Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="topic-desktop ui-ie7 ui-ie"> <head prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns# fb: https://ogp.me/ns/fb#"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130"> <link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" /> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Ancient Rome, the state centered on the city of Rome from 753 BC through its final eclipse in the 5th century AD. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, most of continental Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa." /> <meta name="keywords" content="ancient Rome, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome" /> <title>Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts | Britannica</title> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel"> window.$UI = {}; window.Constants = {"LICENSE_URL": "/bps/license","DEFAULT_TEST_VERSION": "A","DEFAULT_STATE": "XX","QUIZ_URL": "/quiz","SPOTLIGHT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/spotlight","CONTENT_TYPE_TEXT": "text/plain;charset=UTF-8","TOPIC_FACTS_DATA_URL": "/facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_IMAGE_QUIZZES": "images","TOPIC_MEDIA_PATH": "/images-videos","USER_PROFILE_URL": "/user","DEBUG_URL": "/debug","ONE_GOOD_FACT_URL": "/one-good-fact","ERROR_404_URL": "/error404","PROCON_CITED_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/ProCon-in-the-News","PROCON_URL": "/procon","TOPIC_PAGE_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/page","INFINITE_SCROLL_PREFIX_URL": "/scroll","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_BROWSE_URL": "/questions","CC_USD": "USD","domain": "britannica.com","SURVEY_URL": "/survey","CATEGORY_BROWSE_URL": "/browse","STORY_BROWSE_URL": "/stories","COUNTRY_US": "US","OPEN_MEDIA_OVERLAY_PARAMETER": "/media","NEWSLETTER_SUBSCRIPTION_URL": "/newsletter-subscription","MAINTENANCE_ERROR_URL": "https://maintenance.eb.com","IMARS_EDITOR_ID": "12365882","PROFILE_EB_EDITOR_URL": "/editor","WEB_INF_RESOURCES_PATH": "WEB-INF/resources","AI_ABOUT_PAGE_URL": "/about-britannica-ai","TOPIC_ADDITIONAL_INFO_PATH": "/additional-info","SUDOKU_GAME_URL": "/games/sudoku","CC_INR": "INR","ARTICLE_PRINT_URL": "/print/article","FIRST_EDITION_URL": "/subscriber/firstedition","WW1_PORTAL_URL": "/discover/World-War-I","MENDEL_COOKIE": "__mendel","DEMYSTIFIED_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/demystified","LIST_BROWSE_URL": "/list/browse","PROFILE_EXPERT_URL": "/contributor","ASSEMBLY_IMAGE_URL": "/image/assembly","DAY_IN_HISTORY_URL": "/on-this-day","DEFAULT_CURRENCY": "USD","CONTENT_TYPE_XML": "text/xml;charset=UTF-8","PORTAL_FINANCE_BROWSE_URL_PREFIX": "/money/browse","MONEY_IMARS_CATEGORY": "13000","AJAX_PREFIX_URL": "/ajax","TOPIC_BROWSE_URL": "/topic-browse","MARKETING_CONTENT": "/marketing-content","ENV_RUNTIME": "runtime","GALLERY_URL": "/gallery","topicUrlClassesList": "topic|animal|art|biography|event|place|plant|science|sports|technology|procon","CONTENT_TYPE_HTML": "text/html;charset=UTF-8","ENV_LOCAL": "override","MEDIA_OVERLAY_URL": "/media-overlay","CHATBOT_PAGE_URL": "/chatbot","NEWSLETTER_PAGE_URL": "/newsletters","ENV_DEV": "development","MEDIA_URL": "/media","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_URL": "/question","PORTAL_FINANCE_URL_PREFIX": "/money","PODCASTS_URL": "/podcasts","STAND_ALONE_VIDEO_URL": "/video","MORE_ON_THIS_DAY_URL": "/more-on-this-day","TOPIC_QUOTES_URL": "/quotes","SEARCH_PAGE_URL": "/search","PROCON_CLASS": "PROCON","KUSTOM_MENDEL_APPLICATION_ID": "1","TOPIC_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/topic","ENV_BRANCH": "branch","ERROR_URL": "/error","MAIN_VERSION": "mainVersion","DEFAULT_S3_REGION": "US_EAST_1","TOPIC_COLLECTION_URL": "/summary","LOGINBOX_URL": "/auth/loginbox","ONE_GOOD_FACT_BROWSE_URL": "/one-good-fact/all-good-facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_URL": "/quiz/browse","BIO_BROWSE_URL": "/browse/biographies","LIST_URL": "/list","TIGHTROPE_QUIZ_URL": "/quiz/tightrope","ALPHA_BROWSE_URL": "/sitemap","CONTENT_TYPE_JSON": "application/json","DICTIONARY_URL": "/dictionary","COBRAND_IMAGE_URL": "/image/cobrand","PROCON_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/pro-and-con-issues-in-the-news","PROCON_BROWSE_URL": "/procon","QUIZ_BROWSE_VOCAB_QUIZZES": "vocabulary-quizzes","SUBMISSION_URL": "/submission","EB_LOG_OUT": "/auth2/logout","ENV_PRODUCTION": "production","EXPLORE_PORTAL_URL": "/explore","TOPIC_AJAX_URL": "/ajax/topic","TOPIC_SUMMARY_BROWSE_URL": "/summaries","WTFACT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/wtfact","VIDEO_CHANNEL_URL": "/videos","GALLERY_BROWSE_URL": "/gallery/browse","CACHE_URL": "/cache","PROCON_ABOUT_URL": "/procon/About-ProCon","COMPANION_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/companion","MEDIA_FOLDER": "/eb-media","SHOW_ALL_CONTRIBUTORS": "/additional-info#contributors","BRITANNICA_EDITORS_ID": "4419","ENV_CACHE_DISABLED": "mendelCache","CALCULATORS_BROWSE_URL": "/calculators","STORY_URL": "/story","DEFAULT_COUNTRY": "US","NAVBAR_URL": "/ajax/navbar","EB_LOGIN_URL": "/auth/eb-login","NEW_ARTICLES_URL": "/new-articles",}; window.CDN = "https://cdn.britannica.com"; window.CAM_LOGIN_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com"; window.CAM_SIGN_UP_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/registration" window.Mendel = { "config" : { "domain": "britannica.com", "page": "Topic", "videoPlayerId": "UyMCoK2v", "sharedUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome", "amuselabsUrl": "https://cdn3.amuselabs.com", "resourcesPrefixUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/[url]?v=3.130.14", "date": 20241125, "userInfo": { "type": "ANONYMOUS" ,"currency": "AUUS" ,"country": "SG" ,"state": "XX" ,"timezone": "Asia/Singapore" ,"bcomId": "-400856481996955370" ,"hasAds": true ,"testVersion": "C" ,"adsTestVersion": "C" ,"consumerId": "" ,"instId": "" ,"consumerUserName": "" ,"instUserName": "" ,"cognito": null }, "tvs":{ "r":[25,25,25,25], "a": [25,25,25,25]}, "isLoggedInAsUser": false, "isPhone": false, "isDesktop": true, "logoutUrl": "/auth2/logout", "selfServiceUrl": "https://myaccount.britannica.com", "cdnUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com", "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "fetchOffset": 800, "mendelCookieName": "__mendel", "mendelCookie": {"surveyShown":false,"visitedTopicId":507905,"currentDate":20241125}, "autocompleteToSearchPage": false,"topicUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome" ,"freeTopicReason": "NO_REFERRER" ,"topicId": 507905 ,"template": "DESKTOP" ,"type": "CORE" ,"hasToc": true ,"chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api" ,"showPreview": false ,"infiniteScrollList": [{"p":33,"t":507905},{"p":1,"t":857952},{"p":2,"t":507739},{"p":8,"t":507866},{"p":1,"t":267782},{"p":31,"t":244231},{"p":1,"t":1366093},{"p":3,"t":507759},{"p":1,"t":1920833},{"p":1,"t":335026}] ,"sequence": 1 ,"topics": {} }, "GA": {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} }; </script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1887621861548296"/ <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@britannica" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Ancient Rome, the state centered on the city of Rome from 753 BC through its final eclipse in the 5th century AD. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, most of continental Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa."/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Ancient Rome, the state centered on the city of Rome from 753 BC through its final eclipse in the 5th century AD. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, most of continental Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa."/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Encyclopedia Britannica" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" /> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="init opengraph"> Mendel.openGraph = {"type":"ARTICLE","title":"Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts","description":"Ancient Rome, the state centered on the city of Rome from 753 BC through its final eclipse in the 5th century AD. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, most of continental Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa.","imageUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg","imageType":"image/jpeg","pageUrl":"https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome"}</script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/" > <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons"> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/vendor-bundle.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/mendel-css.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.css?v=3.130.14" rel="stylesheet" /> <script type="text/javascript"> if (self !== top) { top.location = self.location; } // if ('scrollRestoration' in history) { history.scrollRestoration = 'manual'; } </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/at.js?v=3.130.14" async ></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5W6NC8'); </script> <meta name="last-modified" content="2024-11-14" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"headline":"Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts","image":{"url":"https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg","@type":"ImageObject"},"author":[{"name":"E. Badian","url":"https://www.britannica.com/contributor/E-Badian/138","@type":"Person"},{"name":"Edward Togo Salmon","url":"https://www.britannica.com/contributor/Edward-Togo-Salmon/2575","@type":"Person"}],"keywords":"ancient Rome","wordcount":71313,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome","datePublished":"1999-07-26T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-11-14T00:00:00Z","description":"Ancient Rome, the state centered on the city of Rome from 753 BC through its final eclipse in the 5th century AD. