The city of Rome, Italy, has had an extensive history since antiquity.

Early history

Capitoline she-wolf Musei Capitolini MC1181

* 1000 BC –

Latins The Latins were originally an Italic tribe in ancient central Italy from Latium. As Roman power and colonization spread Latin culture during the Roman Republic. Latins culturally "Romanized" or "Latinized" the rest of Italy, and the word Latin ...

begin to settle in Italy

Republic

Paul Jamin - Le Brenn et sa part de butin 1893

*499 BC - A battle against foreign tribes commences, including the construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux. *396 BC - The Etruscan city of

Veio Veii (also Veius; it, Veio) was an important ancient Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and north-northwest of Rome, Italy. It now lies in Isola Farnese, in the comune of Rome. Many other sites associated with and in the ...

is defeated by the Romans *390 BC - Rome is sacked by the Gauls after the Battle of the Allia *380 BC - The once destroyed Servian Wall is reconstructed. *312 BC - The Via Appia and Aqua Appia are constructed. *264 - 241 BC -

First Punic War The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and grea ...

*220 BC -

Via Flaminia The Via Flaminia or Flaminian Way was an ancient Roman road leading from Rome over the Apennine Mountains to ''Ariminum'' (Rimini) on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and due to the ruggedness of the mountains was the major option the Romans had ...

is constructed. *218 - 202 BC -

Second Punic War The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...

*168 BC - The Romans have a great victory in the

Macedonian War The Macedonian Wars (214–148 BC) were a series of conflicts fought by the Roman Republic and its Greek allies in the eastern Mediterranean against several different major Greek kingdoms. They resulted in Roman control or influence over Greece ...

, conquering Greece. *149 - 146 BC - The Third Punic War *133 BC - 120 BC - The Gracchi brothers are controversially killed. *71 BC - Spartacus is killed and his rebel army destroyed. *60 BC - Pompey,

Crassus Marcus Licinius Crassus (; 115 – 53 BC) was a Roman general and statesman who played a key role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. He is often called "the richest man in Rome." Wallechinsky, David & Wallace, I ...

and

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

form the first triumvirate. * 59 BC - Handwritten "news posters" introduced. * 55 BC - Theatre of Pompey completed.

Imperial city

*49 BC - Caesar crosses the Rubicon in order to take Rome. *44 BC - Caesar elects himself dictator, and in March is killed by Brutus and Cassius *27 BC - Augustus is made Rome's first emperor. *13 BC - The Senate commissions the Ara Pacis to honor Augustus' return to Rome. *c. 60 AD -

Paul the Apostle Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

arrives in Rome. *64 AD - The Great Fire of Rome, rumored to be blamed by Nero on the Christians. *c. 65 AD - Blamed for causing the Great Fire, Christians in the city are persecuted. *72 AD - Work on the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum) begins. *80 AD - While Titus is inspecting the damage of the eruption of Vesuvius, a fire breaks out in the city for three days, destroying Capitoline temples and the

Pantheon Pantheon may refer to: * Pantheon (religion), a set of gods belonging to a particular religion or tradition, and a temple or sacred building Arts and entertainment Comics *Pantheon (Marvel Comics), a fictional organization * ''Pantheon'' (Lone St ...

. *125 AD - Emperor

Hadrian Hadrian (; la, Caesar Trâiānus Hadriānus ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. He was born in Italica (close to modern Santiponce in Spain), a Roman ''municipium'' founded by Italic settlers in Hispania B ...

has the Pantheon reconstructed, assuming its current appearance. *212 AD - All the inhabitants of the empire are granted citizenship of Rome. *216 AD - Work on the Baths of Caracalla is completed. *217 AD - Fire, possibly caused by a lightning strike, damages the Flavian Amphitheatre. *225 AD - Mathematicians allowed to teach publicly at Rome. *247 AD - The first millennium of Rome is celebrated. *270 AD - Construction of the Aurelian Wall begins. *274 AD - The

Temple of the Sun A sun temple (or solar temple) is a building used for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, dedicated to the sun or a solar deity. Such temples were built by a number different cultures and are distributed around th ...

built at Rome. *284 AD -

Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...

partitions administration of the Roman Empire in half, thereby establishing the Eastern Roman Empire in

Byzantium Byzantium () or Byzantion ( grc, Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' cont ...

Early Medieval period

Sack of Rome by the Visigoths on 24 August 410 by JN Sylvestre 1890

*312 -

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

defeats

Maxentius Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius (c. 283 – 28 October 312) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 306 until his death in 312. Despite ruling in Italy and North Africa, and having the recognition of the Senate in Rome, he was not recognized ...

