Roman Empire - Important Dates

753 – 27 BCE: Rome Before The Emperors

753 BCE                                         Legendary Founding of Rome

509 BCE                                         Rome becomes a Republic

44 BCE                                           Assassination of Julius Caesar

31 BCE                                           The Battle of Actium

27 BC – 284 CE: The Principate

27 BCE                                           Augustus founds the Roman Empire

14 CE                                             Death of Augustus                           

c. 30 CE                                          Emergence of Christianity

43 CE                                             Roman Invasion of Britain

68 CE                                             Death of Nero; end of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty

69 CE                                             Year of the Four Emperors

70 CE                                             Destruction of Jerusalem Temple

79 CE                                             Eruption of Mount Vesuvius

80 CE                                             Colosseum completed

96 CE                                             Beginning of the Antonine Era

117 CE                                           Empire reaches greatest geographic extent

135 CE                                           End of the Third Jewish Revolt

165 – 180 CE                                 Antonine Plague

180 CE                                           Death of Marcus Aurelius             

212 CE                                           Universal Citizenship Grant of Caracalla          

224 CE                                           Rise of the Sasanian Empire

235 – 284 CE                                 Crisis of the Third Century

284 – 565 CE: Late Antiquity

293 CE                                           Diocletian creates the Tetrarchy

303 – 313 CE                                 Great Persecution of Christians

312 CE                                           Constantine I converts to Christianity

325 CE                                           Council of Nicaea

330 CE                                           Inauguration of Constantinople

363 CE                                           Death of Julian the Apostate, Last Pagan Emperor

378 CE                                            The Battle of Hadrianople

395 CE                                           Final Division of the Roman Empire

410 CE                                           Visigothic Sack of Rome

438 CE                                           Publication of the Codex Theodosianus

451 CE                                           Council of Chalcedon

453 CE                                           Death of Attila the Hun

476 CE                                           Deposition of Last Western Roman Emperor

534 CE                                           Publication of Justinian’s Law Code

565 CE                                           Death of Justinian