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the Tiber River in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, most of continental Europe, and parts of Asia and Africa.","publisher":{"logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"},"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization"},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"} </script></head> <body data-leg="C" class="new-topic topic-desktop first-page-true user-ANONYMOUS user-ads md-desktop leg-cb-ie">  <script>Mendel.config.adProvider='ay';</script> <script async src="https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/tag/js/gpt.js"></script> <script> window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []}; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/15510053/CMP_1x1', [1, 1], 'div-gpt-ad-1709766812090-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script async defer src="https://launchpad-wrapper.privacymanager.io/0ccc6fe8-1870-4ad8-b47b-6d029ac116fc/launchpad-liveramp.js"></script> <script async src="https://JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs.ay.delivery/manager/JRyhoywLYXNLYMAhs" type="text/javascript" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade" ></script><div class="ie-warning d-flex align-items-center align-self-center justify-content-center site-alert bg-orange"> <div> You are using an <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please <a class="text-white text-underscore" href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience and security. </div> </div> <script id="json-navbar-info" type="application/json"> {"topSectionLinks":[{"title":"Ask the Chatbot","url":"/chatbot","navbarId":"CHATBOT"},{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse","navbarId":"QUIZZES"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","navbarId":"PROCON"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","navbarId":"HISTORY"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech","navbarId":"SCIENCE"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies","navbarId":"BIOS"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature","navbarId":"ANIMALS"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","selected":true,"navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","navbarId":"ART"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money","navbarId":"MONEY"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos","navbarId":"VIDEOS"}],"selectedSuperCategory":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"Geography-Travel","description":"Explore geography and travel; geographic regions; historical places; people of the world; countries, states, provinces, cities, and towns; languages; deserts, islands, mountains, plateaus; lakes, oceans, seas, rivers; national parks, tourist attractions","keywords":"geographic regions; historical places; people of the world; countries, states, provinces, cities, and towns; languages; deserts, islands, mountains, plateaus; lakes, oceans, seas, rivers; national parks, tourist attractions ","classId":"GEOGRAPHY","sortOrder":5},"selectedNavbarLink":{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","selected":true,"navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"}} </script> <script id="json-hamburger-menu" type="application/json"> {"britannicaMenu1":[{"title":"Home","url":"/"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money"}],"britannicaMenu2":[{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos"},{"title":"On This Day","url":"/on-this-day"},{"title":"One Good Fact","url":"/one-good-fact"},{"title":"Dictionary","url":"/dictionary"},{"title":"New Articles","url":"/new-articles"}],"browseByCategory":[{"title":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},"links":[{"title":"Lifestyles & Social Issues","url":"/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues"},{"title":"Philosophy & Religion","url":"/browse/Philosophy-Religion"},{"title":"Politics, Law & Government","url":"/browse/Politics-Law-Government"},{"title":"World History","url":"/browse/World-History"}]},{"title":{"id":6,"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},"links":[{"title":"Health & Medicine","url":"/browse/Health-Medicine"},{"title":"Science","url":"/browse/Science"},{"title":"Technology","url":"/browse/Technology"}]},{"title":{"id":3,"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},"links":[{"title":"Browse Biographies","url":"/browse/biographies"}]},{"title":{"id":1,"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},"links":[{"title":"Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates","url":"/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates"},{"title":"Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates","url":"/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates"},{"title":"Environment","url":"/browse/Environment"},{"title":"Fossils & Geologic Time","url":"/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time"},{"title":"Mammals","url":"/browse/Mammals"},{"title":"Plants","url":"/browse/Plants"}]},{"title":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},"links":[{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/browse/Geography-Travel"}]},{"title":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},"links":[{"title":"Entertainment & Pop Culture","url":"/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture"},{"title":"Literature","url":"/browse/Literature"},{"title":"Sports & Recreation","url":"/browse/Sports-Recreation"},{"title":"Visual Arts","url":"/browse/Visual-Arts"}]}],"browseByFeature":[{"title":"Companions","url":"/stories/companion"},{"title":"Demystified","url":"/stories/demystified"},{"title":"Image Galleries","url":"/gallery/browse"},{"title":"Lists","url":"/list/browse"},{"title":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts"},{"title":"Spotlight","url":"/stories/spotlight"},{"title":"Summaries","url":"/summary"},{"title":"The Forum","url":"/stories/the-forum"},{"title":"Top Questions","url":"/question"},{"title":"#WTFact","url":"/stories/wtfact"}],"moreFromBritannica":[{"title":"Britannica Kids","url":"https://kids.britannica.com/","newTab":true}],"menuType":"DEFAULT"} </script> <header id="header" class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="global-nav-top-bar"> <div class="grid gx-0 h-100 justify-content-between align-items-center container-lg mx-auto p-0 position-relative"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <button class="d-flex align-items-center justify-self-start js-toggle js-toggle-hamburger btn btn-link link-white btn-sm rounded-0 p-10"> <div class="hamburger-tooltip"> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24" id="nav-toggle" data-icon="menu"></em> </div> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24 global-nav-search-icon" id="nav-search-icon" data-icon="search" ></em> </button> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center ml-10"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-logo global-nav-logo-left" /> </a> <div class="global-nav-top-search-bar global-nav-top-search-container global-nav-search-container" id="global-nav-top-search-bar"> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> </div> </div> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-center global-nav-logo non-homepage-logo" /> </a> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small global-nav-center search global-nav-center-search-container"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> <div class="col-35 col-sm-auto text-right order-3 mr-lg-15 align-items-center d-flex justify-content-end"> <div class="d-none d-md-inline-block"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2 marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-outline-white-orange py-5 mr-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <div class="d-inline-block d-md-none mr-5 mr-sm-10"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE"><a href="https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS" class="subscribe-link btn btn-xs btn-orange-dark p-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Subscribe </a></SPAN></div> <button class="js-toggle-user-dropdown js-toggle btn btn-sm btn-link link-white rounded-0 px-md-15 pl-5 pr-5"> <span class="d-none d-md-inline-block mr-5">Login</span> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block d-md-none font-16 font-sm-20" data-icon="account_circle"></em> <div class="d-none dropdown-menu-subscription-link">https://subscription.britannica.com/subscribe?partnerCode=BP_Black_Friday_AUUS</div> <em class="material-icons inactive-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_down"></em> <em class="material-icons active-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_up"></em> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none hamburger-menu-subscription-link"><DIV class="marketing-HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5" target="_blank"> Subscribe <span class="d-none d-md-inline"> Now</span> </a></DIV></div> <div id="global-nav-react"> <div class="d-none"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/procon">ProCon</a></li> <li><a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a></li> <li><a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a></li> <li><a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a></li> <li><a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a></li> <li><a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> <li><a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/money">Money</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/videos">Videos</a></li> <li><a href="/on-this-day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="/one-good-fact">One Good Fact</a></li> <li><a href="/dictionary">Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="/new-articles">New Articles</a></li> </ul> <a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues">Lifestyles & Social Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Politics-Law-Government">Politics, Law & Government</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/World-History">World History</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Health-Medicine">Health & Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Science">Science</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Technology">Technology</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/biographies">Browse Biographies</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates">Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates">Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Environment">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time">Fossils & Geologic Time</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Mammals">Mammals</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Plants">Plants</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Visual-Arts">Visual Arts</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/stories/companion">Companions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/demystified">Demystified</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/browse">Image Galleries</a></li> <li><a href="/list/browse">Lists</a></li> <li><a href="/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/spotlight">Spotlight</a></li> <li><a href="/summary">Summaries</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/the-forum">The Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/question">Top Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/wtfact">#WTFact</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">Britannica Kids</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <div class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="container-lg p-0 d-flex justify-content-center global-nav-categories-bar overflow-hidden"> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 global-nav-slider category-snap-slider"> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex font-14 overflow-hidden text-nowrap mx-5"> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-CHATBOT " href="/chatbot">Ask the Chatbot</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-QUIZZES " href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-PROCON " href="/procon">ProCon</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-HISTORY " href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-SCIENCE " href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-BIOS " href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ANIMALS " href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-GEOGRAPHY selected selected" href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ART " href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-MONEY " href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-desktop infinite-pagination"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="507905"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome">ancient Rome</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/ancient-Rome">Introduction & Top Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref26584"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome#ref26584">Rome from its origins to 264 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26585"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome#ref26585">Early Rome to 509 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26586"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome#ref26586">Early