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On April 6th, 1453 CE, the Ottoman Empire invaded the decript Roman one, led by Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II. The Ottomans laid siege for fifty-three days, and when the dust settled, a 1,500 year old empire had fallen. The time of Rome had ended.

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476 CE- Zeno is restored as emperor of
Rome

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476 CE- Zeno is restored as emperor of
Rome

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A foreign man, Zeno had never been a popular emperor, and in 475 CE, he was deposed in favor of a man named Basiliscus. He spent his banishment collecting an army and took back Constantinople in 476 CE.

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410 CE- The Romans secede rule from Great
Britain

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410 CE- The Romans secede rule from Great
Britain

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Rome had been sacked by the Visigoths and was clinging onto life when its Britain provinces cried for help. The Picts and Saxons were attacking and they needed assistance. The Britain provinces were on the outliers of Roman society and housed many of the nation's traitors and unsavory folks. The decisions was quick. Britain was left to fend for themselves.

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Invasion and conquest

A century before, in both 55 and 54 BC, Julius Caesar had invaded Britain with the aim of conquest. But revolt in Gaul (modern-day France) had drawn him away before he had beaten down determined British guerrilla resistance.

Britain had remained free - and mysterious, dangerous, exotic. In the popular Roman imagination, it was a place of marsh and forest, mist and drizzle, inhabited by ferocious blue-painted warriors. Here was a fine testing-ground of an emperor's fitness to rule.

For the Claudian invasion, an army of 40,000 professional soldiers - half citizen-legionaries, half auxiliaries recruited on the wilder fringes of the empire - were landed in Britain under the command of Aulus Plautius.

Archaeologists debate where they landed - Richborough in Kent, Chichester in Sussex, or perhaps both. Somewhere, perhaps on the River Medway, they fought a great battle and crushed the Catuvellauni, the tribe that dominated the south east.

Then, in the presence of Claudius himself, they stormed the enemy capital at Camulodunum (Colchester).

But resistance continued elsewhere. Pushing into the south west of Britain, the Romans fought a war of sieges to reduce the great Iron Age hill forts of the western tribes. Driving through and beyond the Midlands, they encountered stiffening opposition as they approached Wales, where the fugitive Catuvellaunian prince, Caratacus, rallied the Welsh tribes on a new anti-Roman front.

Wales took decades to subjugate. Before it was done, the east of Britain exploded in 60-61 AD. Bitterness against Roman oppression had driven Boudicca, queen of the Iceni tribe, into a revolt that came close to expelling the invaders.

Later, under the provincial governor Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the Romans occupied northern Britain, reaching what is now called the Moray Firth in 84 AD. This, though short of total victory, was to be the high water mark of the Roman empire in Britain.

Occupation

Elsewhere, the empire's frontiers were under attack. Reinforcements were needed. Troop numbers in Britain had to be reduced.

A phased withdrawal was carried out from the far north, eventually bringing the army to a line that stretched across modern Northumberland from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Carlisle on the Solway. This was the line along which Hadrian's Wall was constructed in 120s and 130s AD.

Here, and across the empire, the Romans were drawing symbolic lines across the map. On one side 'civilisation', on the other 'barbarians'. On the ground, the lines were made real in stone, earth and timber.

The line stretched for 73 miles across northern Britain - a ditch, a thicket of spikes, a stone wall, a sequence of forts, milecastles and observation turrets, and a permanent garrison of perhaps 8,000 men.

The rest of the Roman army was also stationed in the west and the north - in lonely auxiliary forts in the Welsh mountains, the Pennines, or the Southern Uplands of modern Scotland; or in one of the big three legionary fortresses at Isca Silurium (Caerleon), Deva (Chester) and Eboracum (York).

Here, through some 350 years of Roman occupation, the army remained dominant. Settlements of craftsmen and traders grew up around the forts, sustained by army contracts and soldiers' pay. Local farms supplied grain, meat, leather, wool, beer, and other essentials.

