The Romans considered 753 B.C. date of foundation of the city, and Romulus and Remus - its founders. However, the true history of Rome begins in the X century. BC. - when the first settlements appeared on the Palatine Hill. After the expulsion of the Etruscan kings in 509 BC. and the formation of the Roman Republic, Rome systematically pursued a policy of expansion. At the same time, significant temples and civil structures were erected, for example, the temple of Saturn and the Servian wall. In 312 BC the first water supply and the first paved road were laid - Appneva road. Complex internal political problems found a way out in civil wars and slave uprisings, which ended only with the establishment of the empire. The peaceful reign of Emperor Octavian Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) was marked by a real building boom: the Forum of Augustus was erected and Rome was proclaimed the most beautiful and largest city in the world. After a great fire under Emperor Nero, other imperial forums and the Colosseum appear in Rome - which has become a symbol of the city. Most of the city's millionth population lived in rented high-rise buildings. The people were cajoled by free distribution of food and bloody games. In the "happy age" of the reign of the "five good emperors" - from Nerva (96-98) and Trajan (98-117) to Marcus Aurelius (161-180) - the empire grew to its largest size in history. The constant threat on its borders strengthened the role of the army, from the ranks of which emperors were increasingly promoted. The turbulent time of such emperors ended only with the transformation of the empire under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). The support of influential representatives of Christianity allowed Emperor Constantine to become the sole ruler (306-337). With the transfer of the center of power to Byzantium, Rome gradually lost the functions of the capital. In 476, the fall of the Roman Empire occurred, which is usually dated as the day of the overthrow of the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus Augustus, by the German leader Odoacer.

Rise of Christianity in the Middle Ages

Despite the centuries-long German-Byzantine struggle for the Roman heritage, the Bishop of Rome managed to consolidate his dominant position in the city. Even Theodosius proclaimed in 381 Christianity the state religion. Soon there were twenty-five parish churches in Rome and four patriarchal basilicas sparkling with mosaics - the latter were directly subordinate to the Pope. These are the churches: St. John Lateran, St. Peter in the Vatican, St. Paul outside the city wall and Santa Maria Maggiore. These four basilicas, as well as the basilicas of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, San Lorenzo fuori le Mura, and San Sebastiano fuori le Mura, make up the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome. The secular power of the pans and their dominance over Rome was established in the 8th century, after they received a gift of land from the Lombard king Luitprand (727) and the king of the Franks Pepin (755), which made it possible to lay the foundations of the papal ecclesiastical state. Pope Leo III (795-816) on Christmas Day 800 crowned Charlemagne with the imperial crown, which meant the restoration of an empire that lasted another thousand years, at least under the name of the Roman Empire. A deep decline begins with the expulsion of the popes to Avignon (1305-1377); in the same period, Cola di Rienzo makes an unsuccessful attempt to restore the Roman Republic according to the ancient Roman model (1347).

The Papacy and the Development of the Arts in Rome

After the end of the schism of the Roman Catholic Church (1417), the city experienced a new upsurge. Popes and aristocrats, inspired by the ideas of humanism and the Renaissance, are increasingly acting as patrons of the arts and customers of construction work. But only under Popes Julius II (1503-1513) and Leo X (1513-1521) did Rome become the center of the High Renaissance. From this period, the work of Bramante (1444-1514), Michelangelo (1474-1564) and Raphael (1483-1520) determined the development of art throughout the 16th century. In 1506, the construction of a new St. Peter's Cathedral began. It took a long time for Rome to come to its senses after it was sacked by the soldiers of the German emperor Charles V in 1527. However, under the popes of the Counter-Reformation era, Rome becomes a place of the triumph of Christianity, which is embodied in baroque architecture. The architects of the period, most notably Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) and his artistic rival Francesco Borromini (1599-1667), Carlo Maderano (1556-1629) and Carlo Rainaldi (1611-1691), created magnificent churches and palaces that still define the architecture of the Old City. The painting of Caravaggio (circa 1573-1610) is considered the pinnacle of genius in the early Baroque. Among the representatives of opposite currents, first of all, we should mention the native of Bologna Annibale Carracci (1560-1609) and his students Gwndo Renn (1575-1642), Domenichino (1581-1641) and Guercino (1591-1666). Typical examples of Baroque spatial painting are the monumental ceiling paintings in the churches of Sant'Ignazio and Il Gesu.

Third Rome

In the XVIII-XIX centuries. Rome is a center of attraction for artists and art lovers of all nations. After the proclamation of Rome in 1871 as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, the era of the capital of the country and the residence of the kings begins - the era of the Third Rome. Representative buildings of the new era appeared: the Bank of Italy of the Ministry of Finance, the Palace of Justice, etc. Power passed to Mussolini after the march on Rome. In 1929, an agreement was concluded between the Italian state and the papal throne, according to which the Vatican, some other extraterritorial regions and 2 billion lire were left to the pope. Under Mussolini, in connection with the World Exhibition planned for 1942, a monumental quarter was built, and the main avenue of Via dei Fori Imperiali was laid right through the ancient center. After the arrest of the Duce and the capitulation of Italy in 1943, German troops occupied Rome; many Jews were deported from the city. In a referendum on June 2, 1946, the Italians voted in favor of declaring a republic. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome was signed in the capital of Italy, laying the foundation for the formation of the EEC and the European Atomic Energy Commission (EURATOM). Under Pope John XXIII, who advocated the peaceful coexistence of states, the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) was convened to reform and modernize the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II, who ascended the throne of St. Peter in 1978, was the first non-Italian pope in 453 years, and in 2005 he was succeeded by German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger - Pope Benedict XVI.

