Note. Owing to the uncertainty of the chronological record of early Roman history it must be admitted that little reliance can be placed upon the accuracy of most of the traditional dates prior to 281 B. C. For this period I have followed, in the main, Diodorus.
| B. C. | ? | Paleolithic Age. |
| ? | Neolithic Age. Ligurian settlement in Italy. |
| 2500–2000 | Beginning of the Age of Bronze. Palafitte Lake Villages. Terramare villages. |
| 1000 | Beginning of the Iron Age. |
| IX–VIII cent. | Etruscan settlement in Etruria. |
| 814 | Founding of Carthage. |
| VIII cent. | Greek colonization of Sicily and South Italy begins. |
| VII–VI cent. | Etruscan expansion in the Po Valley, Campania and Latium. |
| 508 | Overthrow of Etruscan supremacy at Rome. End of the early
monarchy. The first consuls appointed. Dedication of the
Capitoline temple. Commercial treaty with Carthage. |
| 486 | Alliance of Rome and the Latins. |
| 466 | Four tribunes of the plebs appointed. |
| 444–2 | The Decemvirate. Codification of the Law. |
| 437 | Lex Canuleia. |
| 436 | Office of military tribune with consular powers established. |
| 435 | Censorship established. |
| 392 | Capture of Veii. |
| 387 | Battle of the Allia. Sack of Rome by the Gauls. |
| 362 | The praetorship established. |
| 339 | Lex Publilia. |
| 338–6 | The Latin War. |
| 334 | Alliance of Rome and the Campanians. |
| 325–304 | Samnite War. |
| 318 | The Caudine Forks. |
| 309–7 | War with the Etruscans. |
| 310 | Appius Claudius Censor. |
| 300 | Lex Ogulnia. |
| 298–290 | War with Samnites, Etruscans and Gauls. |
| 295 | Battle of Sentinum. |
| 290 | Subjugation of Samnium. |
| 287 | Secession of the Plebs. Lex Hortensia. |
| 285 | Occupation of the Ager Gallicus. Defeat of Gauls and Etruscans at Lake Vadimo. |
| 281–272 | War with Tarentum and Pyrrhus. |
| 280 | Battle of Heraclea. |
| 279 | Battle of Ausculum. Alliance of Rome and Carthage. |
| 278 | Pyrrhus invades Sicily. |
| 275 | Battle of Beneventum. |
| 264–241 | First Punic War. |
| 263 | Alliance of Rome and Syracuse. |
| 260 | Naval Victory at Mylae. |
| 256–5 | Roman invasion of Africa. |
| 250 | Roman naval disaster at Drepana. |
| 242 | Battle of the Aegates Is. Office of praetor peregrinus established. |
| 241 | Sicily ceded to Rome. |
| 241–238 | Revolt of the Carthaginian mercenaries. Sardinia and Corsica ceded to Rome. |
| 237 | Hamilcar in Spain. |
| 232 | Colonization of the ager Gallicus. |
| 229–8 | First Illyrian War. |
| 229 | Hasdrubal succeeds Hamilcar in Spain. |
| 227 | Provinces of Sicily, and Sardinia and Corsica organized. |
| 226 | Roman treaty with Hasdrubal. |
| 225 | Gauls defeated at Telamon. |
| 224–22 | Conquest of Boii and Insubres. |
| 221 | Hannibal Carthaginian commander in Spain. |
| 220 ? | Reform of the Centuriate Assembly. |
| 220–19 | Second Illyrian War. |
| 219 | Siege of Saguntum. |
| 218–201 | Second Punic War. |