Italy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26587"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome#ref26587">Historical sources on early Rome</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26588"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Romes-foundation-myth">Rome’s foundation myth</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26589"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Romes-foundation-myth#ref26589">The regal period, 753–509 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26590"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Early-centuries-of-the-Roman-Republic">Early centuries of the Roman Republic</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26591"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Early-centuries-of-the-Roman-Republic#ref26591">Foundation of the republic</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26592"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Early-centuries-of-the-Roman-Republic#ref26592">The struggle of the orders</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26593"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Early-centuries-of-the-Roman-Republic#ref26593">The consulship</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26594"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Early-centuries-of-the-Roman-Republic#ref26594">The dictatorship</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26595"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate">The Senate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26596"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate#ref26596">The popular assemblies</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26597"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate#ref26597">The plebeian tribunate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26598"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate#ref26598">The Law of the Twelve Tables</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26599"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate#ref26599">Military tribunes with consular power</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26600"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Senate#ref26600">Social and economic changes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26601"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Latin-League">The Latin League</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26602"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Latin-League#ref26602">Roman expansion in Italy</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26603"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Latin-League#ref26603">The Samnite Wars</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26604"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Latin-League#ref26604">The Pyrrhic War, 280–275 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26605"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-middle-republic-264-133-bc">The middle republic (264–133 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26606"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-middle-republic-264-133-bc#ref26606">The first two Punic Wars</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26607"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-middle-republic-264-133-bc#ref26607">First Punic War (264–241 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26609"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-middle-republic-264-133-bc#ref26609">Second Punic War (218–201 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26612"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-establishment-of-Roman-hegemony-in-the-Mediterranean-world">The establishment of Roman hegemony in the Mediterranean world</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26613"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-establishment-of-Roman-hegemony-in-the-Mediterranean-world#ref26613">Roman expansion in the eastern Mediterranean</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26614"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Roman-expansion-in-the-western-Mediterranean">Roman expansion in the western Mediterranean</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26615"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Roman-expansion-in-the-western-Mediterranean#ref26615">Explanations of Roman expansion</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26616"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Roman-expansion-in-the-western-Mediterranean#ref26616">Beginnings of provincial administration</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26617"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-transformation-of-Rome-and-Italy-during-the-Middle-Republic">The transformation of Rome and Italy during the Middle Republic</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26618"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-transformation-of-Rome-and-Italy-during-the-Middle-Republic#ref26618">Citizenship and politics in the middle republic</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26619"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Culture-and-religion">Culture and religion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26620"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Culture-and-religion#ref26620">Demographic and economic developments</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26621"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Social-changes">Social changes</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26622"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Social-changes#ref26622">Rome and Italy</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26623"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Late-Republic-133-31-bc">The Late Republic (133–31 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26624"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Late-Republic-133-31-bc#ref26624">The aftermath of the victories</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26625"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Late-Republic-133-31-bc#ref26625">Changes in provincial administration</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26626"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Late-Republic-133-31-bc#ref26626">Social and economic ills</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26627"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reform-movement-of-the-Gracchi-133-121-bc">The reform movement of the Gracchi (133–121 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26628"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reform-movement-of-the-Gracchi-133-121-bc#ref26628">The program and career of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26629"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reform-movement-of-the-Gracchi-133-121-bc#ref26629">The program and career of Gaius Sempronius Gracchus</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26630"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-republic-c-121-91-bc">The republic (<em>c.</em> 121–91 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26631"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-republic-c-121-91-bc#ref26631">War against Jugurtha</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26632"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-republic-c-121-91-bc#ref26632">The career of Gaius Marius</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26633"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc">Wars and dictatorship (<em>c.</em> 91–80 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26634"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc#ref26634">Events in Asia</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26635"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc#ref26635">Developments in Italy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26636"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc#ref26636">Civil war and the rule of Lucius Sulla</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26637"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc#ref26637">The Roman state in the two decades after Sulla (79–60 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26638"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Wars-and-dictatorship-c-91-80-bc#ref26638">The early career of Pompey</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26639"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus">Pompey and Crassus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26640"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus#ref26640">Political suspicion and violence</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26641"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus#ref26641">The final collapse of the Roman Republic (59–44 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26642"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus#ref26642">Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26643"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus#ref26643">Political maneuvers</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26644"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Pompey-and-Crassus#ref26644">Civil war</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26645"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-dictatorship-and-assassination-of-Caesar">The dictatorship and assassination of Caesar</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26646"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-dictatorship-and-assassination-of-Caesar#ref26646">The Triumvirate and Octavian’s achievement of sole power</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref61495"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Intellectual-life-of-the-Late-Republic">Intellectual life of the Late Republic</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26647"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Intellectual-life-of-the-Late-Republic#ref26647">Grammar and rhetoric</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26648"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Intellectual-life-of-the-Late-Republic#ref26648">Law and history</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26649"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Intellectual-life-of-the-Late-Republic#ref26649">Philosophy and poetry</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26650"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Early-Roman-Empire-31-bc-ad-193">The Early Roman Empire (31 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>–<span class="text-smallcaps">ad</span> 193)</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26651"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Early-Roman-Empire-31-bc-ad-193#ref26651">The consolidation of the empire under the Julio-Claudians</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26652"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Early-Roman-Empire-31-bc-ad-193#ref26652">The establishment of the principate under Augustus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26653"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies">The Roman Senate and the urban magistracies</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26654"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26654">The equestrian order</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26655"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26655">Administration