But change was limited. The land was impoverished and sparsely populated, and the army took what little surplus there was, so there were few of the trappings of Romanised life.

Romanisation

It was only in the lowland zone - south and east of a rough line from Lincoln to Exeter - where parts of Britain began to look distinctly Mediterranean.

When the army moved forward, the politicians took over. Iron Age tribal centres were redesigned as Roman towns, with regular street-grids, forums (market squares), basilicas (assembly rooms), temples, theatres, bathhouses, amphitheatres, shopping malls and hotels.

The models of town planning and public architecture were Roman, but the people in charge were not. The towns were built by local gentry, who, in the space of a generation or two, converted themselves from Celtic warriors and druids into Romanised gentlemen.

Britain's upper classes had found a new style. Blue paint and chariots were out. Gaulish wine and the Greek myths were in. To be successful, to look sophisticated, you now had to project rank and status in the 'empire' fashion.

For the rulers of the empire, changing the culture of conquered elites was good politics. The empire was ruled from the towns, where councils formed of local gentry were responsible for tax-collection and keeping order in the surrounding countryside. It was government on the cheap, but it was still highly successful.

Instead of an influx of foreign overlords stirring up resentment, the native elite ran things on Rome's behalf. And in gratitude for having their power and property preserved, they proved loyal servants. The evidence is in the enthusiasm with which they Romanised.

Most of the twenty or so Roman towns had a full set of public buildings by the mid-second century AD. Already many of the gentry had started building town houses and country villas. From this time onwards there was a full-scale housing boom at the top end of the market.

Big towns like Verulamium (St Albans) and Corinium (Cirencester) soon had fifty or more grand houses and dozens of villas within a day's ride of the centre. Companies of mosaic layers, fresco painters and potters sprang up to feed the boom in luxury living, and the shipping lanes, rivers and roads were busy bringing in such specialities as fish sauce from Spain, Rhineland glassware, and Pompeian bronzes.

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A century before, in both 55 and 54 BC, Julius Caesar had invaded Britain with the aim of conquest. But revolt in Gaul (modern-day France) had drawn him away before he had beaten down determined British guerrilla resistance. Britain had remained free - and mysterious, dangerous, exotic.

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Theodosius the Great was the last emperor to rule over all of the Roman empire. After his death, the people thought it necessary to split the empire in half. And thus became the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire.

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380 CE- Christianity becomes Rome’s
official religion

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380 CE- Christianity becomes Rome’s
official religion

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The Roman empire tired of waging the endless battle against the rapidly spreading religion known as Christianity. Nero had started it, and they would continue the war. After all, the Roman pantheon of gods were not something to be trifled with. No matter how much they were persecuted though, the Christians kept popping back up. Rome converted to boost the placement of the empire, thanks to Emperor Constantine.

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Christianity: The Official Religion of the Roman Empire | UNRV.com

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Information about The Official Religion of the Roman Empire - While the rise of Christianity to dominate western religion may very well have been inevitable, certain key moments along the way helped secure this position.

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Chlorus was the 53rd emperor of Rome, and used this power to wage many military conquest, mostly succeeding. When he went on the Europe, however, he died suddenly. On his deathbed he named his son Constantine, his successor.

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122 CE- Hadrian’s Wall construction begins.

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122 CE- Hadrian’s Wall construction begins.

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Hadrian, the current emperor of Rome, visited the Britannica province of Rome and decided to build a wall separating Rome from the European barbarians, primarily for defense. Its many gates were used for trade.

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Timewatch Hadrian's Wall The Complete Story

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https://www.anniesguesthouse.co.uk/northumberland.shtml BBC's Timewatch explores the legacy of Hadrian's Wall which for 300 years stood as the Roman Empire's most imposing frontier. The 2,000-year-old stone barrier measures 74 miles long and is up to 15ft high and 10ft thick in places. It is considered one of the unsung wonders of the ancient world, providing a window into the past.