A Brief History of Ancient Rome

The Roman Empire is the last of the great empires that ever existed on earth. She came to replace the empire of Alexander the Great and stood for about 1500 years.

As a result of endless conquests, the Roman Empire grew to such gigantic proportions that it was no longer able to control the peoples it conquered. The barbarian tribes gradually got out of the control of Rome and fell upon the empire that captivated them. Great Rome perished under the rubble of its own greatness.

Legend of Rome

The history of Rome begins with a legend.

It says that the king of the ancient Latin city of Alba Longa was overthrown by his brother, and his wife was turned into a vestal. In a sacred grove, the god Mars came to her, after which she gave birth to the twins Romulus and Remus.

Unwanted children were put in a basket and thrown into the waters of the Tiber. Fortunately, they were washed ashore at the foot of the Palatine Hill, where the twins were rescued by a she-wolf, who gave them her milk to drink, and a woodpecker and a lapwing looked after them.

When the brothers grew up, they founded a city on the site of their salvation, which began to bear the name of Romulus - Rome(lat. Poma). The official countdown of its origin the city dates from 21 April 753 BC

The real history of Rome

The real history of Rome is more prosaic.

In the century BC small settlements arose along the banks of the Tiber River. They were founded by Italian tribes Latins and Sabines who were themselves descendants of an even more ancient civilization Etruscans.

AT 753 BC these settlements built a joint fortress city, which was called Rome . The city was founded on seven hills, because the area between them was quite swampy. From this moment, the history of Rome begins its countdown.

The history of Rome can be conditionally divided into several periods:

• Royal
• Republican
• The Roman Empire

Royal period: VIII century BC

Documentary evidence of this period has not been preserved, so the data is based on oral traditions. They say that in order to increase the population, Romulus allowed a variety of newcomers to enter the country, as a result of which a stream of fugitive slaves, vagabonds and adventurers poured into the country, so that the original population of Rome consisted mainly of robbers and adventurers.

For the first few centuries, Rome was ruled by seven kings, the first of which was Romulus himself, the founder of Rome. Interestingly, these kings did not receive power by inheritance, as would be customary in medieval monarchies, but were elected by the Senate for life. The king wore a purple toga - a symbol of royal power.

early republic

AT 509 BC The last seventh king of Rome, Tarquin the Proud, was overthrown by Lucius Junius Brutus. Instead of the king, the popular assembly elected two consuls- Brutus and Collatinus, who began to rule Rome. The consuls presided over the meetings of the senate, tried court cases, commanded the army and were elected for a term of office. 1 year. So Rome became a republic.

Rome's commercial and political competitor, North African Carthage, was defeated in the Third Punic War, after which Rome became the master in the Western Mediterranean region.

At that time, the country was gradually divided into patricians and plebeians. Patricians - tribal Roman aristocracy, people from indigenous Roman families. Plebeians are the descendants of conquered peoples who joined the Roman nation. The plebeians were deprived of the right to bear arms, their marriages were considered illegal, their rights were curtailed and trampled in every way to emphasize that they were not true Romans.

This resulted in the 494 BC there was a massive riot of plebeians, during which they went to the Sacred Mountain in protest, refusing to serve in the army. In the end, the patricians had to make concessions, and as a result, there were public stands, elected from the plebeians.

Middle Republic

As the empire expands through the capture of new territories, the influx of tribute from the conquered peoples increases. Thanks to this, the generals and governors became the richest people in Rome and turn into prominent political figures - senators.

With each new victory of Rome, the influx of new slaves into the empire increased. The slave trade becomes the most profitable occupation and brings huge incomes. The largest sales market is Rome itself, which needed more and more free laborers.

Most of the slaves ended up on the farms of rich Romans and had to cultivate and fertilize their fields, as well as work in mines and quarries. In better conditions were those who were lucky enough to get into the house of the senators as domestic servants.

Rise of Spartacus

Humiliating living conditions, hard work and constant insults from the owners led to the fact that in 73 BC A slave uprising broke out under the leadership of the gladiator Spartacus.

The fugitive slaves made up a rather large detachment, the number of which reached 120 thousand people, and Spartacus formed a real army of former slaves. The rebellious slaves intended to cross over to Sicily, but the pirates they hired betrayed them and did not come after them.

Meanwhile, Rome equipped its army under the command of Mark Crassus after the rebellious slaves. His troops surrounded the detachment of Spartacus and after a bloody battle, the slaves were defeated, and Spartak himself died. 6,000 slaves were taken prisoner and crucified along the infamous appian way, leading to Rome.

Late republic

In II century BC The brothers-tribunes of the Gracchi decide to implement a land reform in order to limit the number of land allotments of the Roman nobility and distribute surplus land to the landless population. The reform was adopted, but as a result of the conspiracy, both brothers were killed.

First triumvirate

AT 59 BC Gaius Julius Caesar was elected consul. Together with the two most famous commanders of Rome - Gnaeus Pompey and Mark Crassus, Caesar formed a political alliance, which was called triumvirate.

This triple alliance of the most prominent politicians of Rome was created in order to crush the resistance of the senate and pass the laws needed by the alliance.

AT 53 BC Marcus Crassus leads a war against the Parthians that ends in a disastrous defeat for his army and Crassus himself dies.

At this time, in Rome, Caesar's daughter, Julia, who was married to Pompey, dies after giving birth to her daughter, who also dies a few days later. Thus, the family ties between Caesar and Pompey collapse, and between them begins a real struggle for power, which results in a civil war.