of Rome and Italy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26656"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26656">Administration of the provinces</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26657"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26657">Emperor worship</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26658"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26658">The army</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26659"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26659">Foreign policy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26660"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Roman-Senate-and-the-urban-magistracies#ref26660">Economic life</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26661"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Augustan-art-and-literature">Augustan art and literature</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26662"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Augustan-art-and-literature#ref26662">Appraisal of Augustus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26663"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Augustan-art-and-literature#ref26663">The succession</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26664"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Augustan-art-and-literature#ref26664">Growth of the empire under the Flavians and Antonines</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26665"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Augustan-art-and-literature#ref26665">The year of the four emperors</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26666"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Flavian-emperors">The Flavian emperors</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26667"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Flavian-emperors#ref26667">The early Antonine emperors: Nerva and Trajan</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26668"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Flavian-emperors#ref26668">Hadrian and the other Antonine emperors</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26669"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-empire-in-the-2nd-century">The empire in the 2nd century</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26670"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-empire-in-the-2nd-century#ref26670">Trend to absolute monarchy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26671"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-empire-in-the-2nd-century#ref26671">Political life</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26672"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-empire-in-the-2nd-century#ref26672">Rome and Italy</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26673"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-empire-in-the-2nd-century#ref26673">Developments in the provinces</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26674"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-creation-of-a-unified-civilization">The creation of a unified civilization</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26675"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-creation-of-a-unified-civilization#ref26675">Urban centres</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26676"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-creation-of-a-unified-civilization#ref26676">Latinization</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26677"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-creation-of-a-unified-civilization#ref26677">Limits of unification</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26678"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Cult-of-the-emperors">Cult of the emperors</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26679"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Cult-of-the-emperors#ref26679">The economic factor</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26680"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Cult-of-the-emperors#ref26680">The army</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26681"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Cult-of-the-emperors#ref26681">Cultural life</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref26682"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire">The Later Roman Empire</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26683"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire#ref26683">The dynasty of the Severi (<span class="text-smallcaps">ad</span> 193–235)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26684"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire#ref26684">Septimius Severus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26685"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire#ref26685">Caracalla</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26686"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire#ref26686">Macrinus</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26687"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Later-Roman-Empire#ref26687">Elagabalus and Severus Alexander</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26688"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Religious-and-cultural-life-in-the-3rd-century">Religious and cultural life in the 3rd century</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26689"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Religious-and-cultural-life-in-the-3rd-century#ref26689">The rise of Christianity</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26690"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Religious-and-cultural-life-in-the-3rd-century#ref26690">Cultural life from the Antonines to Constantine</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26691"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Religious-and-cultural-life-in-the-3rd-century#ref26691">Military anarchy and the disintegration of the empire (235–270)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26692"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Religious-and-cultural-life-in-the-3rd-century#ref26692">Succession of emperors and usurpers</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26693"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-barbarian-invasions">The barbarian invasions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26694"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-barbarian-invasions#ref26694">Difficulties in the East</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26695"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-barbarian-invasions#ref26695">Economic and social crisis</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26696"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-barbarian-invasions#ref26696">The recovery of the empire and the establishment of the dominate (270–337)</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26697"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-barbarian-invasions#ref26697">The Illyrian emperors</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26698"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Diocletian">Diocletian</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26699"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Diocletian#ref26699">Struggle for power</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26700"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Constantine">The reign of Constantine</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26701"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Constantine#ref26701">The Roman Empire under the 4th-century successors of Constantine</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26702"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Constantine#ref26702">The rule of Constantine’s sons</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26703"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Constantine#ref26703">The reign of Julian</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26704"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Valentinian-and-Valens">The reign of Valentinian and Valens</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26705"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Valentinian-and-Valens#ref26705">The reign of Gratian and Theodosius I</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26706"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Valentinian-and-Valens#ref26706">Social and economic conditions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26707"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-reign-of-Valentinian-and-Valens#ref26707">The remnants of pagan culture</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26708"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Christian-church">The Christian church</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref26709"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Christian-church#ref26709">The eclipse of the Roman Empire in the West (<em>c.</em> 395–500) and the German migrations</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26710"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Christian-church#ref26710">Invasions in the early 5th century</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26711"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/The-Christian-church#ref26711">The beginning of Germanic hegemony in the West</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26712"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Barbarian-kingdoms">Barbarian kingdoms</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref26713"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/ancient-Rome/Barbarian-kingdoms#ref26713">Analysis of the decline and fall</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/ancient-Rome">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome/images-videos">Images & Videos</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/229776" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-004-62894F15/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" alt="Roman Forum" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-050-E127930A/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/208083" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-004-C0E53154/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg" alt="Roman Forum: Temple of Antoninus and Faustina" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/did-you-know-Ancient-Rome/256895" data-href="/media/1/507905/256895" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/56/223256-138-E4BB3A00/did-you-know-Ancient-Rome.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="How the Roman Empire was founded" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/video/What-was-a-gladiator/313878" data-href="/media/1/507905/313878" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/256638-138-FFB0A5AA/What-was-a-gladiator.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="The video thumbnail image shows an ancient drawing of a gladiator holding a shield and spear." class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/1040-050-B71B5FC4/expansion-Roman-Italy.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/1819" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/1040-159-B04C68AD/expansion-Roman-Italy.jpg" alt="Roman expansion in Italy from 298 to 201 bce" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/1042-050-F1D06D1D/Mediterranean-Punic-Wars.