(Note: All dates are B.C.)
ca. 1100 A refugee from Troy, Aeneas established himself in Latium.
Son. Iulus, became King of Alba Longa.
753—775 Romulus first King of Rome: built the Palatine city.
715—673 Numa Pompilius second King: created 100 senators, priestly colleges, made
10—month year a 12—month year.
673—642 Tullus Hostilius third King: built Senate House.
642—617 Ancus Marcius fourth King: built Wooden Bridge, fortified Janiculum, seized
salt flats at Ostia for Rome.
616—578 Tarquinius Priscus fifth King: built Circus Maximus, sewered central Rome,
enlarged Senate to 300, created Tribes and Classes, established the census
578—534 Servius Tullius sixth King: created pomerium, built Agger.
534—510 Tarquinius Superbus seventh King: finished temple of Jupiter Optimus
Maximus, destroyed Gabii.
509 Tarquinius Superbus expelled, monarchy abolished. THE REPUBLIC OF
ROME BEGINS. Brutus and Valerius first chief magistrates (called
praetors, not consuls).
508 Pontifex Maximus created to overpower Rex Sacrorum.
500 Titus Larcius the first—ever dictator.
494 First secession of Plebs: 2 tribunes of the plebs and 2 plebeian aediles created.
471 Second secession of Plebs: Plebeian Assembly made tribal.
459 Number of tribunes of the plebs raised from 2 to 10.
456 Third secession of Plebs: plebeians granted land.
451 Decemviri codified the XII Tables of Roman Law.
449 Fourth secession of Plebs: lex Valeria Horatia defined sacrosanctity of tribunes
of the plebs.
447 Assembly of the People created: 2 quaestors created.
445 Leges Canuleiae: (a) replaced consuls with military tribunes owning consular
powers, (b) allowed marriage between patricians and plebeians.
443 Censors elected for the first time.
439 Maelius, would—be King of Rome, killed by Servilius Ahala.
421 Quaestors raised to 4, office opened to plebeians.
396 Introduction of pay for Rome’s soldiers. It was not increased until Caesar
doubled it when dictator.
390 Gauls sacked Rome, Capitol saved by warning of geese.
367 The consulship restored. 2 curule aediles created.
366 First plebeian consul. Praetor urbanus created.
356 First plebeian dictator. Censorship opened to plebeians.
351 First plebeian censor.
343—341 First Samnite War. Rome concludes peace.
342 Leges Genuciae: (a) debt relief, (b) no man to hold same office more than once
in 10 years, (c) both consuls could be plebeian.
339 Leges Publiliae: (a) one censor had to be plebeian, (b) all laws passed in
Centuriate Assembly had to be sanctioned by Senate, (c) plebiscites were given some validity at law.
337 First plebeian praetor urbanus.
326—304 Second Samnite War (defeat at Caudine Forks, the yoke).
300 Leges Ogulniae: opened priestly colleges to plebeians.
298—290 Third Samnite War. Rome now established ascendancy.
289 Mint and tresviri monetales (3 minters) created.
287 lex Hortensia: plebiscites were now fully binding laws.
267 Quaestors raised from 6 to 8.
264 First gladiators fight in Rome (not at Circus!).
264—242 First Punic War (against Carthage). Peace gives Rome Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica as her first provinces.
253 First plebeian Pontifex Maximus.
242 Praetor peregrinus created, raising praetors to 2.
241 Centuriate Assembly reforms slightly decreased power of First Class. Last
2 tribes were created: total now 35.
227 Praetors raised from 2 to 4. Quaestors raised from 6 to 10.
218—201 Second Punic War. Hannibal in command of Carthaginians.
270—206 Scipio Africanus victorious in Spain.
202 Last old—style dictator was briefly in office.
197 The Spains became provinces: praetors 6, quaestors 12.
180 Lex Villia annalis regulated the curule magistracies.
171 First treason court set up temporarily.
169 Lex Voconia barred women from major inheritances in wills. Quarrel between Senate and Knights: the censors refused to accept tenders from firms given contracts by previous censors. Profits were exorbitant. Censors were then nearly convicted of high treason by knights.
149 Lex Atinia automatically promoted tribunes of the plebs to the Senate. Lex
Calpurnia set up permanent extortion court.
149—146 Third Punic War. Africa became a Roman province.
147 Macedonia annexed as a Roman province.
144 Praetor Q. Martius Rex built Rome’s first aqueduct.
139 Lex Gabinia introduced secret ballot at all elections.
137 Lex Cassia introduced secret ballot for court juries.
133 Tiberius Gracchus tribune of the plebs: murdered.
123 Gaius Gracchus tribune of the plebs.
122 Gaius Gracchus tribune of the plebs again.
121 Senate passed first—ever Ultimate Decree to deal with Gaius Gracchus: he
suicided, his followers were executed.
121 King Mithridates V of Pontus murdered by his wife. Young Mithridates
fled to mountains to hide.
120 Homelands of German Cimbri and Teutones inundated. The great
migration began.
129 Gaius Marius, tribune of the plebs, passed a lex Maria to narrow voting
gangways (making bribery more difficult).
125 Young Mithridates seized power, became King of Pontus.
113 The German Cimbri defeated Papirius Carbo in Noricum.
122 Rome declared war on Jugurtha of Numidia.
121 Rome reached peaceful agreement with Jugurtha.
110 Aulus Postumius Albinus invaded Numidia without any authorization: the war against Jugurtha begins....