The armies of Caesar and Pompey converge in 48 BC in Greece, where Caesar's troops defeat Pompey's legionnaires, after which Pompey tries to hide in Egypt, but was treacherously killed.

From Roman Republic to Roman Empire

By defeating Pompey, Caesar becomes the most famous man in Rome. The Senate declares it dictator , which was considered not an insult, but, on the contrary, the highest title of power.

Caesar carried out several global reforms to enhance the prestige of Rome, the most important event of which is the change in the calendar. Under his leadership, a police force was formed, and a new land reform was also planned.

Caesar's plans included the construction of a grandiose temple in honor of the god Mars, the construction of a giant theater and the creation of a library similar to the Alexandrian one. On his instructions, the restoration of Carthage and Corinth began, and it was also planned to build a canal through the Isthmus of Corinth.

He intended to defeat the Parthians and Dacians in order to take revenge for the defeat at Carrhae and the death of Crassus.

However, his own success prevented all these plans from coming true. Senators begin to fear that Caesar's power will reach such proportions that he will no longer need the Senate, and he will simply dissolve it.

Until this happens, a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius plot against Caesar and kill him. Caesar's last words were the famous phrase "And you, Brutus!"

After the assassination of the dictator, his closest assistant Mark Antony unites with Caesar's nephew, Gaius Octavian Furin, then his friend Mark Aemilius Lepidus joins them.

They combine their legions into one army, which defeats the troops of Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC After that, both conspirators have no choice but to commit suicide. The rest of the soldiers and officers who participated in the assassination of Caesar were pardoned and invited to join the victorious army.

Second triumvirate

Union of Octavius, Antony and Lepidus is named second triumvirate. Lepidus assumes command of Spain and Africa, which automatically excludes him from the number of contenders for the Roman throne. Octavius ​​takes control of the western Roman colonies, and Antony the eastern ones.

But the Egyptian queen Cleopatra intervened in the plans VI I, which enchanted Antony. Their united army enters the fight for Rome, but it is defeated by the legions of Octavius ​​in 31 BC at Cape Actium, after which a couple in love commits suicide.

Octavius ​​becomes the only contender for the throne. AT 27 BC The Senate grants him unlimited powers and proclaims Octavian Augustus. He ascends the throne of Rome with the title of first emperor.

The Roman Empire

First of all, Emperor Octavian Augustus begins to carry out military reform. He leaves only those 28 legions that helped him come to power. Rest 60 legions are demobilized and retired. So Octavian created 150- thousand army.

The term of service in the army was originally 16 years, then it was extended to 20 years. The legions were prudently located far apart so that their commanders would not have the opportunity to unite and plot against the throne. All Roman provinces were divided into senatorial and imperial.

The Senate gradually lost its political role and formally supported all the decisions of the emperor. Such a symbiosis of the monarchy with elements of the republic was called " principate».

Oddly enough, Augustus was a very talented emperor. He carried out a huge work on the reorganization of his entire gigantic empire, thanks to which Rome rose to a new level of its development and prosperity. Continuing the work of Caesar, Augustus gained general popularity among the people by the improvement and ennoblement of the country.

Urban planning and architecture

Roman cities were built very thoughtfully and wisely. Each city was designed at the intersection of two roads, around which the central square, the market and all other city objects were built.

Interestingly, a water pipe was built in Rome, supplying the city with clean water. The city had fountains, canals, sewerage and the famous Roman baths with hot and cold pools. So Rome was the most developed and comfortable city I century BC

Also an important achievement of Rome were the magnificent roads that connected the capital of the empire with all the outlying provinces and provided the army, mail and trade with an incredibly high speed of movement for those times.

Naturally, this improvement of the roads was a very laborious undertaking and was provided by the labor of slaves, who first dug deep trenches, and then covered them with gravel and small stones. Thanks to this technology, Roman roads were very durable and could stand for several centuries. The proverb “All roads lead to Rome” has survived to this day, since Roman roads cut through the entire gigantic empire from end to end.

It is believed that in one year, Augustus was able to restore 82 temple. The most grandiose building of the empire was the Temple of the Capitol, erected on one of the seven hills of Rome.

Culture of ancient Rome

The love of the Romans for entertainment was reflected in the proverb of "bread and circuses."

The most popular among the Romans were gladiator fights and chariot races. These spectacles have become a kind of alternative to the Greek Olympic Games.

Empire expansion

August was not a brilliant commander, and he had the sense to admit it. Therefore, in military affairs, he used the help and support of his faithful friend and colleague Agrippa, who just had a military talent.

The most significant victory of Augustus, supported by Agrippa, was the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC The second achievement was the return of prisoners and battle banners that the Parthians captured in the battle of Karrha in 53 BC

During the reign of Augustus, the empire expanded to the Danube, which became its eastern border after the tribes living in the Alps were conquered and the colonization of the Balkan Peninsula was completed.

Tiberius

Augustus and his wife Livia had no children of their own. Therefore, Augustus declared his stepson Tiberius the heir, who ascended the throne after his death in 14 AD

Tiberius, unlike Augustus, was extremely stingy and sharply reduced the funding for the improvement of the empire at the expense of the treasury. However, in the event of cataclysms, Tiberius did not spare money and the consequences of fires and floods were eliminated from the treasury without delay.

Caligula

After the death of Tiberius in 37 AD the throne went to the son of his nephew - Caligula. The young man was very popular among the people, and great hopes were pinned on his reign. In honor of his ascension to the throne, Caligula announced a large amnesty.

