Periodization of Ancient Rome. Main dates and events

Rome is located in the center of the intersection of trade routes, around settlements near the Tiber River. Historians say that Rome appeared in the IX century BC. E. As a small village, created by two central tribes of Latin and Sabine. The periodization of Ancient Rome includes three main stages: the royal, the republican and the imperial.

The Legacy of the Etruscans

The Etruscans are an ancient tribe that occupied the vast territory of the Apennine peninsula (modern Tuscany). They created a large and developed civilization that stretched between the rivers Tiber and Arno. The culture of the Etruscans had a tremendous influence on the Romans, who inherited the largest part of their traditions and customs. This civilization preceded the Roman one and was much stronger than it. But it was the Romans who assimilated and destroyed the Etruscans. The periodization of Ancient Rome without the Etruscans would be impossible, because the Romans used all the legacy of their predecessors in order to create a powerful state.

Founding of Rome

The foundation of Rome begins with a legend about Romulus and Remus - the two twins who returned their rightful place and avenged their grandfather Numitor.

In the middle of the II millennium BC. E. At the bottom of the Tiber, the tribes of Latino Sicles began to settle. Latins designated their territory as two hills - Palatine and Velia. The remaining hills were occupied by Sabines. Soon, the two tribes, as one might expect, united as a result of demographic and mercenary goals. VIII century. BC. E. Became the century of unification of two tribes, which laid the foundation for a great empire. Together, the fortress of Rome was built, which is located on Capitol Hill. It is from here that the periodization of Ancient Rome begins.

If you go into the legend in detail, it should be said that among the Etruscans lived the vestal of Ray. The fate has developed so that she gave birth to two sons from the god Mars - Romulus and Remus. According to legend, Rhea was ordered to throw the children in a basket into the river. They floated downstream and soon approached the Palatine Hill, where they were picked up by a wolf. The date of the founding of Rome - 753 BC. E. This year, Romulus built on the hill Rome, and the she-wolf became a sacred and revered animal.

Tsarist period

The date of the founding of Rome marked the beginning of the tsarist period, during which the state ruled 7 kings. The kings ruled in the following order: Romulus, Numa Pompilius, Tull Hostili, Anc Marcius, Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius and Lucius Tarquinius Proud. Periodization of Ancient Rome without seven kings is unthinkable, because they laid the foundation of the future empire.

At first Romulus ruled together with Tatsiem - the king of the Sabines, but after his death Romul continued to rule alone (753-715 BC). His reign is significant because he created the senate, managed to strengthen the Palatine and form a Roman community.

The second king, Numa Pompilius, was distinguished by great devotion and justice. Tullus Gostilius was a warlike king, who fought with the Fiden, Sabines and Veii. Anc Marcius expanded the borders of Rome towards the sea, strengthening relations with the Etruscans. He did not have a single war.

Tarquinius Prisk was an Etruscan. Rome was enriched with innovations in language, politics and religion. Tarquinium increased the senate by 100 people. He also fought with his neighbors and began a long process of draining the swampy terrain of the city. Servius Tullius was always a mysterious person, since even his origin remains a mystery. Tarquinius the Proud, son of Tarquinius Priscus, seized power through murder. He ruled cruelly and did not take into account the Senate's opinion.

The reign of Tarquinius the Proud and also the permissiveness of Sextus Tarquinius (son of the king) led to the decline of the tsarist government. To a large extent this was served by the Latin Sabine patricians.

Founding of the Republic

The period of the republic was quite protracted, so historians divide it into two parts: the Early Roman Republic and the Later Roman Republic. The early Roman Republic is characterized by the power of the aristocracy and patricians, to which the plebeians - the descendants of the vanquished people - submitted. The plebeians had no rights: they were forbidden to carry arms, and their marriages were not recognized as legal. All this was aimed at depriving them of protection from all sides. The crisis of the Roman Republic was caused precisely by this confrontation between the patricians and the plebeians.

The Republican system did not greatly change the political structure of Rome. Instead of a lifelong king, power came to two elected consuls, who ruled just a year. At the end of their term, the consuls reported to the senate.

During the Early Republic, the Romans participated in a series of wars that led to the seizure of Italy. Already by 264 BC. E. Rome became the most powerful power of the whole Mediterranean. The Late Republic was marked by a series of Punic wars that led the Romans to conquer Carthage. However, the crisis of the Roman Republic grew more and more.

Roman-Samnite Wars (343-290 BC)

The Roman-Samnite War consists of three periods and represents a series of armed conflicts. The cause of the struggle in the first two wars was Campania - a beautiful and fertile region of Italy. The third episode of the war was caused by the elimination of the threat of the Samnites in Central Italy.

The revolt of Spartacus (74-71 BC.)

In Rome, the number of slaves has steadily increased, and their position in society has been proportionally deteriorating. These factors and the brutal rule of Sulla are the two main causes of the uprising of Spartacus. It began after the death of the ruler and reached a huge scale. Fugitive slaves were constantly coming to the army of Spartacus, who were trained by the gladiators. With his army, the insurgent passed through Italy and intended to cross over to the island of Sicily, but was deceived by pirates. This was a large-scale uprising that showed courage and thirst for the freedom of slaves.

As a result, the uprising was strangled. Spartacus himself fell in battle, and all the minions were crucified on the crosses along the Appian road to the edification of the rest.