| 218 | Hannibal’s passage of the Pyrenees and the Alps. Roman invasion of Spain. |
| 217 | Battle of Trasimene Lake. Q. Fabius dictator. |
| 216 | Cannae. Revolt of Capua. |
| 215 | Alliance of Hannibal and Philip V of Macedon. First Macedonian War. |
| 214 | Revolt of Syracuse. |
| 212 | Syracuse recovered. Roman Alliance with the Aetolians. |
| 211 | Capua reconquered. Roman disasters in Spain. |
| 210 | P. Cornelius Scipio Roman commander in Spain. |
| 207 | Battle of the Metaurus. |
| 205 | Peace between Philip of Macedon and Rome. |
| 204 | Scipio invades Africa. |
| 202 | Zama. |
| 200–196 | Second Macedonian War. |
| 201 | Annexation of Carthaginian Spain. Provinces of Hither and Farther Spain organized. |
| 197 | Battle of Cynoscephalae. |
| 196 | Flamininus proclaims the “freedom of the Hellenes.” |
| 192–189 | War with Antiochus the Great and the Aetolians. |
| 191 | Antiochus defeated at Thermopylae. |
| 190 | Battle of Magnesia. |
| 186 | Dissolution of the Bacchanalian societies. |
| 184 | Cato the Elder censor. |
| 181 | Lex Villia annalis. |
| 171–167 | Third Macedonian War. |
| 168 | Battle of Pydna. |
| 166 | Achaean political prisoners held in Italy. |
| 149–146 | Third Punic War. |
| 149 | Lex Calpurnia. |
| 149–148 | Fourth Macedonian War. |
| 148 | Macedonia a Roman province. |
| 147–139 | War with Viriathus in Spain. |
| 146 | Revolt of the Achaeans. Sack of Corinth. Dissolution of the
Achaean Confederacy. Destruction of Carthage. Africa a
Roman province. |
| 143–133 | Numantine War. |
| 136–132 | Slave War in Sicily. |
| 133 | Kingdom of Pergamon willed to Rome. Tribunate of Tiberius Gracchus. |
| 129 | Province of Asia organized. |
| 123–122 | C. Gracchus tribune. |
| 121 | Province of Narbonese Gaul organized. |
| 113 | Siege of Cirta. |
| 111–105 | Jugurthine War. |
| 105 | Romans defeated by Cimbri and Teutones at Arausio. |
| 104–100 | Successive consulships of Marius. Slave war in Sicily. |
| 104 | Lex Domitia. |
| 102 | Teutones defeated at Aquae Sextiae. |
| 101 | Cimbri defeated at Vercellae. |
| 100 | Affair of Saturninus and Glaucia. |
| 91 | Tribunate of Livius Drusus. |
| 90–88 | Italian or Marsic War. |
| 90 | Lex Julia. |
| 89 | Lex Plautia Papiria. Lex Pompeia. |
| 89–85 | First Mithradatic War. |
| 88 | Massacre of Italians in Asia. Mithradates invades Greece. |
| 87 | Marian revolt at Rome. |
| 87–6 | Siege of Athens and Peiraeus. |
| 86 | Seventh consulship of Marius. Chaeronea and Orchomenus. |
| 83 | Sulla’s return to Italy. |
| 82–79 | Sulla dictator. |
| 77–71 | Pompey’s command in Spain. |
| 75 | Bithynia a Roman province. |
| 74–63 | Second Mithradatic War. |
| 74–66 | Command of Lucullus in the East. |
| 73–71 | Revolt of the gladiators. |
| 70 | First consulate of Pompey and Crassus. Trial of Verres. |
| 67 | Lex Gabinia. |
| 66 | Lex Manilia. |
| 63 | Cicero consul. The conspiracy of Cataline. Annexation of
