What are the dates of the Roman Empire?

The Roman Empire began in 27 BCE and, in the West, ended in 476 CE; in the East, it ended in 1453 CE.

Who was the first emperor of Rome?

Augustus Caesar was the first emperor of Rome, reigning 27 BCE-14 CE.

Who were the Five Good Emperors of Rome?

The Five Good Emperors of Rome were: Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius who reigned between 96-180 CE.

Why did the Roman Empire fall?

The Roman Empire in the West declined and fell in 476 CE for many reasons including: political instability, religious/cultural instability, government corruption, over-reliance on slave labor, mercenary armies, unemployment and inflation, and invasions by barbarian tribes. In the East, the empire fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 CE.

Roman Empire Timeline

Definition

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.

More about: Roman Empire

Timeline

753 BCE
The legendary founding date of Rome.
212 BCE
The Romans conquer Saguntum from the Carthaginians.
206 BCE - 205 BCE
The Romans conquer Gades. End of the Carthaginian presence on the Iberian Peninsula.
191 BCE
Delphi comes under Roman control.
c. 191 BCE
The Achaean League signs a treaty of alliance with Rome.
188 BCE
Rome gives Samos its independence.
166 BCE
Rome gives dominion over the Cyclades to Athens.
c. 150 BCE
Macedonia becomes a Roman province.
150 BCE
The Lusitani are betrayed and slaughtered by the Romans.
148 BCE
Corcyra is made part of the Roman province of Macedonia.
146 BCE
Thessalonica is made the captial of the Roman province of Macedon.
146 BCE
End of the Third Punic War. Carthage is destroyed and its lands become the Roman province Africa.
146 BCE
Utica is made the capital of the Roman province of Africa.
133 BCE
Lydia and its captial Sardis comes under Roman rule.
129 BCE
Samos becomes part of the Roman province of Asia.
96 BCE
Cyrenaica becomes a Roman province.
74 BCE
The city of Cyrene comes under Roman control.
64 BCE
Tyre becomes a Roman colony.
64 BCE
Byblos conquered by the Roman general Pompey the Great.
63 BCE
Jerash in Jordan becomes part of the Roman province of Syria.
48 BCE
Butrint formally becomes a Roman colony.
44 BCE
Julius Caesar founds the Roman colony of Corinth.
41 BCE
Rome takes control over Naxos in the Cyclades.
37 BCE - 4 BCE
Reign of Herod the Great over Judea.
31 BCE
Octavian uses Corcyra as a Roman naval base.
30 BCE
Egypt becomes province of the Roman Empire.
27 BCE - 19 BCE
Cantabrian Wars: Roman conquest of the Iberian Penninsula.
27 BCE
Philippi gains the honorary title of Colonia Iulia Augusta Philippensis.
c. 27 BCE
Augustus makes Gortyn the capital of the Roman province of Crete & Cyrene.
25 BCE
Galatia is peacefully absorbed into the Roman Empire.
14 BCE - 96 CE
Rome launches an extensive cultural patronage and construction programme in Iberia.
1 CE - 100 CE
Mithraism spreads in the Roman empire.
6 CE
Publius Quinctilius Varus is made governor of Germania.
9 CE
The 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.
30 CE - 476 CE
Egypt remains a province of the Roman Empire.
43 CE
Romans invade Britain under Aulus Plautius.
43 CE - 47 CE
Romans conquer South Britain and claim the territory as part of Roman Empire.
43 CE
Claudius commences the Roman conquest of Britain.
44 CE
Caesarea made capital of imperial province.
47 CE - 50 CE
Londinium (London) founded, roads constructed.
51 CE
Briton rebel leader Caratacus defeated, rebellion crushed.
54 CE - 60 CE
Roman general Corbulo successfully campaigns in Armenia.
68 CE - 69 CE
Year of the Four Emperors: Civil war in Rome.
75 CE - 77 CE
Romans defeat the last of the Northern tribes; Roman conquest of Britain complete.
76 CE - 138 CE
Life of Emperor Hadrian.
85 CE - 86 CE
Dacians invade Moesia and defeat the Romans.
86 CE
The Roman general Cornelius Fuscus invades Dacia. He is ambushed and his army is annihilated.
88 CE
Resolved 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.
101 CE - 106 CE
Trajan conquers Dacia.
106 CE
Jerash in Jordan becomes part of the Roman province of Arabia.
115 CE - 117 CE
Rome occupies Mesopotamia.
116 CE
Invasion and annexation of the Fertile Crescent region by Rome under Trajan.
11 Aug 117 CE - 10 Jul 138 CE
Reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian.
121 CE - 125 CE
First trip of Hadrian around the Empire: Gaul, Germania, Noricum, Britain, Cappadocia, Galatia, Bithynia, Asia, Greece, Moesia, Dacia, and Pannonia.
26 Apr 121 CE - 17 Mar 180 CE
Life of Marcus Aurelius.
142 CE
The Antonine Wall built under Antoninus Pius, north of Hadrian's Wall.
165 CE - 167 CE
Plague epidemic in the Roman empire.
167 CE
Marcomanni sack Aquileia.
167 CE - 180 CE
Marcomannic Wars.
168 CE
Germanic tribes cross the Danube into the Roman Empire.
192 CE
Emperor Commodus is murdered, civil war ensues (until 197 CE).
195 CE
First Parthian war.
197 CE - 198 CE
Second Parthian war.
198 CE - 209 CE
Reign of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus.
200 CE
Completion of the Roman road system.
c. 204 CE - 270 CE
Life of Plotinus.
209 CE - Dec 211 CE
Reign of Caracalla with his father Septimius Severus and his brother Geta (Feb - Dec 211 only with Geta).
212 CE
Caracalla's edict grants Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire.
212 CE
Rome withdraws from region of Scotland.
212 CE
Roman citizenship granted to all inhabitants of the empire.
232 CE
Emperor Maximinus Thrax commands a legion in Egypt.
234 CE
Emperor Maximinus Thrax is governor of Mesopotamia.
238 CE
Year of the Six Emperors in the Roman Empire.
242 CE
Osroene, with its capital at Edessa, is made into a Roman province.
250 CE
Thessalonica is made a Roman colony.
260 CE
Shapur I captures the Roman emperor Valerian at Edessa.
261 CE
Thugga is made a Roman colonia.
262 CE - 266 CE
Odaenathus 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.
Sep 270 CE - c. Sep 275 CE
Reign of Roman emperor Aurelian.
271 CE
Aurelian defends the Roman Empire against Juthungi, Alamanni, and Marcomanni incursions.
272 CE - 273 CE
Aurelian successfully campaigns against Palmyra.
285 CE
The Roman empire is split into the Western and Eastern Roman empires.
312 CE
Roman emperor Constantine I tolerates Christianity.
337 CE
Ascension of Constantius II.
337 CE
Death of Emperor Constantine I.
361 CE
Death of Constantius II.
367 CE
Picts, Scots, Saxons, and Franks attack the Roman Empire.
376 CE
The Visigoths are fleeing the Huns, entering the Eastern Roman Empire.
391 CE
Emperor Theodosius I closes pagan temples.
410 CE
Rome withdraws forces from Britain.
410 CE
The Romans withdraw from Britain.
426 CE
Roman Emperor Theodosius II orders closure of Epidaurus sanctuary.
439 CE
Vandals take Carthage from the Western Roman Empire and make it their new capital.
523 CE
Emperor Justinian seizes Caesarea.
565 CE
Death of Justinian I after 38 years ruling the Roman Empire.