Guy Julius Caesar

Guy Julius Caesar was then dictator, then consul, until he became the Great Pontiff of the Roman Empire. He had a great influence on the empire in her last years. Caesar came from the tribe of patricians, therefore from birth was endowed with a certain power.

He was a cunning politician and bribed the people in every possible way. It worked perfectly, and it had a strong support among the common people. The dictatorship of Caesar was coveted and sung by all. He demonstrated his talents as a great commander and strategist in the Gallic War, defeating the Germans.

He made many campaigns, expanding the boundaries of the empire. Caesar was cunning, but cautious. Historians note his gift as a speaker, as he many times raised the morale of the soldiers with a brief speech. Caesar left behind him several works that are recognized as classics of Latin prose (Notes on the Gallic War and Notes on the Civil War). His activities had a huge impact on the development of Western Europe.

Fall of the Republic

The fall of the republic was inevitable, as discontent with the old order was constantly growing. The power of the senate ceased to be fair, it concentrated in the hands of several noble families. It was obvious that the republican system is not suitable for a huge power. Not only ordinary people suffered from oppression on the part of the authorities. As a result of almost a century of discontent, the republic fell. The main role in this played the army.

Empire

The main ruler of Rome was recognized by the emperor because the old authority was overthrown by the army (previously commanders were called emperors). The first three centuries in Rome preserved the republican order. The emperor was chief in the senate and was called "princeps". At first, the Roman Empire was quite democratic, and all power was still with the Senate. The first emperor of Rome was Octavianus Augustus. He completed the formation of a professional Roman army, which lasted about a century. The soldiers were to serve for 20-25 years, not having the right to start a family and living on a regular allowance.

The Julius-Claudian dynasty was started by Tiberius Claudius Nero, the second emperor of Rome, who considerably expanded the boundaries of his possessions. Separately it is necessary to allocate the third emperor - Caligula, who ordered to call himself "God" and planted the imperial cult. He lived on a broad foot and spent a lot of money from the treasury on performances for the lower strata of society. His reign caused general indignation, and he was killed as a result of another conspiracy.

Further to power in Rome came the Flavian dynasty, which defended its territory with dignity and expanded its borders. She is also known for having built her own theater - the Colosseum. Then the dynasty Antonines and Severas ruled.

The Flavian dynasty and the Colosseum (69-96 BC)

This dynasty built the world famous construction - the Amphitheater of the Colosseum, which is located between the three hills. Building construction required 8 years of hard work. The opening of the Colosseum in Rome was marked by large-scale gladiatorial games. Many historians of antiquity describe the opening of the amphitheater as a large and spectacular view.

It should be noted that the name "Colosseum" appeared only in the VIII century. There are two versions of this name. The first is in the size and grandeur of the structure, and the second version says that the name comes from the huge statue of Nero, which he erected in his honor.

The Coliseum hosted gladiator fights, sea games and animal hunts. All this was arranged for holidays or in honor of the arrival of eminent guests. In 217 the building suffered from a severe fire, but it was restored by the order of Alexander Sever.

The Antoninov dynasty

The reign of the Antonin dynasty is considered more or less stable for Rome. In history, Antonines are known as "five good emperors". The Roman Empire during the reign of the Antonines dynasty reached its peak. Peace was achieved in relations with the senate, autocracy was finally recognized. As for foreign policy, Rome has expanded its borders to the maximum.

The reign of Antoninus Pius (96-192 BC)

The reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius is characterized by unprecedented heyday of small settlements and provinces. He was open and accessible to every one he submitted, and this strongly attracted the people. His work in the field of legal relations has served to the fact that in the beginning of the III century Roman law began to develop by leaps and bounds. The emperor was assisted by 5 famous lawyers who were able to elevate Roman law to a new level. He also introduced an important principle, which stated that before the trial people can not be considered guilty of anything.

Also, Pius raised the question of the status of slaves in society, equating the slave murder to a common crime. Moreover, the slaves who sought refuge in the walls of the temple could not return to their masters. The emperor mitigated torture for slaves, and also prohibited the taking of children under the age of 14 into slavery. He also introduced a law that argued that the daughter's preferences should be taken into account when concluding a marriage contract. Pius's rule is recognized as very humane, which was influenced by the influence of Greek philosophy and stoicism.

Marcus Aurelius

The reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius of the Antonin dynasty was largely based on the postulates of Antoninus Pius. Marcus Aurelius always stressed the respectful attitude to the senate, paid much attention to the law. He supported low-income families, developed a philosophy. By nature, he was calm, but life forced him to participate in hostilities.

The fall of the empire

The collapse of the Roman Empire occurred against the backdrop of the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The reason for this was the attacks of barbarians on the entire territory of Rome. The 476 year of the fall of the Roman Empire became a historic date, which marked the complete completion of the history of Rome. Visigoths and Ostrogoths, Burgundians and Vandals actively invaded the territory. Over the years, the pressure on the empire by the German tribes only increased, and the 476 year of the fall of the Roman Empire became the apogee. Soon the Roman throne became a tempting toy for barbarian commanders.

Chronology of the history of ancient Rome is full of terrible, strange and bloody events. But without going through all these stages, Rome would not have become a powerful empire that could have had a huge impact on the whole world. He left a large number of cultural monuments, as well as invaluable works of his best emperors-philosophers.