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/1820" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/42/1042-004-25A2A76C/Mediterranean-Punic-Wars.jpg" alt="The western Mediterranean during the Punic Wars" height="50" /> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/1045-050-4FC20530/Roman-war-galley-deck-infantry-Vatican-Museums.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/1835" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/1045-004-B88F36DF/Roman-war-galley-deck-infantry-Vatican-Museums.jpg" alt="Roman war galley" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/Hannibal-campaign-Rome-Saguntum-attack/194190" data-href="/media/1/507905/194190" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/62/179462-138-FE9CB2C4/Hannibal-campaign-Rome-Saguntum-attack.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Hannibal's daring strategy against Rome explained" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/14/198814-050-D4A3405D/Battle-of-Zama-canvas-artist-Giulio-Romano.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/233772" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/14/198814-004-680E92B7/Battle-of-Zama-canvas-artist-Giulio-Romano.jpg" alt="Battle of Zama" height="50" /> </a> <a href="/video/What-the-fact-religion-Ancient-Rome/258437" data-href="/media/1/507905/258437" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <div class="position-relative --aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/62/226662-138-81CD5B5B/What-the-fact-religion-Ancient-Rome.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="How ancient Romans honoured their dead relatives…by feeding them" class="col-100" /> <div class="btn btn-sm btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; left:50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%)"> <em class="material-icons font-14" data-icon="play_arrow" > </em> </div> </div> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-quizzes"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Quizzes </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/history-buff-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/19/153419-131-91ADC6E8/Ruins-statues-Karnak-Egypt.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Temple ruins of columns and statures at Karnak, Egypt (Egyptian architecture; Egyptian archaelogy; Egyptian history)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/history-buff-quiz" >History Buff Quiz</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/the-roman-empire"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/59/152559-131-67C5F744/Roman-Forum-Temple-of-Saturn-Italy-Rome.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Overlooking the Roman Forum with Temple of Saturn in Rome, Italy" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/the-roman-empire" >The Roman Empire</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/quiz/ancient-rome-quiz"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/118627-131-E148DAEF/Battle-of-Actium-canvas-Lorenzo-A-Castro-1672.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="The Battle of Actium, 2 September 31 BC, oil on canvas by Lorenzo A. Castro, 1672." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/ancient-rome-quiz" >Ancient Rome Quiz</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Who-was-the-first-king-of-ancient-Rome">Who was the first king of ancient Rome?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-were-the-two-main-social-orders-in-ancient-Rome">What were the two main social orders in ancient Rome?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-were-the-two-assemblies-of-the-Roman-Republic">What were the two assemblies of the Roman Republic?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/What-were-The-Punic-Wars">What were The Punic Wars?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Who-was-the-first-Roman-emperor">Who was the first Roman emperor? </a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/did-nero-really-fiddle-as-rome-burned"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/70/146770-131-8A2F36CC/Bust-emperor-Roman-Nero.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) (ad 50-54) the fifth Roman emperor (ad 54-68), stepson and heir of the emperor Claudius." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/did-nero-really-fiddle-as-rome-burned" >Did Nero Really Fiddle as Rome Burned?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/the-time-julius-caesar-was-captured-by-pirates"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/03/184703-131-5F5449BD/Gaius-Julius-Caesar-statue-Rimini-Italy-statesman.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Julius Caesar in full Gaius Julius Caesar (100? BCE-44 BCE) statue in Rimini, Italy. Roman general and statesman and dictator" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/the-time-julius-caesar-was-captured-by-pirates" >The Time Julius Caesar Was Captured by Pirates</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/world-poetry-day"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/23/181923-131-76FC0CA5/poet-clothing-poetry-festival-Heian-Kyoto-shrine.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="poem. A poet in a Heian period kimono writes Japanese poetry during the Kamo Kyokusui No En Ancient Festival at Jonan-gu shrine on April 29, 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. Festival of Kyokusui-no Utage orignated in 1,182, party Heian era (794-1192)." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/world-poetry-day" >World Poetry Day</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/all-119-references-in-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explained"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/79904-131-6DCAD337/Elizabeth-II-speech-throne-Parliament-state-opening-1958.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Queen Elizabeth II addresses at opening of Parliament. (Date unknown on photo, but may be 1958, the first time the opening of Parliament was filmed.)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/all-119-references-in-we-didnt-start-the-fire-explained" >All 119 References in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” Explained</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/7-female-firsts-in-us-politics"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/91/61891-131-AF35D0B4/Frances-Perkins.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Frances Perkins, c. 1939-1945" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/7-female-firsts-in-us-politics" >7 Female Firsts in U.S. Politics</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/12-novels-considered-the-greatest-book-ever-written"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/55/142355-131-EFF621AF/books-Stack-literature-pile-reading-entertainment-society-2010.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/12-novels-considered-the-greatest-book-ever-written" >12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/8-philosophical-puzzles-and-paradoxes"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/176305-131-2D85B5C6/Casino-Gambling-Slots-Neon-Slot-machine-Luck.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Casino. Gambling. Slots. Slot machine. Luck. Rich. Neon. Hit the Jackpot neon sign lights up casino window." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/8-philosophical-puzzles-and-paradoxes" >Brain Games: 8 Philosophical Puzzles and Paradoxes</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/189145-131-45FF672E/Secret-Service-Agent-Earpiece.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents" >Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/was-santa-claus-a-real-person"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/92/202092-131-ACFF5B40/Santa-Claus-sleigh.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Santa Claus flying in his sleigh, christmas, reindeer" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/was-santa-claus-a-real-person" >Was Santa Claus a Real Person?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/8-unusual-punishments-inflicted-on-women-throughout-history"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/98/234498-131-6FF17721/Woman-tied-to-ducking-stool-punishment.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Woman tied to a ducking stool, a method of punishment by means of humiliation, beating, or death. (cucking stool)" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/8-unusual-punishments-inflicted-on-women-throughout-history" >8 Unusual Punishments Inflicted on Women Throughout History</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-summarize-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Geography-Travel", "name": "Geography & Travel" } } , { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 2, "item" : { "@id" : "https://www.britannica.com/browse/Historical-Places", "name": "Historical Places" } } ] } </script> <nav class="breadcrumb mt-20"> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> <a class="link-gray-600" href="/browse/Historical-Places">Historical Places</a> </span> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-REGULAR" data-student-article="true"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/place/ancient-Rome", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome", "browserTitle": "Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts", "firstTopicPage": true, "topicId":507905 } </script> <div class="reading-channel"> <div class="desktop-header-image module-spacing"> <figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-20 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/507905/229776"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Roman Forum" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/196945-050-CCF8BD72/Temple-of-Saturn-Arch-Septimius-Severus-Forum.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/229776">Roman Forum</a> <span><span>The Temple of Saturn (foreground) and the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>ancient Rome</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">ancient state, Europe, Africa, and Asia</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="507905"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <button class="js-print-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=507905] .md-print-modal" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </button> <div class="md-print-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">print</em> Print </div> <div class="mt-20 mb-10"> Please select which sections you would like to print: </div> <form action="/print/article/507905" method="post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div class="print-box-items"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><label><input class="mr-10" type="checkbox" name="sequence[]" value="0">Table Of Contents</label></li> </ul> </div> <input type="submit" class="btn btn-blue md-disabled" value="Print" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=507905] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="E. Badian, Edward Togo Salmon, Gary Edward Forsythe, Emily D. Townsend Vermeule, Simon Hornblower, John Ferguson, Nancy Thomson de Grummond, Paul Petit, Richard P. Saller, Ramsay MacMullen" data-title="ancient Rome" data-published-date="14 Nov. 2024" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=507905] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="ancient Rome" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome">https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> <div> <button class="qa-external-website-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=507905] .md-websites-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 mr-5" data-icon="link"></em> External Websites </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/507905"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/introancientrome1.