Major
Events of Roman History and Legend
through AD 68 (all dates BC unless otherwise noted)
c. 1180: legendary fall of Troy, Aeneas sails to Italy
753: legendary founding of Rome by Romulus and Remus
7 Kings of Rome:
Romulus
Wolf, Rape of Sabine Women, Alliance with Sabines and Titus Tatius
Numa
started many of Rome’s religious practices
Tullus Hostilius
conquest of Alba Longa
Horatii and Curiatii
Ancius Marcius
beginning of ritual of fetiales for declaring war
Tarquinius Priscus
from Etruria; wife Tanaquil
Servius Tullius
born a slave; taken in by Tanaquil and Tarquinius; Servian wall, census
Tarquinius Superbus
kills Servius at instigation of wife Tullia; conquest of Gabii;
building of cloaca maxima
509: Rape of Lucretia by Sextus Tarquinius: Romans under Lucius Brutus expel kings
287: lex Hortensia ends centuries-long strife between patricians and plebeians
over such matters as intermarriage, magistracies, and distribution of grain.
major figures in this period: Coriolanus, Cincinnatus
wars in this period with Latins, Aequi, Volsci, and Samnites
281-272: War with Pyrrhus finishes Rome’s conquest of Italy south of Po
major figure: Appius Claudius Caecus
264-241: First Punic War brings Rome Sicily; Corsica and Sardinia taken shortly
thereafter
major figures: Hamilcar, Regulus
218-201: Second Punic War brings Rome Spain
major figures: Hannibal, Fabius Maximus, Marcellus, Scipio Africanus
most important battles: Trasumene, Cannae, Zama
200-196: Second Macedonian War:
Rome becomes most powerful force in Greece
major figures: Philip V of Macedon, Flamininus
major battle: Cynoscephalae
2nd century: continual controversy about how best to respond to Greek culture and new
wealth
major figures: Cato the Censor, Scipio Aemilianus
192-188: War with Antiochus the Great: Rome gets foothold in Asia Minor
major battle: Magnesia
171-167: 3rd Macedonian War: Rome controls Greece
major figures: Perseus of Macedon, Aemilius Paullus
major battle: Pydna
149-146: Third Punic War: Carthage destroyed, Africa a province
major figure: Scipio Aemilianus
133: Kingdom of Pergamum willed to Rome: becomes province of Asia
133: Tribunate of Tiberius Gracchus
123-22: Tribunate of Gaius Gracchus
111-105: Jugurthine War: Jugurtha defeated after showing corruption of Roman
aristocracy; first glory of Marius and Sulla
102-101: Marius defeats Cimbri and Teutones
90-88: Social Wars: Rome’s Italian allies rebel and gain citizenship
89-85: First Mithridatic War: Mithridates of Pontus troubles Asia and Greece
87-82: Civil War between Marians and Sullans
82-81: Dictatorship of Sulla
74-63: Third Mithridatic War
major figures: Lucullus, Pompey
63: Revolt of Catiline
major figures: Catiline, Cicero, Julius Caesar, Cato
63-49: repeated strife and violence between factions
major figures: Cato the Younger, Cicero, Publius Clodius
60: "First Triumvirate": Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus
59: Caesar’s first consulship
58-50: Caesar conquers Gaul
49-46: Civil War between Caesareans and Pompeians
major battle: Pharsalus
44: Assassination of Caesar:
major figures: Cassius, Brutus, Marc Antony
44-42: War between Caesar’s successors and his assassins
major figure: Octavian
major battle: Philippi
43: Second triumvirate: Octavian, Antony, Lepidus
31: Octavian defeats Antony and Cleopatra at battle of Actium
27: Octavian becomes princeps and Augustus
First Roman emperors:
Augustus: 27-AD 14
creation of principate; trouble over succession, exile of daughter
Julia,
urban renewal in Rome, defeat of Quinctilius Varus by Germans
means empire will stop at Rhine (AD 9)
Tiberius: AD 14-37
death of Germanicus (19); conspiracy and fall of Sejanus (31),
trials for maiestas
Caligula: AD 37-41
Claudius: AD 41-54
conquest of southern Britain: AD 43
Nero: AD 54-68:
Great fire at Rome and first persecution of Christians (AD 64),
Pisonian conspiracy (AD 65)
AD 68: Nero overthrown: end of Julio-Claudian dynasty
|