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80 CE- The building of the Coliseum is started

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80 CE- The building of the Coliseum is started

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Vespasian faced a disheartened empire after the suicide of the previous emperor, Nero. To solve this problem, he constructed the Coliseum to provide the people with entertainment to lift their morale.

Two things only the people anxiously desire —bread and circuses.

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Building the Colosseum! Visit the Romans site for interesting history, facts and information about Building the Colosseum. History, facts and information about the Romans, Ancient Rome, the Colosseum and Building the Colosseum.

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This fire started in July and ran unchecked for six days, devastating Rome. It was believed that the Emperor at the time, Nero, caused it so to gain a better reputation by helping, but Nero denied it and blamed the Christians.

[Nero] fiddled while Rome burned

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A time of Roman peace for 217 years was called Pax Romana. During this time under the rule of Augustus Caesar, the arts, literature, and architecture flourished.

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As the heir of Julius Caesar ( and also his nephew) it was natural that Octavian would take the place of the now fallen emperor. He did so, changing his name to admire his adopted father. Doing that ushered in a new era of peace.

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Caesar Augustus takes the reigns of power in Rome

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Caesar Augustus takes the reigns of power in Rome

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On March 15th, Julius Caesar was assassinated by his senate for his leadership style. The last blow was struck was his best friend, Brutus.

Et tu, Brute?

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45 BCE- Julius Caesar became the first
emperor of Rome

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45 BCE- Julius Caesar became the first
emperor of Rome

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Julius Caesar had at long last, seized control of Rome. After gaining political power from victories and methods, he led a revolt from the first triumvirate and conquered his enemies in the government.

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Bust of Julius Caesar

A superb general and politician, Julius Caesar (c.100 BC – 44 BC / Reigned 46 – 44 BC) changed the course of Roman history.

Although he did not rule for long, he gave Rome fresh hope and a whole dynasty of emperors.

Dangerous times

Born into an aristocratic family in around 100 BC, Julius Caesar grew up in dangerous times. Rome could not yet handle its own size and power. The nobility were widely discredited and order had given way to chaos. The only clear alternative was military dictatorship.

Caesar allied himself against the nobility. As his career took off, he won a number of political offices, not always by reputable means. By 63 BC, he had become a well-known, but controversial figure.

Viva Espana

Despite his notoriety, he was appointed governor of Farther Spain. This was a lucrative position, because it offered him the chance to plunder the local inhabitants at will. He returned to Rome in 60 BC and, the following year, was elected consul, the highest office in the republic.

Now holding real power, Caesar allied himself with two key people, Pompey and Crassus. Pompey was a war hero who had been badly treated by the Senate, while Crassus was a multimillionaire. The two men were rivals but Caesar was able to bridge the gap between them and the three men formed the powerful 'first triumvirate'.

I predict a riot

As consul, Caesar wanted to pay off Pompey's soldiers by allocating them public lands. This was unpopular, so to get the measure through he engineered a riot and used the chaos to get his own way. He then used his power to secure the governorship of Gaul (modern day France and Belgium).

Gaul gave Caesar a power-base to recruit soldiers and conduct the military campaigns that would make his name and secure his fortune.

Conquering Gaul

Between 58 and 50 BC, Caesar used his expertise in military strategy, along with the Roman army's training and discipline to conquer and subdue the rest of Gaul, up to the river Rhine.

When battling foreign enemies, Caesar was ruthless. Besieging rebels in what is now the Dordogne part of France, he waited until their water supply ran out and then cut off the hands of all the survivors.

Under threat back home

He now turned his attention back home. His triumvirate was badly strained. Pompey was increasingly jealous of Caesar's success and Crassus still hated Pompey. After Crassus was killed in battle, Pompey and Caesar drifted apart, ultimately finding themselves on opposing sides.

By now, Caesar was very successful, but he had many enemies and found his position and his life under threat. He believed the only way he could protect himself was by seizing power. In January, 49 BC, he led his troops across the Rubicon River into Italy and started civil war.

