The Roman Empire was the phase of ancient Roman history that began when Octavian received the title Augustus from the Senate, ending the Republic in practice while keeping its institutions in name. Augustus and his successors ruled an expanding territory around the Mediterranean, which reached its greatest extent under Trajan in the early second century CE. The first two centuries brought the Pax Romana, a long period of relative peace, with roads, cities, law and trade linking the provinces. The third century brought civil wars and economic crisis, and the empire was reorganised under Diocletian and Constantine. When Theodosius I died, the empire was permanently divided between east and west. The western half fell in 476, while the eastern half survived as the Byzantine Empire.
Before and after
- 12 August 30 BCEDeath of Cleopatra
- 18 August 29 BCEOrigins of Temple of Caesar
- 28 BCEOrigins of Mausoleum of Augustus
- from 27 BCE to 284 CEPrincipate
- from January 27 BCE to January 395 CERoman Empire
- 27 BCEOrigins of Pula Arena
- from 27 BCE to 180 CEPax Romana
- c. 20 BCEVirgil's Aeneid is published
- 19 BCEConstruction of Western Wall
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- c. 1,200 BCEIron Age
- c. 700s BCEConstruction of Great Wall of China
- from 206 BCE to 220 CEHan dynasty
- 200 BCEOrigins of Nazca Lines
- 81 CEConstruction of Colosseum
- from 476 CE to 1492Middle Ages
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 1st century BCE.