But after some time, a strange illness turned him from a merciful and generous person into a crazy maniac. One of his wild antics was the order to introduce his beloved horse into the Senate. The name of Caligula has become a symbol of debauchery and uncontrollable arrogance. Through 5 years of his half-mad rule, 41 d. the insane Caligula was killed by an officer of his personal guard.

Claudius

After Caligula, the throne passed to his uncle Claudius, who came to the throne at the age of 50 years. His reign was marked by the prosperity of the empire and the absence of unrest in the provinces. The main military achievement of Claudius was the conquest of the south of England.

Nero

Claudius' heir was his stepson Nero, distinguished by pathological aggression and lust. AT 64 d. the inadequate emperor burned half of Rome to enjoy the spectacle of the burning city and, under his impression, compose a song, since he imagined himself a talented singer.

Nero laid all the blame for the fire on the Christians living in the capital. The mass executions of believers with their cruelty overshadowed even the suppression of the Spartacus uprising. As a result, the insane maniac tyrant Nero annoyed the Romans with his insane antics, and even his personal guard, the praetorian garrison (from the word "praetoria" - the personal residence of the emperor), rebelled against him. Fleeing from the chase, Nero threw himself on his sword with the words "What an artist is dying!" With the death of Nero, the Julio-Claudian dynasty ended.

Flavian dynasty

The whole next year after the overthrow of Nero passed in the struggle for the Roman throne, which resulted in a civil war. In the end, the commander Vespasian came to power, putting an end to civil strife.

From Vespasian, the throne passed to his son Titus, which was the first time that his son became the heir to the emperor. Titus did not rule for long, and the throne passed to his younger brother Domitian, against whom a conspiracy was drawn up, and he was killed.

Antonina

After the death of Domitian, the senate elected Nerva emperor, who lasted only two years on the throne. After him, the outstanding commander Ulpia Trajan took the throne, who pushed the boundaries of the Roman Empire as far as possible, trying to push the barbarian tribes of nomads as far as possible from Rome.

Thanks to the next three emperors - Hadrian, Anthony Pius and Marcus Aurelius II century became the "golden age" of the Roman Empire. However, the next emperor - Commodus, the son and heir of Marcus Aurelius, turned out to be vicious and vain. AT 192 In the year he was strangled as a result of a conspiracy, and the empire again fell into the abyss of civil strife.

Sever dynasty

AT 193 year, the Sever family comes to the throne. The second emperor of this kind, named Karkall, is interesting in that under him, the population of all the conquered Roman provinces was granted Roman citizenship.

Beginning with 235 The empire enters a period of power crisis. Fight for the imperial throne 29 applicants, and only one of them died of natural causes.

And only with the coming to power of Diocletian in 284 the empire found peace and balance. Under Diocletian to replace principate y - the coexistence of the monarchy and the republic, comes dominant- unlimited imperial power.

To rid the empire of civil strife and protect the throne from a disastrous power struggle, Diocletian introduces tetrarchy- the division of the empire into four parts, each of which had to be ruled by its own tetrarch. However, the idea did not justify itself: after Diocletian retired, the young tetrarchs again quarreled among themselves in an attempt to capture all four tetrarchies.

In the struggle for power, Constantine, one of the tetrarchs, emerged victorious, the rest either died in battle or were killed as a result of a conspiracy.

Konstantin I and the end of the empire

AT 324 Constantine becomes the sole ruler of the entire great empire. He is famous for the fact that under him Christianity is transformed from a persecuted sect into a state religion.

Rome, from the capital of a giant empire, becomes at first just the center of one of the four tetrarchies, and then completely loses its great status, as Constantine transfers the capital from Rome to a small town Byzantium , later renamed to Constantinople in honor of Constantine.

At the same time, the territory of Rome by that time had already grown so much in size as a result of endless conquests that it became very difficult to manage it. There is a split of the empire into Western and Eastern, which later became known as Byzantium with the capital Constantinople.

The invasion of the barbarians gradually undermined the political and economic system of the once invincible state. Theodosius I was the last formal ruler of the still formally entire Roman Empire, but he stayed with them for only one year.

AT 395 power passed to his sons. AT 480 Julius Nepos, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, died.

The Western Roman Empire again broke up into separate independent states, which the once powerful Rome turned into its colonies.

Such was the end of the great Roman Empire, which ruled the world about 1500 years.

Ancient Rome is an ancient state centered in the city of Rome (Lazio region, Italy), gradually expanding to the entire Apennine Peninsula, most of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Ancient Rome existed for about eight hundred years.

Kingdom Period

2000 BC e. Akin to the Greeks, the Indo-Europeans invade the Apennine Peninsula from the north.

900-800 BC e. The Etruscans arrived on the Apennine Peninsula by sea, probably from Asia Minor.

753 BC e. According to legend, the twin brothers Romulus and Remus founded Rome, a city on seven hills (Aventine, Viminal, Capitol, Quirinal, Palatine, Caelius, Esquiline).

753-715 BC e. According to legend, the reign of Romulus, the first king of Rome.

616-510 BC e. The reign of the Etruscan kings from the Tarquinian dynasty. The emergence of the estates of patricians and plebeians, as well as slaves.

Republic period

510-509 BC e. The overthrow of Etruscan rule. The Romans gained state independence. Military-political power passed to the Senate and elected consuls (aristocratic republic).

508 BC e. The treaty between Rome and Carthage recognizes the exclusive interests of Rome in the Apennine Peninsula and Carthage in Africa.

451-449 BC e. A written fixation of Roman law was carried out (“Laws of 12 tables” - the basis of Roman law for the next 600 years).