Civil war

Caesar scored some early victories and, by 46 BC, was dictator of Rome. After a year spent eliminating his remaining enemies, he returned home. Generous in victory, he was kind to his defeated rivals, giving them all amnesties and even inviting some to join him in government.

Yet his position remained insecure. Without a son of his own, he needed an heir. Caesar quickly adopted his great nephew, Augustus. He also moved fast to strengthen the northern borders of the empire and tackle its enemies in the east.

At home, he reformed the Roman calendar, tackled local government, resettled veterans into new cities, made the Senate more representative and granted citizenship to many more foreigners.

Beware the Ides of March

But his rule would be cut short. Old enemies joined forces with some of his supporters, fed up of his dictatorial style. On March15, 44 BC, the Ides of March, Caesar was assassinated in the Senate.

Although his own rule was unremarkable, his victory in the civil war replaced a republic, ruled by the consuls and the Senate, with an empire, reigned over by emperors and their hereditary successors. It was the start of a brand new age for Rome.

Where to next:
Religion in Ancient Rome – Augustus
Emperors - Augustus
Life in Roman Times – Soldiers
Enemies and Rebels - Cleopatra & Egypt

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The Roman Empire: in the First Century. The Roman Empire. Emperors. Julius Caeser | PBS

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Bust of Julius Caesar A superb general and politician, Julius Caesar (c.100 BC - 44 BC / Reigned 46 - 44 BC) changed the course of Roman history. Although he did not rule for long, he gave Rome fresh hope and a whole dynasty of emperors.

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A past gladiator named Spartacus escaped from enslavement and attacked along with many others in the Third Servile War. They fought for freedom of slaves. Eventually, they were eventually defeated and captured or killed by Rome.

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146 BCE- Rome becomes greatest power in
the Mediterranean

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146 BCE- Rome becomes greatest power in
the Mediterranean

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On this date, Rome exterminated Carthage, enslaving all of its inhabitants and rendering the fields infertile. Rome thereby becomes the greatest power in the Mediterranean, having utterly destroyed it's competition.

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Hannibal of Carthage attacked Rome and started a new war after their defeat at the hands of the Romans. Rome retaliated and sent troops to Carthage, forcing Hannibal back, causing the people of Carthage to lose the war.

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Hannibal of Carthage decides to take revenge on Rome for his father and leads an army of elephants and soldiers across the Alps to conquer it.

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Carthage and Rome went to war for dominance, being the two biggest powers in the Mediterranean at the time, the first of which were called the Punic Wars. Rome emerged victorious.

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During the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., three wars were fought between Rome and Carthage. The name Punic, which is used to describe them, is derived from the Latin and Greek words for Phoenician. The city of Carthage, located in what is now Tunisia in North Africa, had been founded in 814 B.C.

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450 BCE- The bringing of a second
Decemvirate

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450 BCE- The bringing of a second
Decemvirate

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The Patricians and the Plebeians finally agreed on something and elected a second Decemvirate because the first succeeded so well. It was composed of twelve tables of laws.

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After years of the struggle of the orders a decemvirate was appointed to write the laws

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The Romans overthrew their dreadful leaders, the Etruscans and established their own government, a republic.

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The Romans established a form of government - a republic - that was copied by countries for centuries In fact, the government of the United States is based partly on Rome's model.

The ladder to political power in the Roman Senate was different for the wealthy patricians than for the lower-class plebeians.

It all began when the Romans overthrew their Etruscan conquerors in 509 B.C.E. Centered north of Rome, the Etruscans had ruled over the Romans for hundreds of years.

Once free, the Romans established a republic, a government in which citizens elected representatives to rule on their behalf. A republic is quite different from a democracy, in which every citizen is expected to play an active role in governing the state.

Citizen

Frescoes line the walls of long-forgotten Etruscan tombs. This painting, found in the Tomb of Augurs in Tarquinia, is titled Hell's Door.