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Social Studies for Kids - An Introduction to Ancient Rome</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsEurope/ItalyRomeEmpire.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">The History Files - Rome</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ancient-rome/ancient-rome-and-religion" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">The History Learning Site - Ancient Rome and Religion</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/roman/early-empire/a/obelisks-and-ancient-rome" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">Khan Academy - Obelisks and ancient Rome</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.livescience.com/ancient-rome" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">LiveScience - Ancient Rome: From city to empire in 600 years</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/ancient-Rome/353728" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ancient Rome - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/ancient-Rome/276779" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ancient Rome - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/E-Badian/138" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">E. Badian</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">John Moors Cabot Professor of History, Harvard University. Author of <i>Roman Imperialism in the Late Republic </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> E. Badian</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Edward-Togo-Salmon/2575" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Edward Togo Salmon</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Messecar Professor of History, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, 1954–73. Author of <i>A History of the Roman World from 30 B.C. to A.D. 138 </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Edward Togo Salmon</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-14T00:00:00CST" >Nov 14, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Rome/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Date: </dt> <dd>753 BCE - <i>c. </i> 500</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Major Events: </dt> <dd><a href="/event/Punic-Wars" topicid="940971">Punic Wars</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Battle-of-Pharsalus" topicid="455221">Battle of Pharsalus</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Battle-of-Zama-Roman-Carthaginian-history" topicid="655514">Battle of Zama</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Battle-of-Alesia-52-BCE" topicid="2095782">Battle of Alesia</a></dd> <dd><a href="/event/Battle-of-Cannae" topicid="92664">Battle of Cannae</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/Julius-Caesar-Roman-ruler" topicid="88114">Julius Caesar</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Augustus-Roman-emperor" topicid="43047">Augustus</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Cicero" topicid="117565">Marcus Tullius Cicero</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Pompey-the-Great" topicid="469463">Pompey the Great</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Diocletian" topicid="164042">Diocletian</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/Roman-law" topicid="507759">Roman law</a></dd> <dd><a href="/art/Neoclassicism" topicid="408739">Neoclassical art</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Senate-Roman-history" topicid="534333">Senate</a></dd> <dd><a href="/technology/aqueduct-engineering" topicid="31132">aqueduct</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/civitas" topicid="119502">civitas</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Places: </dt> <dd><a href="/place/Italy" topicid="297474">Italy</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Roman-Empire" topicid="507739">Roman Empire</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/ancient-Egypt" topicid="180468">ancient Egypt</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Pompeii" topicid="469420">Pompeii</a></dd> <dd><a href="/place/Petra-ancient-city-Jordan" topicid="454080">Petra</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/ancient-Rome"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Who was the first king of ancient Rome?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "According to tradition, Romulus was Rome\u2019s first king. His legendary reign was filled with deeds expected of an ancient city founder and the son of a war god. Thus he was described as having established Rome\u2019s early political, military, and social institutions and as having waged war against neighboring states. Romulus was also thought to have shared his royal power for a time with a Sabine named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/Titus-Tatius\">Titus Tatius<\/a>. The name may be that of an authentic ruler of early Rome, perhaps Rome's first real king; nothing, however, was known about him in later centuries, and his reign was therefore lumped together with that of Romulus." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What were the two main social orders in ancient Rome?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The two main social orders in ancient Rome were the patricians and the plebeians. The two were in a political struggle lasting for more than 200 years. In the beginning, the patricians were supposed to have enjoyed a monopoly of power, while the plebeians began with nothing except the right to vote in the assemblies. During the course of the struggle the plebeians, however, were believed to have won concessions gradually from the patricians through political agitation and confrontation, and they eventually attained legal equality with them." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What were the two assemblies of the Roman Republic?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The two assemblies of the Roman Republic were the centuriate assembly (comitia centuriata), which was military in nature and composed of voting groups called centuries (military units), and the tribal assembly (comitia tributa), a nonmilitary civilian assembly. The tribal assembly met within the city and was more democratic in its organization." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>What were The Punic Wars?<\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The series of wars between Rome and Carthage are known as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Punic-Wars\">Punic Wars<\/a>. The First Punic War ( First Carthaginian War) was fought from 264\u2013241 BCE, the Second Punic War (Second Carthaginian War) was fought from 218\u2013201 BCE, while the Third Punic War (Third Carthaginian War) was fought from 149\u2013146 BCE." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : "<div>Who was the first Roman emperor? <\/div><em><\/em>", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Augustus-Roman-emperor\">Augustus<\/a>, also called Augustus Caesar, was the first Roman emperor following the republic, which had been finally destroyed by the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. His autocratic regime is known as the principate because he was the princeps, the first citizen, at the head of that array of outwardly revived republican institutions that alone made his autocracy palatable. With unlimited patience, skill, and efficiency, he overhauled every aspect of Roman life and brought durable peace and prosperity to the Greco-Roman world." } } ] } </script> <div class="top-questions qa-accordion d-flex flex-column module-spacing"><div class="font-weight-bold font-14 mb-5"> Top Questions </div><div id="intent-accordion" class="md-intent-accordion"><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="1"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Who was the first king of ancient Rome?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>According to tradition, Romulus was Rome’s first king. His legendary reign was filled with deeds expected of an ancient city founder and the son of a war god. Thus he was described as having established Rome’s early political, military, and social institutions and as having waged war against neighboring states. Romulus was also thought to have shared his royal power for a time with a Sabine named <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Titus-Tatius" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Titus Tatius</a>. The name may be that of an authentic ruler of early Rome, perhaps Rome's first real king; nothing, however, was known about him in later centuries, and his reign was therefore lumped together with that of Romulus.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="2"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What were the two main social orders in ancient Rome?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The two main social orders in ancient Rome were the patricians and the plebeians. The two were in a political struggle lasting for more than 200 years. In the beginning, the patricians were supposed to have enjoyed a monopoly of power, while the plebeians began with nothing except the right to vote in the assemblies. During the course of the struggle the plebeians, however, were believed to have won concessions gradually from the patricians through political agitation and confrontation, and they eventually attained legal equality with them.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="3"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What were the two assemblies of the Roman Republic?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The two assemblies of the Roman Republic were the centuriate assembly (comitia centuriata), which was military in nature and composed of voting groups called centuries (military units), and the tribal assembly (comitia tributa), a nonmilitary civilian assembly. The tribal assembly met within the city and was more democratic in its organization.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="4"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>What were The Punic Wars?</div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p>The series of wars between Rome and Carthage are known as the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Punic-Wars" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Punic Wars</a>. The First Punic War ( First Carthaginian War) was fought from 264–241 BCE, the Second Punic War (Second Carthaginian War) was fought from 218–201 BCE, while the Third Punic War (Third Carthaginian War) was fought from 149–146 BCE.</p></div></div></div><div class="top-question bg-gray-50 rounded" data-value="5"><h3 class="accordion--question font-14 font-weight-normal cursor-pointer rounded"><div class="pe-none d-flex justify-content-between align-items-center"><div>Who was the first Roman emperor? </div><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></div></h3><div class="accordion--answer hidden p-15 pt-5 font-16 mb-5"><div class="accordion--answer-copy"><p><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augustus-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Augustus</a>, also called Augustus Caesar, was the first Roman emperor following the republic, which had been finally destroyed by the dictatorship of Julius Caesar. His autocratic regime is known as the principate because he was the princeps, the first citizen, at the head of that array of outwardly revived republican institutions that alone made his autocracy palatable. With unlimited patience, skill, and efficiency, he overhauled every aspect of Roman life and brought durable peace and prosperity to the Greco-Roman world.