445 BC e. Legality of marriages between plebeians and patricians was recognized. The merging of the plebeian elite into one estate with the patricians (nobility).

406-396 BC e. The third and last war of the Romans with the Etruscan city of Veii (north of Rome).

390 BC e. Invasion from the north to the Apennines by the Celts ("Gauls"). The defeat of the Romans and the temporary capture of the city.

343-265 BC e. The wars of Rome with other Italic tribes (Aequas, Volsci, Samnites, Latins) and Greek policies in Italy (including Pyrus, king of Epirus). Rome seized dominance over the entire peninsula.

287 BC e. Full legal equality of plebeians and patricians was accepted.

264-146 BC e. Punic wars of Rome with Carthage (modern Tunisia) for dominance over the Mediterranean Sea:

First (264-241 BC). Annexation by Rome of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica (the first Roman provinces);

Second (218-201 BC). Initially - the victory of the Carthaginians under the command of Hannibal, finally - the victory of the Romans at the walls of Carthage. Later (183 BC) Hannibal preferred death to extradition to Rome;

Third (149-146 BC). Siege and destruction of Carthage. Formation of the Roman province of Africa. Annexation of Iberia (part of modern Spain).

229-146 BC e. Expansion of Rome into the Eastern Mediterranean. Capture of Greece, Macedonia, Syria.

138-101 BC e. Slave uprisings in Sicily and Pergamon. Suppressed by the Roman army.

88 BC e. Civil war between consuls Gaius Marius and Sulla due to clash of interests within the ruling class. The final victory of Sulla and the senatorial nobility supporting him.

82-79 BC e. The dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, directed against all democratic reforms, had as its goal to overcome the state crisis of Rome. The social basis of the dictatorship was the senatorial oligarchy and the army. In 79 BC e. Sulla, admitting that he "did not achieve his goals", resigned and returned to private life.

73-71 BC e. The revolt of Spartacus, the largest performance of slaves in the Roman state. The army of Spartacus was defeated by the Roman army of Mark Licinius Crassus. Spartacus died in battle.

70 BC e. Marcus Licinius Krase and Gnaeus Pompeii are elected consuls.

67 BC e. Having received special powers, a strong fleet and the necessary troops, Gnaeus Pompeii eliminated piracy in the Mediterranean within 60 days.

66-62 BC e. Eastern campaigns of Gnaeus Pompey. As a result, a victory was won over Mithridates VI Eupator, king of Pontus. The Romans moved on to Syria, where Pompeii legally abolished the former Seleucid kingdom and formed the new Roman province of Syria, to which he added the Phoenician cities and Judea.

60 BC e. First triumvirate. An unspoken agreement between Marcus Licinius Crassus, Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompey on a joint fight against the senatorial oligarchy.

59 BC e. Gaius Julius Caesar elected consul.

58-51 BC e. Gallic campaigns of Gaius Julius Caesar. He conquered all of Gaul, defeated the Germanic tribes, and made two invasions of Britain (55-54 BC). The campaigns were distinguished by the merciless mass extermination of the vanquished.

52 BC e. Gnaeus Pompeii became sole consul and established a de facto dictatorship.

49-45 BC e. Civil war between Caesar and Pompey for power. Crossing the river by Caesar's troops

Rubicon (January 49 BC). Caesar's victory at the Battle of Pharsalus (August 48 BC). Pompey's flight to Egypt and his death. Caesar's wars in Egypt and Asia Minor, return to Rome.

45-44 BC e. Dictatorship of Gaius Julius Caesar. Introduction of the Julian chronology (solar calendar, "old style"). Assassination of Caesar in the Senate (March 44 BC).

44-31 BC e. Civil wars for power in Rome. Ended with the victory of one of the members of the second Gaius Octavius ​​(Gaius Julius Caesar)

Empire period

27 BC e. The Senate appoints Gaius Octavius ​​the title "Emperor Caesar Augustus". Change of the form of government in the Roman state to an authoritarian one. The emergence of the Roman Empire; The first emperor, Caesar Augustus, ruled until 14 AD. e.

19 BC e. Completion of the conquest of all of Spain by the Romans.

14-37 BC e. Reign of Tiberius, stepson of Augustus. Relying on the imperial guard, he pursued an autocratic policy. He achieved an improvement in the financial situation of the empire.

37-41 The reign of Caligula. Notable for massive confiscations of property and increased taxes. His desire for unlimited power and the demand for honors for himself as a god aroused the displeasure of the senate; was killed by the guards.

40-41 The Romans occupied Mauretania (modern Morocco and Western Algeria), inhabited by Berber tribes. Dividing it into two parts, they declared them Roman provinces.

41-54 Reign of Claudius. He laid the foundations of the imperial bureaucracy, improved the financial situation of the state, streamlined taxation, distributed the rights of Roman citizenship to the provincials. Poisoned by his wife Agrippina, mother of Nero.

43 The Romans begin their conquest of Britain. Southern Britain declared a Roman province

48-79 Romans conquer Wales.

54-68 Reign of Nero. All kinds of buildings and games absorbed huge amounts of money from the state treasury. By repressions and confiscations, the emperor restored various sections of Roman society against him. After the betrayal of the guard, he committed suicide.

64 The largest fire in Rome, destroying 10 of the 14 districts of the city. To deflect the suspicion of arson from himself, Nero accused the Jews and Christians of it (the first persecution of Christians).

69-79 Reign of Vespasian. It is much wider than its predecessors, extended to the provincials the rights of Roman and Latin citizenship.

78-85 Gnaeus Julius Agricola, Roman governor in Britain, extends Roman rule as far as the highlands of Scotland.