Syria. Death of Mithradates. |
| 60 | Coalition of Pompey, Caesar and Crassus. |
| 59 | Caesar consul. Lex Vatinia. |
| 58 | Cicero exiled. |
| 58–56 | Subjugation of Gaul. |
| 57 | Cicero recalled. Pompey curator annonae. |
| 56 | Conference at Luca. |
| 55 | Second consulate of Pompey and Crassus. |
| 55–54 | Caesar’s invasions of Britain. |
| 53 | Death of Crassus at Carrhae. |
| 52–1 | Revolt of Vercingetorix. |
| 52 | Pompey sole consul. |
| 49–46 | War between Caesar and the Senatorial faction. |
| 48 | Pharsalus. Death of Pompey. |
| 48–7 | Alexandrine War. |
| 47 | War with Pharnaces. |
| 46 | Thapsus. |
| 45 | Munda. Lex Julia municipalis. |
| 44 | Assassination of Julius Caesar (15 Mar.). |
| 44–3 | War at Mutina. |
| 43 | Octavian consul. Antony, Lepidus and Octavian triumvirs. |
| 42 | Battles of Philippi. |
| 41 | War at Perusia. |
| 40 | Treaty of Brundisium. |
| 39 | Treaty of Misenum. |
| 37 | Treaty of Tarentum. The second term of the Triumvirate
begins. |
| 36 | Defeat of Sextus Pompey. Lepidus deposed. Parthian War. |
| 31 | Battle of Actium. |
| 30 | Death of Antony and Cleopatra. Annexation of Egypt. |
| 27 | Octavian princeps and Augustus. |
| 27 B. C.–14 A. D. | Augustus. |
| 25 | Annexation of Galatia. |
| 23 | Augustus assumes the tribunicia potestas. |
| 20 | Agreement with Parthia. |
| 18 | Lex Julia de maritandis ordinibus. |
| 16 | Conquest of Noricum. |
| 15 | Subjugation of the Raeti and Vindelici. |
| 14–9 | Conquest of Pannonia. |
| 12 | Augustus pontifex maximus. Ara Romae et Augusti at Lugdunum.
Invasion of Germany. Death of M. Agrippa. |
| 9 | Death of Drusus. |
| 6 | Subjugation of the Alpine peoples completed. |
| A. D. | 6–9 | Revolt of Pannonia. |
| 9 | Revolt of Arminius. Lex Papia Poppaea. |
| 14–37 | Tiberius. |
| 14–17 | Campaigns of Germanicus. |
| 19 | Death of Germanicus. |
| 26 | Tiberius retires to Capri. |
| 31 | Fall of Seianus. |
| 37–41 | Caius Caligula. |
| 40 | Annexation of Mauretania. |
| 41–54 | Claudius. |
| 43 | Invasion and annexation of southern Britain. |
| 48 | Aedui receive the ius honorum. |
| 54–68 | Nero. |
| 58–63 | Parthian War. |
| 59–60 | Rebellion of Boudicca. |
| 64 | Great Fire in Rome. |
| 65 | Conspiracy of Piso. Death of Seneca. |
| 66–67 | Nero in Greece. |
| 66 | Rebellion of the Jews. |
| 68 | Rebellion of Vindex. |
| 68 June–69 Jan. | Galba. |
| 69 Jan.–March | Otho. |
| 69 April–Dec. | Vitellius. |
| 69 Dec.–79 | Vespasianus. |
| 69 | Revolt of Civilis and the Batavi. |
| 70 | Destruction of Jerusalem. End of the Jewish Rebellion. |
| 79–81 | Titus. |
| 79 | Eruption of Vesuvius. Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum. |
| 81–96 | Domitianus. |
| 83 | Battle of Mons Graupius. War with the Chatti. |
| 84 | Domitian perpetual censor. |
| 85–89 | Dacian Wars. |
| 88–89 | Revolt of Saturninus. |
| 96–98 | Nerva. |
| 98–117 | Trajan. |
| 101–102 | First Dacian War. |