Battle of the Milvian Bridge The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October 312. It takes its name from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the battle and started on the pa ...

to become the ruler of the western Roman Empire *c.320 - Old St. Peter's Basilica is constructed. *325- Constantine convenes the First Council of Nicaea. *380 - The Christian emperor

Theodosius Theodosius ( Latinized from the Greek "Θεοδόσιος", Theodosios, "given by god") is a given name. It may take the form Teodósio, Teodosie, Teodosije etc. Theodosia is a feminine version of the name. Emperors of ancient Rome and Byzantium ...

makes Christianity the official religion of Rome, persecuting pagans and destroying temples. *402 - Ravenna becomes the capital of the Western Roman Empire, whilst Constantinople that of the east.Deborah Mauskopf Deliyannis. ''Ravenna in Late Antiquity'', Cambridge University Press, 2014, p. 46. *410 - Rome is sacked by Alaric, King of the Visigoths *422 - The

Church of Santa Sabina The Basilica of Saint Sabina ( la, Basilica Sanctae Sabinae, it, Basilica di Santa Sabina all'Aventino) is a historic church on the Aventine Hill in Rome, Italy. It is a titular minor basilica and mother church of the Roman Catholic Order of Pr ...

is founded. *455 - Rome is sacked by Genseric, King of the Vandals *476 - Romulus Augustulus is deposed, traditionally considered the end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.

continues to be the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. *496 - The first pope to achieve the Pontifex Maximus is Anastasius II. *546 - Rome is sacked by Totila, King of the Ostrogoths *c. 590 - 604 - Pope Gregory the Great makes the Christian church exceedingly strong. *609 - The

becomes a Christian church. *630 - The Church of Sant' Agnese is the first Roman church to be constructed in Byzantine style. *725 - The King Ine of Wessex is the first man to create a hostel for pilgrims to Rome. *778 - Charlemagne conquers Italy and Rome. *800 - Charlemagne is crowned the emperor in St. Peter's Basilica. *846 - During the

Arab raid against Rome The Arab raid against Rome took place in 846. Muslim raiders plundered the outskirts of the city of Rome, sacking the basilicas of Old St Peter's and St Paul's-Outside-the-Walls, but were prevented from entering the city itself by the Aurelian Wa ...

the moors plundered the environs of the city, including Old St. Peter's Basilica, but they were prevented from entering the city itself by the Aurelian Wall *880 - 932 - A rare occasion, the city is governed by women, Theodora and later her daughter Marozia. *961 - King

Otto the Great Otto I (23 November 912 – 7 May 973), traditionally known as Otto the Great (german: Otto der Große, it, Ottone il Grande), was East Frankish king from 936 and Holy Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. He was the oldest son of Henr ...

of Germany becomes in Rome the first

Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...

High Middle Ages

*1084 - The city of Rome is attacked by the Normans *1108 - The church of San Clemente is in this year rebuilt. *1140 - The church of Santa Maria in Trastevere is restored. *1200 - The city becomes an independent commune *1232 - The cloisters in the Basilica of St. John Lateran are finished. *1300 -

Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII ( la, Bonifatius PP. VIII; born Benedetto Caetani, c. 1230 – 11 October 1303) was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 to his death in 1303. The Caetani, Caetani family was of b ...

proclaims the First Holy Year. *1309 - The Papacy is moved to

Avignon Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...

under Pope Clement V *1347 - The patriot and rebel Cola di Rienzo tries to restore the Roman Republic. *1348 - As in most of Europe, the

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

strikes Rome.

Roman Renaissance

*1377 - The Papacy returns to Rome with Pope Gregory XI. *1409 - 1415 - For a short while, the Papacy moves over to

Pisa Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...

. *1417 - The Great Schism of the 14th century is ended by

Pope Martin V Pope Martin V ( la, Martinus V; it, Martino V; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone) Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. Hi ...

*1444 - Bramante is born. *1452 - Old St. Peter's Basilica is demolished and a new one is begun. *1475 -

Michelangelo Buonarroti Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...

is born. *1483 - Raphael is born. *1486 - The Palazzo della Cancelleria is built. *1506 - The first significant works on the New St. Peter's Basilica re begun with Pope Julius II *1508 - Michelangelo paints the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel *1519 - The frescos of the Villa Farnesina are finally completed. *1527 - Troops of

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (Crown of Castile, Castil ...

attack Rome, looting and ruining the city. *1547 -

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was insp ...

is appointed by

Pope Paul III Pope Paul III ( la, Paulus III; it, Paolo III; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549), born Alessandro Farnese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death in November 1549. He came to ...

as the main architect of the new St. Peter's Basilica.

Baroque period

*1568 - The

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

s build the early

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...

Church of the Gesù. *1571 -

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...

is born. *1585 - Rome's streets are re-planned by

Pope Sixtus V Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...

. *1595 - The frescos in the Palazzo Farnese are begun by

Annibale Carracci Annibale Carracci (; November 3, 1560 – July 15, 1609) was an Italian painter and instructor, active in Bologna and later in Rome. Along with his brother and cousin, Annibale was one of the progenitors, if not founders of a leading strand of th ...

. *1600 -

Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno (; ; la, Iordanus Brunus Nolanus; born Filippo Bruno, January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, mathematician, poet, cosmological theorist, and Hermetic occultist. He is known for his cosmologic ...

