulus Augustus becomes emperor
476 – Romulus Augustus forced to abdicate. Traditional date for the fall of the western Roman Empire.

6th century and beyond

533 – Justinian I begins to restore the empire in the west; Belisarius defeats the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum and the Battle of Ticameron
536 – Belisarius recaptures Rome from the Ostrogoths
552 – Narses defeats the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Taginae
553 – Narses defeats the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Mons Lactarius
568 – The Lombards invade Italy; no further attempts to restore the empire
607 – Emperor Phocas donates The Pantheon to the Pope and has a column erected in the Forum.
663 – Constans II is the last emperor to visit Rome, and the city gradually slips out of imperial control.

History – Ancient History - Ancient Rome – Timeline of ancient Rome