The aristocracy (wealthy class) dominated the early Roman Republic. In Roman society, the aristocrats were known as patricians. The highest positions in the government were held by two consuls, or leaders, who ruled the Roman Republic. A senate composed of patricians elected these consuls. At this time, lower-class citizens, or plebeians, had virtually no say in the government. Both men and women were citizens in the Roman Republic, but only men could vote.

Tradition dictated that patricians and plebeians should be strictly separated; marriage between the two classes was even prohibited. Over time, the plebeians elected their own representatives, called tribunes, who gained the power to veto measures passed by the senate.

Gradually, the plebeians obtained even more power and eventually could hold the position of consul. Despite these changes, though, the patricians were still able to use their wealth to buy control and influence over elected leaders.

The Roman Senate

Occasionally, an emergency situation (such as a war) arose that required the decisive leadership of one individual. Under these circumstances, the Senate and the consuls could appoint a temporary dictator to rule for a limited time until the crisis was resolved. The position of dictator was very undemocratic in nature. Indeed, a dictator had all the power, made decisions without any approval, and had full control over the military.

The best example of an ideal dictator was a Roman citizen named Cincinnatus. During a severe military emergency, the Roman Senate called Cincinnatus from his farm to serve as dictator and to lead the Roman army. When Cincinnatus stepped down from the dictatorship and returned to his farm only 15 days after he successfully defeated Rome's enemies, the republican leaders resumed control over Rome.

The Twelve Tables

One of the innovations of the Roman Republic was the notion of equality under the law. In 449 B.C.E., government leaders carved some of Rome's most important laws into 12 great tablets. The Twelve Tables, as they came to be known, were the first Roman laws put in writing. Although the laws were rather harsh by today's standards, they did guarantee every citizen equal treatment under the law.

Laws from the Twelve Tables

With respect to the law and citizenship, the Romans took a unique approach to the lands that they conquered. Rather than rule those people as conquered subjects, the Romans invited them to become citizens. These people then became a part of Rome, rather than enemies fighting against it. Naturally, these new citizens received the same legal rights as everyone else.

The Punic Wars

The early Roman Republic often found itself in a state of constant warfare with its surrounding neighbors. In one instance, when the Romans were fighting the Carthaginians, Rome was nearly conquered. The people of Carthage (a city in what is today Tunisia in north Africa) were a successful trading civilization whose interests began to conflict with those of the Romans.

The two sides fought three bloody wars, known as the Punic Wars (264-146 B.C.E.), over the control of trade in the western Mediterranean Sea. In the second war, Hannibal, a Carthaginian general, successfully invaded Italy by leading an army - complete with elephants - across the Alps. He handed the Roman army a crushing defeat but was unable to sack the city of Rome itself. After occupying and ravaging Italy for more than a decade, Hannibal was finally defeated by the Roman general Scipio at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C.E.

Why "Punic"?

By the Third Punic War, Rome was ready to end the Carthaginian threat for good. After a successful several-year siege of Carthage, the Romans burned the city to the ground. Legend has it that the Romans then poured salt into the soil so that nothing would ever grow there again. Carthage was finally defeated, and the Roman Republic was safe.

Great Battles of the Roman Republic
For all its size and might, the Roman Republic truly feared the north African general Hannibal. He marched through the Roman countryside virtually unopposed for 16 years until his defeat at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C.E. ended the Second Punic War. After it destroyed Hannibal's city, Carthage, the Roman Republic became an international power that later grew into a giant empire.

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The Romans established a form of government - a republic - that was copied by countries for centuries In fact, the government of the United States is based partly on Rome's model. The ladder to political power in the Roman Senate was different for the wealthy patricians than for the lower-class plebeians.

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753 BCE- Rome was founded by Romulus and
Remus

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753 BCE- Rome was founded by Romulus and
Remus

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Two brothers named Romulus and Remus were raised by a wolf in a Roman myth, growing up to become kings. Unfortunately, they disagreed on the new location of their empire and Romulus killed Remus, thereby creating Rome.