| 105–106 | Second Dacian War. Annexation of Dacia. |
| 106 | Annexation of Arabia Petrea. |
| 114–117 | Parthian War. |
| 114 | Occupation of Armenia and Upper Mesopotamia. |
| 115 | Jewish Rebellion in Cyrene. |
| 116 | Annexation of Assyria and Lower Mesopotamia. Revolt in
Mesopotamia. |
| 117–138 | Hadrianus. |
| 117 | Abandonment of Assyria and Mesopotamia. Armenia a client
kingdom. |
| 121–126 | Hadrian’s first tour of the provinces. |
| 129–134 | Second tour of the provinces. |
| 132–134 | Revolt of the Jews in the East. |
| 138–161 | Antoninus Pius. |
| 161–180 | Marcus Aurelius. |
| 161–169 | Lucius Verus. |
| 161–166 | Parthian War. |
| 166 | Great plague spreads throughout the empire. |
| 167–75 | War with Marcomanni, Quadi and Iazyges. |
| 175 | Revolt of Avidius Cassius. |
| 177–192 | Commodus. |
| 177–180 | War with Quadi and Marcomanni. |
| 180 | Death of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus sole emperor. |
| 193 Jan.–Mar. | Pertinax. |
| 193 Mar.–June | Didius Julianus. |
| 193 | Revolts of Septimius Severus, Pescennius Niger, Clodius Albinus. |
| 193–211 | Septimius Severus. |
| 194 | Defeat of Pescennius Niger. |
| 195–6 | Invasion of Parthia. |
| 197 | Defeat of Albinus at Lugdunum. |
| 197–99 | Parthian War renewed. Conquest of Upper Mesopotamia. |
| 208 | Caledonians invade Britain. |
| 211–217 | Caracalla and |
| 211–212 | Geta. |
| 212 | Constitutio Antoniniana. |
| 214 | Parthian War. |
| 217–218 | Macrinus. |
| 218–222 | Elagabalus. |
| 222–235 | Severus Alexander. |
| 227 | Establishment of the Persian Sassanid Kingdom. |
| 230–233 | War with Persia. |
| 234 | War on the Rhine frontier. |
| 235–238 | Maximinus. |
| 238 | Gordianus I and Gordianus II. Balbinus and Pupienus. |
| 238–244 | Gordianus III. |
| 243–249 | Philippus Arabs. |
| 247–249 | Philippus Junior. |
| 249–251 | Decius. |
| 249 | Persecution of the Christians. |
| 251–253 | Gallus and Volusianus. |
| 253 | Aemillianus. |
| 253–258 | Valerianus and |
| 253–268 | Gallienus. |
| 257 | Persecution of the Christians renewed. |
| 258 | Valerian defeated and captured by the Persians. Postumus establishes
an imperium Galliarum. |
| 259 | Valerian dies in captivity. Gallienus sole emperor. |
| 267 | Sack of Athens by the Goths. |
| 268–270 | Claudius Gothicus. |
| 270 | Quintillus. |
| 270–275 | Aurelianus. |
| 271 | Revolt of Palmyra. |
| 272 | Reconquest of Palmyra and the East. |
| 274 | Recovery of Gaul and Britain. |
| 275–276 | Tacitus. |
| 276 | Florianus. |
| 276–282 | Probus. |
| 282–283 | Carus. |
| 283–285 | Carinus. |
| 284–305 | Diocletianus and |
| 286–305 | Maximianus. |
| 286 | Revolt of Carausius in Britain. |
| 293 | Galerius and Constantine Caesars. |
| 296 | Recovery of Britain. |
| 297 | Persian invasion. |
| 301 | Edict of Prices. |
| 302–304 | Edicts against the Christians. |
| 305 | Abdication of Diocletian and Maximian. Galerius and Constantius.