79 Mount Vesuvius erupts, destroying the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Stabiae.

79-81 Reign of Titus, son of Vespasian. In Roman historiography, Titus is considered one of the best emperors; continued the policy of Vespasian in relation to the provincial population, took care of the people after natural disasters (fires in cities, the eruption of Vesuvius), built public buildings in Rome (Thermae, the Colosseum, etc.).

81-96 Reign of Domitian, younger brother of Titus. By strengthening the bureaucracy and infringing on the rights of the Senate, he caused discontent among the aristocracy. Killed as a result of a palace conspiracy.

98-117 Reign of Trajan. As a result of victorious wars, the empire expanded its borders to the maximum: the territories of Dacia (101-106), Arabia (106), Great Armenia (114), Mesopotamia (115) were conquered. Now the eastern border of the Roman Empire ran along the Tigris River. In the eyes of the Roman slave-owning nobility, Trajan was the ideal ruler.

117-138 Reign of Hadrian. Under him, the imperial power and the centralization of state institutions increased. Hadrian departed from the aggressive policy of his predecessor, in 117 he ended the war with the Parthians, abandoning Armenia and Mesopotamia. A system of powerful fortifications and defensive ramparts was created on the borders of the empire.

138-161 Reign of Antoninus Pius. He continued the policy of Hadrian, avoided wars and erected defensive structures on the borders.

161-180 Reign of Marcus Aurelius. Marked by defensive battles that marked the end of the calm development of the empire. Domestic policy is characterized by the agreement of Marcus Aurelius with the Senate while strengthening the state apparatuses and expanding its functions. Marcus Aurelius entered the history of philosophy as one of the most prominent representatives of late Stoicism.

162-166 Rome's war with the Parthians over influence in Armenia. The outbreak of the plague epidemic forced the Romans to retreat. The plague brought by the troops to the empire raged until 189 (the emperor Marcus Aurelius himself died from it). According to the peace treaty (166), Northern Mesopotamia joined the Roman Empire, and Armenia, nominally retaining independence, actually became dependent on Rome.

180-192 Reign of Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius. He relied on the guard, pursued the senators, confiscating their property. He demanded his deification. Participated in gladiator fights. Killed by conspirators from among the courtiers.

193-211 Reign of Septimius Severus. He tried to overcome the internal political crisis of the Roman Empire by establishing an open military monarchy. He pursued a policy aimed at weakening the Senate, executed his many enemies, and confiscated their property. Strengthened the borders of the empire.

195-198 Septimius Severus repulsed the Parthian invasion of Armenia and Syria, and then captured all of Mesopotamia. A new province is organized on the occupied lands.

205-211 Septimius Severus repulsed the attack of the hill tribes of Scotland on the province of Britain and restored the system of Roman defensive structures. Died in Britain from illness.

211-217 Reign of Caracalla, eldest son of Septimius Severus. In 212 he issued an Edict granting the rights of Roman citizenship to all the free population1 of the Roman Empire. The policy of pressure on the Senate, the execution of the nobility, the beating of the inhabitants of Alexandria, who opposed additional recruitment into the army, caused discontent and led to the murder of Caracalla by the conspirators.

222-235 Reign of Severus Alexander from the Syrian branch of the dynasty. The state was actually ruled by the emperor's grandmother and mother with the help of their advisers. State policy was carried out in agreement with the Senate, spending on the needs of the army was reduced. The aggravation of relations between the emperor and the military led to a rebellion in the legions. The emperor, his mother and their advisors were killed by their disgruntled soldiers during the war with the Alemanni on the Rhine.

235-238 Maximin's reign. The son of a Thracian peasant, who went from an ordinary warrior to the commander of the army, which proclaimed him emperor. His policy, which affected the interests of the senate and large landowners and aimed at meeting military needs, caused the uprising. In the war with the senatorial party, Maximinus died during a mutiny that broke out in his own camp.

238-244 The reign of Gordian III. In 242-244 he led the fight against the Persians in Syria and Mesopotamia, repelled their invasion (241-244). He died at the hands of conspirators from his inner circle on the Euphrates.

244-249 Reign of Philip the Arab. Came to power by assassinating Emperor Gordian III. He made peace with the Persians, repelled the attack of the Goths (245-247). Fell in battle with Emperor Decius near Verona.

249-251 Reign of Decius Trajan. Proclaimed emperor by his troops in opposition to Philip. He organized the first systematic persecution of Christians throughout the state. Killed in battle against the invading Goths.

253-259 Valerian's reign. He declared his son Gallienus co-ruler, who ruled until 268. Continued persecution of Christians. A sharp deterioration in the situation on the borders of the empire, continuous invasions from behind the Danube by Goths and other tribes, on the Rhine border by the Franks and Alemanni, in North Africa by the Blemias and nomads of Mauretania, in the east by the Persians, who captured the emperor himself. Valerian died in captivity.

260-268 Period of political anarchy in the Roman Empire. Local military leaders proclaimed themselves emperors. The power of Gallienus was actually recognized only in Rome and Italy. The frequent invasions of hostile neighbors were aggravated by a number of uprisings. Earthquakes and outbreaks occurred in various provinces. The emperor was killed by conspirators.

268-270 Reign of Claudius, nicknamed Gothic for his successful war against the Goths. The period of restoration of the military power of the Roman Empire (strengthening of the army, reorganization of the Danubian provinces, forced settlement of the deserted Roman territories by the Goths). Died of the plague.