</p></div></div></div><button class="show-more-button js-toggle-top-questions btn btn-unstyled font-14 d-flex pr-10 rounded-sm"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_more"></em></button></div></div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/507905/ac44f85f856293c5c8083e7e91662186" rel="nofollow">A criticized Airbnb deal will let users play gladiator in Rome's Colosseum</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 14, 2024, 11:02 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref212944"></span>ancient Rome</strong>, the state centred on the city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rome" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Rome</a>. This article discusses the period from the founding of the city and the regal period, which began in 753 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>, through the events leading to the founding of the republic in 509 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>, the establishment of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/empire-political-science" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">empire</a> in 27 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>, and the final eclipse of the Empire of the West in the 5th century <span class="text-smallcaps">ad</span>. For later events of the Empire of the East, see <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Byzantine-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Byzantine Empire</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="208083" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-050-E127930A/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/507905/208083"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-050-E127930A/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-050-E127930A/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg?w=300" alt="Roman Forum: Temple of Antoninus and Faustina" data-width="1600" data-height="1266" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/43/179043-050-E127930A/Temple-of-Antoninus-ruins-Faustina-Rome-Roman.jpg" data-href="/media/1/507905/208083">Roman Forum: Temple of Antoninus and Faustina</a><span>Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum, Rome.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Rome must be considered one of the most successful imperial powers in history. In the course of centuries Rome grew from a small town on the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tiber-River" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tiber River</a> in central Italy into a vast empire that ultimately embraced England, all of continental <span id="ref287521"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Europe</a> west of the Rhine and south of the Danube, most of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Asia-ancient-Roman-province" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Asia</a> west of the Euphrates, northern Africa, and the islands of the Mediterranean. Unlike the <span id="ref287522"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Greece" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Greeks</a>, who excelled in <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="intellectual" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intellectual" data-type="MW">intellectual</a> and artistic endeavours, the Romans achieved greatness in their military, political, and social institutions. Roman society, during the republic, was governed by a strong military <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/ethos" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ethos</a>. While this helps to explain the incessant warfare, it does not account for Rome’s success as an imperial power. Unlike Greek city-states, which excluded foreigners and subjected peoples from political participation, Rome from its beginning incorporated conquered peoples into its social and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-system" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">political system</a>. Allies and subjects who adopted Roman ways were eventually granted Roman citizenship. During the principate (see below), the seats in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Senate-Roman-history" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Senate</a> and even the imperial throne were occupied by persons from the Mediterranean realm outside Italy. The lasting effects of Roman rule in Europe can be seen in the geographic distribution of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Romance-languages" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Romance languages</a> (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian), all of which evolved from Latin, the language of the Romans. The Western alphabet of 26 letters and the calendar of 12 months and 365.25 days are only two simple examples of the cultural <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="legacy" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legacy" data-type="MW">legacy</a> which Rome has <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="bequeathed" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bequeathed" data-type="MW">bequeathed</a> Western civilization.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The larger historical period spanning from the output of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/ancient-Greece" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">ancient Greek</a> author <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Homer-Greek-poet" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Homer</a> in the 8th century <span class="text-smallcaps">bce</span> to the decline of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Roman Empire</a> in the 5th century <span class="text-smallcaps">ce</span> is known as "<a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Classical-antiquity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Classical antiquity</a>," <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="encompassing" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encompassing" data-type="MW">encompassing</a> Greco-Roman <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="culture" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culture" data-type="MW">culture</a>, playing a major role in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mediterranean-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mediterranean</a> sphere of influence and in the creation of Western civilization, and shaping areas as <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="diverse" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diverse" data-type="MW">diverse</a> as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/law" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">law</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/architecture" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">architecture</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/visual-arts" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">art</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/language" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">language</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/poetry" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">poetry</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/rhetoric" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rhetoric</a>, politics, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/philosophy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">philosophy</a>.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref26584"> <h2 class="h1">Rome from its origins to 264 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></h2> <section data-level="2" id="ref26585"> <h2 class="h2">Early Rome to 509 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span></h2> <section data-level="3" id="ref26586"> <h2 class="h3">Early <span id="ref287523"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Italy" class="md-crosslink ">Italy</a></h2> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="256895" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="223256"><a data-id="223256" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/did-you-know-Ancient-Rome/-256895"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/56/223256-138-E4BB3A00/did-you-know-Ancient-Rome.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="How the Roman Empire was founded" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/LFSkRwZ4.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/56/223256-138-E4BB3A00/did-you-know-Ancient-Rome.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/gfiZMge9", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/HXfqldUr.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="223256">How the Roman Empire was founded</span><span>Learn more about the Roman Empire.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/place/ancient-Rome/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">When Italy emerged into the light of history about 700 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>, it was already inhabited by various peoples of different <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="cultures" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cultures" data-type="MW">cultures</a> and languages. Most natives of the country lived in villages or small towns, supported themselves by agriculture or <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/animal-husbandry" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">animal husbandry</a> (Italia means “Calf Land”), and spoke an Italic <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/dialect" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">dialect</a> belonging to the Indo-European <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/family-kinship" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">family</a> of languages. Oscan and Umbrian were closely related Italic <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="dialects" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dialects" data-type="MW">dialects</a> spoken by the inhabitants of the Apennines. The other two Italic dialects, Latin and Venetic, were likewise closely related to each other and were spoken, respectively, by the Latins of <span id="ref287524"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Latium" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Latium</a> (a plain of west-central Italy) and the people of northeastern Italy (near modern Venice). Iapyges and Messapii inhabited the southeastern coast. Their language resembled the speech of the Illyrians on the other side of the Adriatic. During the 5th century <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> the Po valley of northern Italy (Cisalpine Gaul) was occupied by Gallic <span id="ref287525"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/tribe-ancient-Rome" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tribes</a> who spoke Celtic and who had migrated across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alps" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Alps</a> from continental Europe. The <span id="ref287526"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Etruscan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Etruscans</a> were the first highly civilized people of Italy and were the only inhabitants who did not speak an Indo-European language. By 700 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> several Greek colonies were established along the southern coast. Both Greeks and Phoenicians were actively engaged in trade with the Italian natives.