Royal age from 753 BC (year of foundation) to 509 BC (year of the expulsion of King Tarquinio the Superb); Republican age from 509 BC to 27 BC, the year in which the Senate of Rome confers full powers and the title of Augustus on Octavian; Imperial age from 27 BC. to 476 AD, the year of the deposition of Romulus Augustulus, the last Roman emperor of the West. The first form of government in Rome was the monarchy. According to tradition, this lasted two and a half centuries: from 753 BC, the year of the founding of Rome, to 509 BC, the year in which King Tarquinio the Superb was expelled from Rome, during which seven kings would have ruled. This is an unlikely number, because two and a half centuries is too long for just seven kings. There were therefore other sovereigns, of which no memory has been preserved.According to the traditional tale, the seven kings of Rome were: Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, son of the vestal Rea Silva and the god of war Mars; Numa Pompilius, presented as a peace-loving king; Tullo Hostilius, a warrior king; Ancus Martius; Tarquinio Priscus; Servius Tullius; Tarquinio the Superb. He was the last king, because accused of the death of the virtuous patrician Lucretia he was expelled from Rome. It was 509 BC. (read Lucretia and the expulsion of Tarquinius the Superb) The republican period begins in 509 BC. with the expulsion of the last king Tarquinio the Superb. From that moment Rome has been governed by two consuls, flanked by high magistrates and the Senate. Public life is under the control of the aristocratic families, the patricians. Even the non-nobles and the popular classes, the plebeians, have the right to meet in special assemblies (the plebeian councils and the tribute rallies). Once the new political system was consolidated, Rome began a process of territorial expansion on Italian soil. It wages a series of victorious wars against the neighboring populations of the Aequi, Sabines and Volsci (490-430 BC) and against Veii (405-396 BC), the powerful city of the Etruscans, followed by a long and exhausting war against the Samnites (343- 290 BC). At the end of this, Rome has control of central Italy. Now the Romans want to take over southern Italy. The powerful city of Taranto (colony of Magna Graecia) calls to its aid Pyrrhus, king of Epirus (a region between Greece and Albania). Despite some initial defeats, the Romans manage to prevail and force Pyrrhus to leave Italy (280-275 BC). With the pyrrhic wars and the capitulation of Taranto, Rome affirms its supremacy also in the south of the peninsula.During the First, Second and Third Punic Wars (264-146 BC), Rome first resizes the Carthaginian sphere of influence, he then razed Carthage to the ground and enslaved the surviving population. Rome now controls the western Mediterranean and the Iberian Peninsula.During the 2nd century BC, Rome extends its influence into the eastern Mediterranean as well. In fact, Greece becomes a Roman province (146 BC) and in Asia Minor a system of friendly states is created, with Pergamum and Rhodes as main allies. While Rome conquers part of the Hellenistic world, Greek culture conquers Rome, influencing more and more deeply the lifestyle of the upper classes, art, architecture and culture in general. influx of slaves. They contribute to the crisis of the agricultural system, hitherto centered on the work of settlers and small owners. The availability of servile labor determines in fact the birth of a slave economy.
The brothers Caio and Tiberio Gracco, at the head of the popular party, promote new laws in favor of ruined farmers. The violent opposition by the landowners, who see their privileges at risk, leads to the assassination of both (respectively in 133 and 121 BC) and to the beginning of the Roman civil wars. and Silla (88-82 BC). The situation is aggravated by the revolt of the Italic allies who, with the so-called social war (91-88 BC), obtain the rights and privileges provided by Roman citizenship. There are also numerous slave rebellions. Among them the most famous is the Spartacus revolt, repressed in 71 BC Despite internal difficulties, Rome continues to extend its power. Thanks to the exploits of Pompey, in fact, the dominion of Rome extends to the Euphrates river. Beyond the Euphrates rises the kingdom of the Parthians, powerful rivals of Rome. The first Roman army to contract with the Parthians was that of Crassus (53 BC) .With the Gallic campaigns (58-50 BC), Caesar extended the borders of Rome towards northern Europe, subduing Transalpine Gaul and occupying Britain The second civil war between Caesar and Pompey follows (49-45 BC). Pompey is defeated and killed. Caesar was appointed dictator for life and centralized all power in his own hands. Octavian obtained from the Senate the conferral of full powers and the title of Augustus (for more information read Octavian Augustus, first Roman emperor). Octavian died in 14 AD. and his adopted son Tiberius succeeds him and inaugurates the Julius-Claudian dynasty. The Julius-Claudian dynasty ends with Nero, who committed suicide in 68 AD followed by a year of unrest (68-69 AD): it is the so-called year of the four emperors. At the end of this Vespasian (69-79) ascends the throne, which begins the Flavian dynasty. Vespasian is succeeded by his sons Titus (79-81) and Domitian (81-96).
Between 96 and 180 A.D. The great figures of Nerva (96-98), Traiano (98-117), Adriano (117-138), Antonino Pio (138-161) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180) follow one another. It is the period of greatest splendor and power in the history of Rome. Under Trajan, the Empire reached the maximum extent of its borders, which Hadrian’s successor dedicated himself to consolidating. Under Marcus Aurelius, the Empire began to show itself vulnerable. After Commodus (180-192), natural son of Marcus Aurelius, General Septimius Severus (193-211) ascends to the throne. The periphery of the Empire plays an increasingly important role in the fate of Rome. Shortly thereafter, in fact, the son of Septimius Severus, Caracalla (211-217), promulgates a law that extends Roman citizenship to all the inhabitants of the Empire (212 AD). with the succession of dozens of emperors, each acclaimed by a part of the army. It is the so-called phase of military anarchy, which ends only in 284 AD. with the rise to power of Diocletian, who will promote a radical reorganization of the state, with the establishment of the Tetrarchy. After the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian, they assume the office of Augusto Galerio Massimiano and Costanzo Cloro. On the death of the latter, however, Augustus the Caesar already desiganto was not elected; instead, it returns to the dynastic principality, with the proclamation of Constantine (son of Costanzo Cloro) and Maxentius (son of Maximian). In a short time the two come to clash and, in the Battle of Ponte Milvio (Rome) in 312, Constantine defeats Maxentius.
On the death of Constantine (337 AD), the Empire was divided between his three sons: Constant, Constantine II and Constantius II; a bloody power struggle ensues. Constantius II prevails, reigning from 350 to his death (361). He is succeeded by his cousin Giuliano the Apostate (361-363).