270-275 Reign of Aurelian. He repelled several major invasions of the Roman Empire, restored its political unity (274), for which the Senate presented him with the honorary title of "restorer of the world." Aurelian was the first to be officially called "lord and god" and wore a diadem. He fell victim to a conspiracy during a campaign against the Persians.

276-282 Reign of Emperor Probus. He strengthened the power of Rome in Gaul and along the entire Rhine border. He died during a military mutiny, outraged that the emperor forced them to build large defensive structures in peacetime.

285-305 Reign of Diocletian. Carried out reforms that stabilized the position of the empire; appointed himself three co-rulers; divided the empire into 4 parts, and those, in turn, into 12 new provinces; strengthened the army; streamlined taxation. The establishment of an unlimited monarchy is associated with Diocletian. Trying to stop the spread of Christianity in the territory of the empire, in 303-305 he organized a general persecution of Christians. In 305 he abdicated.

312-337 Reign of Constantine I the Great. After many years of struggle with the co-rulers, he became the sole ruler of the empire. Consistently carried out the centralization of the state apparatus. He supported the Christian church, while also maintaining pagan cults. In 321, he declared Sunday the official "day of rest." In 330 he founded Constantinople on the site of the ancient city of Byzantium.

325 Council of Nicaea. Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire.

359-361 War between Rome and Persia, ending in a peace treaty favorable to Persia.

361-363 Reign of Julian. Having received a Christian upbringing, he, having become emperor, declared himself a supporter of paganism. Issued edicts against Christians, for which he received the nickname "Apostate". He died during a campaign against the Persians.

363-364 Reign of Jovian. He canceled all the decrees of Julian on religious issues, completely restored the dominant position of Christianity. Shortly before his death, he was forced to cede Mesopotamia to the Persians.

383-395 Reign of Theodosius I the Great. In 380 he established the dominance of orthodox Christianity and persecuted adherents of paganism. Under him, the Olympic Games were canceled (as pagan ones), the Library of Alexandria was burned, and many pagan sanctuaries were destroyed.

395 After the death of Theodosius I the Great, the entire Roman Empire, according to his will, was divided among his sons: 11-year-old Honorius became emperor of the West, 18-year-old Arcadius, the first ruler of the Byzantine Empire, became emperor of the East.

Period of the Western Roman Empire

395-423 Reign of Honorius. In fact, the country was ruled by the commander Stilicho until 408, and then the real power passed to the courtiers.

404 Transfer of the capital of the empire from Rome to Ravenna, a city in Northern Italy at the mouth of the Pad River, a port on the Adriatic Sea.

407 The Romans effectively left Britain.

425-455 Reign of Valentinian III. Up to 437 regents, his mother was with him. Until 454, he was under the influence of the commander Aetius, who in 451, with the help of the Visigoths, defeated the Huns invading Gaul. In 454, Valentinian executed Aetius, but soon after that he himself was killed by the adherents of the latter, who united with the senatorial nobility. Strengthening the process of the collapse of the empire. Conquest of Africa by the Vandals; Spain, Gaul and Pannonia (Danubian province) became almost independent.

454 Pope Leo I the Great seeks from Emperor Valentinian III the recognition of the highest judicial powers for the pope (subordination of bishops to the papal court, giving the pope's decisions the force of law), which contributed to the transformation of the Roman bishop into the head of the Church in the West.

476 Fall of the Western Roman Empire. The commander of the imperial guard, Odoacer, deposed the 16-year-old emperor Romulus Augustulus, who, ironically, bore the name of the founder of the city of Rome and the Roman state.

The report on the topic "Ancient Rome" will tell about the culture and life in this country. "Ancient Rome" report grade 5 can present in the history lesson.

"Ancient Rome" report

Ancient Rome- a powerful ancient civilization that got its name from the capital - Rome. His dominions stretched from England in the north to Ethiopia in the south, from Iran in the east to Portugal in the west. The legend prescribes the founding of the city of Rome to the brothers Romulus and Remus.

The history of ancient Rome dates back to 753 BC. e. and ends in 476 AD. e.

In the development of the culture of Ancient Rome, the following main periods can be distinguished:

1. Etruscan VIII-II century BC e.
2. "royal" VIII-VI century BC. e.
3. Roman Republic 510-31 BC e.
4. Roman Empire 31 years. BC e. - 476 AD e.

What did the ancient Romans do?

Rome was originally a small city-state. Its population consisted of three estates:

• patricians - indigenous people who occupied a privileged position in society;
• plebeians - later settlers;
• foreign slaves - they were captured during the wars waged by the Roman state, as well as their own citizens who became slaves for breaking the law.

Slaves did housework, hard work in agriculture, worked in quarries.
The patricians received servants, talked with friends, studied law, military art, visited libraries and entertainment establishments. Only they could hold government positions and be military leaders.
The plebeians in all spheres of life were dependent on the patricians. They could not govern the state and command the troops. They had only small plots of land at their disposal. The plebeians were engaged in trade, various crafts - processing of stone, leather, metal, etc.

All work was done in the morning hours. After lunch, the residents rested and visited the baths with thermal waters. Noble Romans could go to libraries, to the theater.

The political system of ancient Rome

The entire 12-century path of the Roman state consisted of several periods. Initially, it was an elective monarchy headed by a king. The king ruled the state, and performed the duties of the high priest. There was also a senate, which included 300 senators, chosen by the patricians from among their elders. Initially, only the patricians participated in the popular assemblies, but in a later period, the plebeians also achieved these rights.