Severus and Daia Caesars. |
| 306 | Galerius and Severus. Constantinus Caesar. Revolt of
Maxentius. |
| 307 | Galerius, Licinius, Constantinus, Daia and Maxentius. |
| 311 | Edict of Toleration. |
| 312 | Battle of Saxa Rubra. |
| 313 | Edict of Milan. Fall of Daia. |
| 324 | Battle of Chrysopolis. |
| 324–337 | Constantinus sole Augustus. |
| 325 | Council of Nicaea. |
| 330 | Constantinople the imperial residence. |
| 337–340 | Constantinus II. |
| 337–350 | Constans. |
| 337–361 | Constantius. |
| 342 | Council of Serdica. |
| 350 | Revolt of Magnentius. |
| 351 | Gallus Caesar. Battle of Mursa. |
| 354 | Death of Gallus. |
| 355 | Julian Caesar. |
| 357 | Julian’s victory over the Alemanni at Strassburg. |
| 359 | War with Persia. |
| 360–363 | Julianus. |
| 363 | Invasion of Persia. Death of Julian. |
| 363–364 | Jovianus. |
| 364–375 | Valentinianus I. |
| 364–378 | Valens. |
| 367–383 | Gratianus. |
| 375–392 | Valentinianus II. |
| 376 | Visigoths cross the Danube. |
| 378 | Battle of Hadrianople. |
| 378–395 | Theodosius I. |
| 380–82 | Settlement of Visigoths as foederati in Moesia. |
| 381 | Council of Constantinople. |
| 382 | Altar of Victory removed from the Senate. |
| 383 | Revolt of Maximus in Britain. Death of Gratian. |
| 383–408 | Arcadius. |
| 388 | Maximus defeated and killed. |
| 390 | Massacre at Thessalonica. |
| 391 | Edicts against Paganism. Destruction of the Serapaeum. |
| 392 | Revolt of Arbogast. Murder of Valentinian II. Eugenius proclaimed Augustus. |
| 394 | Battle of Frigidus. Death of Arbogast and Eugenius. |
| 394–423 | Honorius. |
| 395 | Death of Theodosius I. Division of the Empire. Arcadius
emperor in the East, Honorius in the West, Revolt of
Alaric and the Visigoths. |
| 396 | Alaric defeated by Stilicho in Greece. |
| 406 | Barbarian invasion of Gaul. Roman garrison leaves Britain. |
| 408 | Murder of Stilicho. Alaric invades Italy. |
| 408–450 | Theodosius II eastern emperor. |
| 409 | Vandals, Alans and Sueves invade Spain. |
| 410 | Visigoths capture Rome. Death of Alaric. |
| 412 | Visigoths enter Gaul. |
| 415 | Visigoths cross into Spain. |
| 418 | Visigoths settled in Aquitania. |
| 423–455 | Valentinianus III western emperor, |
| 427 | Aetius magister militum. |
| 429 | Vandal invasion of Africa. |
| 438 | The Theodosian Code. |
| 439 | Vandals seize Carthage. |
| 450 | Marcianus eastern emperor. |
| 451 | Battle of the Mauriac Plains. Council of Chalcedon. |
| 453 | Death of Attila. |
| 454 | Aetius assassinated. Ostrogoths settled in Pannonia. |
| 455 | Maximus western emperor. Vandals sack Rome. |
| 455–456 | Avitus western emperor. Ricimer magister militum. |
| 457–474 | Leo I eastern emperor. |
| 457–461 | Marjorianus western emperor. |
| 461–465 | Severus western emperor. |
| 465–467 | No emperor in the West. |
| 467–472 | Anthemius western emperor. |
| 472 | Olybrius western emperor. Death of Ricimer. |
| 473–474 | Glycerus western emperor. Leo II eastern emperor. |
| 474–475 (480) | Nepos western emperor. |
| 474–491 | Zeno eastern emperor. |
| 475–476 | Romulus Augustulus western emperor. |
| 476 | Odovacar king in Italy. |
| 477 | Death of Gaiseric. |
| 486 | Clovis conquers Syagrius and the Romans in Gaul. |
| 488 | Theoderic and the Ostrogoths invade Italy. |
| 491–518 | Anastasius eastern emperor. |
| 493 | Defeat and death of Odovacar. |
| 506 | Lex Romana Visigothorum. |
| 507 | Clovis defeats the Visigoths. |
| 518–527 | Justinus I eastern emperor. |
| 526 | Death of Theoderic. |
| 527–565 | Justinianus eastern emperor. |
| 532 | The “Nika” riot. |
| 533–534 | Reconquest of Africa. |
| 534 | Franks overthrow the Burgundian kingdom. |
| 529–534 | Publication of the Corpus Iuris Civilis. |
| 535–554 | Wars for the recovery of Italy. |
| 554 | Re-occupation of the coast of Spain. |
| 565 | Death of Justinian. |