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="313878" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="256638"><a data-id="256638" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/What-was-a-gladiator/-313878"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/38/256638-138-FFB0A5AA/What-was-a-gladiator.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="The video thumbnail image shows an ancient drawing of a gladiator holding a shield and spear." loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/ikqPsNoL.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/38/256638-138-FFB0A5AA/What-was-a-gladiator.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/V7UejumG.vtt", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/kDUqhT2u.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="256638">The not-so-Hollywood history of the gladiator</span><span>What were Russell Crowe and Paul Mescal getting themselves into?</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/place/ancient-Rome/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">Modern historical analysis is making rapid progress in showing how Rome’s early development occurred in a multicultural <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="environment" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/environment" data-type="MW">environment</a> and was particularly influenced by the higher civilizations of the Etruscans to the north and the Greeks to the south. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Roman-religion" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Roman religion</a> was indebted to the beliefs and practices of the Etruscans. The Romans borrowed and adapted the alphabet from the Etruscans, who in turn had borrowed and adapted it from the Greek colonies of Italy. Senior officials of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Roman-Republic" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Roman Republic</a> derived their insignia from the Etruscans: <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/curule-chair" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">curule chair</a>, purple-bordered toga (<em>toga praetexta</em>), and bundle of rods (<em><span id="ref287527"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasces" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fasces</a></em>). Gladiatorial combats and the military triumph (see below) were other customs adopted from the Etruscans. Rome lay 12 miles inland from the sea on the Tiber River, the border between Latium and Etruria. Because the site commanded a convenient river crossing and lay on a land route from the Apennines to the sea, it formed the meeting point of three distinct peoples: Latins, Etruscans, and <span id="ref287528"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sabine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sabines</a>. Though Latin in speech and culture, the Roman population must have been somewhat diverse from earliest times, a circumstance that may help to account for the openness of Roman society in historical times.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/the-roman-empire" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/59/152559-131-67C5F744/Roman-Forum-Temple-of-Saturn-Italy-Rome.jpg" alt="Overlooking the Roman Forum with Temple of Saturn in Rome, Italy" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">The Roman Empire</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> </section> <section data-level="3" id="ref26587"> <h2 class="h3">Historical sources on early Rome</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The regal period (753–509 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>) and the early republic (509–280 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>) are the most poorly documented periods of Roman history because historical accounts of Rome were not written until much later. Greek historians did not take serious notice of Rome until the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="Pyrrhic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pyrrhic" data-type="MW">Pyrrhic</a> War (280–275 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>), when Rome was completing its conquest of Italy and was fighting against the Greek city of <span id="ref287529"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Taranto-Italy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Tarentum</a> in southern Italy. Rome’s first native historian, a senator named <span id="ref287530"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Quintus-Fabius-Pictor" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Quintus Fabius Pictor</a>, lived and wrote even later, during the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Punic-War" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Second Punic War</a> (218–201 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>). Thus historical writing at Rome did not begin until after Rome had completed its conquest of Italy, had emerged as a major power of the ancient world, and was engaged in a titanic struggle with <span id="ref287531"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Carthage-ancient-city-Tunisia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Carthage</a> for control of the western Mediterranean. Fabius Pictor’s history, which began with the city’s mythical Trojan ancestry and narrated events up to his own day, established the form of subsequent histories of Rome. During the last 200 years <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>, 16 other Romans wrote similarly <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="inclusive" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inclusive" data-type="MW">inclusive</a> narratives. All these works are now collectively termed “the Roman <span id="ref287532"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/annalist" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">annalistic</a> tradition” because many of them attempted to give a year-by-year (or annalistic) account of Roman affairs for the republic.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Although none of these histories are fully preserved, the first 10 books of <span id="ref287533"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Livy" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Livy</a>, one of Rome’s greatest historians, are <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="extant" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extant" data-type="MW">extant</a> and cover Roman affairs from earliest times to the year 293 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> (extant are also Books 21 to 45 treating the events from 218 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> to 167 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>). Since Livy wrote during the reign of the emperor <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Augustus-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Augustus</a> (27 <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span>–<span class="text-smallcaps">ad</span> 14), he was separated by 200 years from Fabius Pictor, who, in turn, had lived long after many of the events his history described. Thus, in writing about early Rome, ancient historians were confronted with great difficulties in <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ascertaining" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascertaining" data-type="MW">ascertaining</a> the truth. They possessed a list of annual magistrates from the beginning of the republic onward (the consular <em><span id="ref287534"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/fasti-Roman-calendar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fasti</a></em>), which formed the chronological framework of their accounts. Religious records and the texts of some laws and treaties provided a bare outline of major events. Ancient historians fleshed out this meagre factual material with both native and Greek folklore. Consequently, over time, historical facts about early Rome often suffered from patriotic or face-saving reinterpretations involving exaggeration of the truth, suppression of embarrassing facts, and invention.</p><div class="module-spacing"> <DIV class="marketing-INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION marketing-content" data-marketing-id="INLINE_SUBSCRIPTION"><style> .student-promo-banner-wrapper { container-type: inline-size; margin-bottom: 15px; } @container (min-width: 475px) { .student-promo-banner { flex-direction: row; } .student-promo-banner-img-wrapper { margin-bottom: 0; margin-right: 10px; justify-content: flex-start; } .student-promo-banner-text-wrapper { text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 10px; } .student-promo-banner-button-wrapper { margin-right: 0; } }</style> <div class="student-promo-banner-wrapper"> <div class="student-promo-banner d-flex flex-column align-items-center bg-blue rounded p-20"> <div class="student-promo-banner-img-wrapper mb-20 mr-0 d-flex justify-content-center"> <img class="rounded" style="max-width: 100px; min-width: 80px" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/marketing/BlueThistle.webp" /> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-text-wrapper ml-0 mb-10 text-center text-white"> <div class="h2 mb-10">Get Unlimited Access</div> <div class="h4 font-weight-semi-bold">Try Britannica Premium for free and discover more.</div> </div> <div class="student-promo-banner-button-wrapper d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center ml-auto mr-auto"> <a class="btn btn-m btn-orange" href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=inline-cta&utm_campaign=black-friday-2024">Subscribe</a> </div> </div> </div> </DIV></div><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The evidence for the annalistic tradition shows that the Roman histories written during the 2nd century <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> were relatively brief resumes of facts and stories. Yet in the course of the 1st century <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> Roman writers were increasingly influenced by Greek <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="rhetorical" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetorical" data-type="MW">rhetorical</a> training, with the result that their histories became greatly expanded in length; included in them were fictitious speeches and lengthy narratives of spurious battles and political confrontations, which, however, reflect the military and political conditions and controversies of the late republic rather than accurately portraying the events of early Rome. Livy’s history of early Rome, for example, is a blend of some facts and much fiction. Since it is often difficult to separate fact from fiction in his works and doing so involves personal judgment, modern scholars have disagreed about many aspects of early Roman history and will continue to do so.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> </section> </section></section><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":33,"pageId":507905,"pageLength":1371,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Ancient Rome | History, Government, Religion, Maps, & Facts | Britannica