After the expulsion of the last king at the end of the VI century. BC, a republican system was established in Rome. Instead of a single monarch, 2 consuls were elected annually, who ruled the country together with the Senate. If Rome was in serious danger, a dictator with unlimited power was appointed.
Having created a strong, well-organized army, Rome conquers the entire Apennine Peninsula, defeats its main rival - Kargafen, conquers Greece and other Mediterranean states. And by the 1st century BC, it turns into a world power, the borders of which passed through three continents - Europe, Asia and Africa.
The republican system could not maintain order in an overgrown state. Several dozen of the richest families began to dominate the Senate. They appointed governors who ruled in the conquered territories. The governors shamelessly robbed both ordinary people and wealthy provincials. In response to this, uprisings and civil wars began, which lasted for almost a century. In the end, the victorious ruler became emperor, and the state became known as an empire.

Education in ancient Rome

The main goal of the Romans was to raise a strong, healthy, self-confident generation.
Boys from low-income families were taught by their fathers to plow and sow, and were introduced to various crafts.
Girls were prepared for the role of wife, mother and mistress of the house - they were taught to cook, sew and other women's activities.

There were three levels of schools in Rome:

• elementary schools, gave students basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Grammar schools taught boys from 12 to 16 years old. Teachers of such schools are more educated and occupied a fairly high position in society. Special textbooks and anthologies were created for these schools.
• The aristocrats sought to educate their children in rhetorical schools. Boys were taught not only grammar and literature, but also music, astronomy, history and philosophy, medicine, oratory and fencing.

All schools were private. The tuition fees in rhetorical schools were high, so the children of rich and noble Romans studied there.

Roman heritage

Ancient Rome left a great cultural and artistic heritage to mankind: poetic works, oratorical works, philosophical works of Lucretius Cara. Roman law, Latin language - This is the legacy of the ancient Romans.

The Romans created age-old architecture. One of the great buildings Coliseum. Heavy construction work was carried out by 12,000 slaves from Judea. They used a new building material created by them - concrete, new architectural forms - a dome and an arch. The Colosseum held over 50,000 spectators.

Another architectural masterpiece is Pantheon, i.e. temple complex of the Roman gods. This structure is in the form of a dome about 43 m high. At the top of the dome there was a hole with a diameter of 9 m. Sunlight penetrated through it into the hall.

The Romans were rightly proud of the aqueducts - water pipes through which water flowed into the city. The total length of the aqueducts leading to Rome was 350 km! Some of them went to public baths.

To strengthen their power, the Roman emperors widely used a variety of mass spectacles. Caesar in 46 ordered to dig a lake on the Campus Martius, on which a battle was organized between the Syrian and Egyptian fleets. 2000 rowers and 1000 sailors took part in it. And the emperor Claudius staged a battle of the Sicilian and Rhodes fleets on Lake Futsin with the participation of 19,000 people. These spectacles impressed with their scale and splendor, convincing the audience of the power of the rulers of Rome.

Why did the Roman Empire fall? Scientists believe that the state and military power of the Romans was not able to manage such a huge empire.

>A brief history of states, cities, events

A Brief History of Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was one of the most powerful civilizations in the history of mankind. Its history dates back to the founding of Rome in the 8th century BC. and lasts until the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. This centuries-old period is divided into three parts: royal, republican and imperial.

Rome itself was founded by Italic tribes near the Tiber River and was at first a small village. To the north of it lived the Etruscan tribes. According to legend, the Vestal Rhea lived there, who by chance gave birth to two sons from the god Mars - Romulus and Remus. By order of Rhea's brother and father, the children in the basket were thrown into the river and nailed to the Palatine Hill, where they were fed by a she-wolf. Subsequently, on this hill in 753 BC Romulus built Rome, and the she-wolf became a sacred animal for the city.

At times Tsarist period(VIII century BC - VI century BC) Ancient Rome was ruled by seven kings in turn. In the VIII century, the Romans became friends with the Sabines and their king Tatius ruled jointly with Romulus. However, after the death of Tatius, Romulus became the king of the united peoples. He created the Senate and strengthened the Palatine. The next king was Numa Pompilius. He was famous for his piety and justice, for which he was elected by the Senate. The third king, Tullus Hostilius, was distinguished by militancy and often fought with neighboring cities.

After his death, the Sabine Ankh Marcius came to power, who significantly expanded the city to the sea coast. During the Royal period, Rome was alternately ruled by Latins, Sabines or Etruscan rulers. One of the wisest rulers was Servius Tullius of Corniculum. Once he was captured by the Romans, became the successor of Tsar Tarquinius the Ancient and married his daughter. After the death of the king, he was unanimously elected by the Senate. At the beginning of the VI century BC. through the efforts of the Latin-Sabine patricians, the royal power in Rome fell and came Republican period, lasting up to about 30 BC

This period was quite long, so it is customary to divide it into two parts: the Early Roman Republic and the Late Roman Republic. The early period was marked by the struggle of the patricians (tribal aristocracy) and the plebeians (descendants of the defeated people). Patricians were born with privileges of the highest caste, and plebeians were not even allowed to enter into legal marriages or carry weapons. The republic was ruled by two consuls from the patrician caste. This state of affairs could not last long, so the plebeians organized a riot.

They demanded the abolition of debt interest, the right to participate in the senate and other privileges. Due to the fact that their military role in the country increased, the patricians had to make concessions and by the end of the 3rd century BC. the plebeians had the same rights and opportunities as the "higher caste". During this same period, the Romans were involved in a series of wars that resulted in the conquest of Italy. To 264 BC Rome became the leading power in the Mediterranean. The late period of the formation of the Republic was marked by a series of Punic Wars, during which the Romans took Carthage.