Rome and its numerous centuries of history officially begin in 753 B.C. on the slopes of the Palatino hills, when the Etruscans and Greek colonies occupied areas nearby. Tradition gave Romulus the paternity of the village, tracing in the boundary with a plow.

From 509 B.C. until 27 B.C., the republican supreme authority governed and was elected each year by the citizens, establishing the base of civil law.

Rome, once a village, became the capital of an empire in a few centuries and, with the Punic Wars, the undisputed ruler of the Mediterranean Sea.
> Map of the Empire

The territorial and population expansion called for a redefinition of the "republic", or the state. After the assassination of Caesar (44 B.C.) affluent men disputed over the next successor of the new regime-the princedom: Marco Antonio, Cleopatra's ally, or Caesar's adopted son Octavian, both of who shared the rule after Caesar's death. The "princeps" (from primum caput" or "first citizen") founded an empire in a unified and peaceful order that lasted until the III century A.D. ("pax romana"). It was during these centuries that the Roman empire reached its splendor.

With the III century A.D. Rome gradually lost its central role as a kingdom of vastness and universality, until Diocletian separated the empire into two parts, profoundly restructuring economy, finance, politics, and bureaucracy. This guaranteed Rome a new century of prosperity while Christianity became officially authorized in 313 A.D. by Constantine the Great with the issued edict in Milan, contributing to the support of the regime.

In that period, Rome had about 4 million citizens (free men, slaves excluded) and an empire of over 50 million.

In the IV century the nucleus of the empire began to move toward the orient, after successive invasions by Barbarians, Visigoths, and Vandals, that also came to plunder the city of Rome.

In the VI century, the Roman empire began to disappear, leaving its mark in history as having created and unified the so-called "civil world".

Enter into the knowledge of antique Rome through these brief chapters:

> Rome Caput Mundi: chronological table of historical events and map of the Empire

> Panem and Circenses: entertainment, fundamental element for politics

> Rome and the development of the Christian Catholic religion

> Index of the Emperors

In the other chapters you can find: news bulletins on archeological excavation advancements made in the in the Imperial Forum zone; WebView in direct contact with the Forums; the reconstruction of antique buildings; sayings and characteristics of the Antique Romans. Select the chapter from the four titles in the black column on the right.