(philosopher) is burned at the stake for his heresies. *1624 - '' Apollo and Daphne'', the sculpture by Bernini, is made in this year. *1626 - Construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica is completed. *1633 -

Galileo Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de' Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian astronomer, physicist and engineer, sometimes described as a polymath. Commonly referred to as Galileo, his name was pronounced (, ). He was ...

is condemned for heresy. *1651 - Piazza Navona is fully re-designed by Bernini. *1653 - Pope Innocent X issues the bull "Cum occasione impressionis libri" condemning heresy of Jansenism. *1656 - Bernini's colonnades in St. Peter's Square are begun. *1657 - Borromini finishes his work in Sant' Agnese in Agone. *1676 -

Pope Innocent XI Pope Innocent XI ( la, Innocentius XI; it, Innocenzo XI; 16 May 1611 – 12 August 1689), born Benedetto Odescalchi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 21 September 1676 to his death on August 12, 1689. Poli ...

(1676-1689) initiates major reforms; stabilises papal finances; condemn nepotism; upgrades clerical morals; finances Austria's wars against Ottoman Empire to protect Vienna and Hungary. However he fails in efforts to reduce royal control of the Church in France. *1694 - The Palazzo di Montecitorio is finished. *1732 - Work on the Trevi Fountain begins. *1734 - The Palazzo Nuovo is made by

Pope Clement XII Pope Clement XII ( la, Clemens XII; it, Clemente XII; 7 April 16526 February 1740), born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740. Clement presided over the ...

the world's first public museum. *1735 - The Spanish Steps are designed. *1751 - The ''Views of Rome'' by

Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian Classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric ...

revives interest in Rome's classical ruins. *1762 - The Trevi Fountain is completed. *1792 -

Pope Clement XIII Pope Clement XIII ( la, Clemens XIII; it, Clemente XIII; 7 March 1693 – 2 February 1769), born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 July 1758 to his death in February 1769. ...

tomb by Canova is completed. *1797 -

Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

captures Rome. *1798 - New Roman Republic declared by Napoleon,

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI ( it, Pio VI; born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to his death in August 1799. Pius VI condemned the French Revoluti ...

exiled. *1799 - Napoleon is driven out of Rome and Italy by the Russians and the

Austrian Austrian may refer to: * Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent ** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law * Austrian German dialect * Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...

19th century and Risorgimento

Rossetti - Proclamazione della Repubblica Romana, nel 1849, in Piazza del Popolo - 1861

*1800 - 1801 - Napoleon retakes Italy and Rome. *1816 - Work on the Piazza del Popolo begins. *1820 - There are a series of revolts in Rome and the rest of Italy. *1821 - The British poet

John Keats John Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821) was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets, with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poems had been in publication for less than four years when he died of tuberculo ...

dies in Rome. *1848 - Uprisings in Rome. *1849 - Nationalists proclaim an unrecognised Roman Republic.

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

is later restored to power in the city, after a French invasion. *1860 - Garibaldi and his 1,000 soldiers take Sicily and Naples. *1861 - The Kingdom of Italy is founded, with Turin as its capital. *1870 - Rome captured by Italy.

20th century and modern Rome

*1911 - The Altare della Patria is completed. *1922 - March on Rome by

Fascists Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...

. *1925-40 - Large parts of the historic centre are pulled down and rebuilt by Benito Mussolini. *1929 - A separate country within Rome, Vatican City, is created by the Lateran Treaty. *1940 -

EUR The euro (symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . Th ...

begins, and the nation enters World War II. * 1943 - Bombing of Rome in World War II begins. *1944 - Rome is liberated by the Allied troops from the Germans. *1957 -

Treaty of Rome The Treaty of Rome, or EEC Treaty (officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community), brought about the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC), the best known of the European Communities (EC). The treaty was sig ...

*1960 - Rome hosts the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

, with great success. *1962 - Roman Catholic church reforms are brought about with the Second Vatican Council. *1978 - Italian prime minister Aldo Moro is kidnapped and later killed by the

Brigate Rosse The Red Brigades ( it, Brigate Rosse , often abbreviated BR) was a far-left Marxist–Leninist armed organization operating as a terrorist and guerrilla group based in Italy responsible for numerous violent incidents, including the abduction a ...

; Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II are made popes in this year. *c.1978 - 1990 - Years of Lead: period of paramilitary violence across Italy. *1981 - An assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II is made in St. Peter's Basilica Square. *1990 - Rome hosts the 1990 FIFA World Cup Final. *1993 - Francesco Rutelli becomes the first mayor of Rome elected by the citizens. *2000 - The city enters the New Millennium, featuring a new Holy Year, or the Jubilee.

21st century

*2004 - A new constitution of the European Union is signed in Rome. *2005 - Pope John Paul II dies in Rome, and Pope Benedict XVI takes his place. *2013 - Benedict XVI resigns and Pope Francis is elected as his successor. * 2016 - June:

Rome municipal election, 2016 Snap municipal elections were held in Rome on 5 and 19 June 2016, to elect the Mayor of Rome and 48 members of the City Council, as well as the fifteen presidents and more than 400 councillors of the 15 '' municipi'' in which the municipality is ...

held. *2022 - Benedict XVI dies in Rome.

References

External links

* (maps related to water, 753 BCE-present) {{DEFAULTSORT:Timeline Of Rome History Rome Rome