The Rise of Rome: The Making of the World's Greatest Empire (59 page)

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Authors: Anthony Everitt

Tags: #Non-Fiction, #History

BOOK: The Rise of Rome: The Making of the World's Greatest Empire
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Sex was widely available, and often for sale; this bedroom fresco gave stimulation and guidance to its occupants. Brothels thrived. So too did old-fashioned male attitudes, as a Pompeiian wall graffito indicated. “If Venus can break my tender heart, why can’t I hit her over the head?”
(Photo: Heinrich Stürzl)

TIME LINE

Dates in italics are traditional and legendary. Some traditional dates are judged likely to be historical. Some people and places are listed here whose names, to avoid an excess of detail, do not appear in the main text.

 

1084
 
 
Fall of Troy.
753
 
 
Romulus founds Rome.
c. 625
 
 
Earliest evidence of contact with the Etruscans.
753–715
 
 
Romulus.
715–673
 
 
Numa Pompilius.
673–642
 
 
Tullus Hostilius.
642–616
 
 
Ancus Marcius.
617–579
 
 
Tarquinius Priscus.
579–534
 
 
Servius Tullius.
534–510
 
 
Tarquinius Superbus.
509
 
 
Fall of the monarchy. First treaty with Carthage.
494
 
 
First secession.
493
 
 
Treaty of Spurius Cassius with the Latins.
491
 
 
Coriolanus marches on Rome.
From 486
 
 
Wars with the Aequi and Volsci from time to time over the next fifty years.
479
 
 
Battle of the Cremera; sacrifice of the Fabii.
474
 
 
Etruscans defeated off Cumae by Hiero I of Syracuse.
471
 
 
Concilium plebis
and tribunes recognized.
451–450
 
 
Rule of the decemvirs. Twelve Tables published.
449
 
 
Secession. Valerio-Horatian laws. Rights of tribunes legally defined.
447
 
 
Quaestors elected by the People.
Comitia tributa
probably established.
445
 
 
Military tribunes with consular powers replace the consulship.
443
 
 
Censors appointed for the first time.
431
 
 
Dictatorship of Cincinnatus.
Battle of Mons Algidus. Aequi decisively defeated.
396
 
 
Pay for soldiers introduced.
Fall of Veii.
390 (or 387)
 
 
Battle of the Allia.
Sack of Rome.
378
 
 
Construction of Rome’s Servian walls starts.
367
 
 
Licinio-Sextian Rogations passed.
Consulship restored. Curule aediles elected for the first time.
366
 
 
First plebeian consul elected. First praetors elected.
358
 
 
Treaty with the Latins renewed.
356
 
 
First plebeian dictator.
354
 
 
Alliance with the Samnites.
348
 
 
Treaty with Carthage renewed.
343–341
 
 
First Samnite War.
340–338
 
 
Latins revolt. Latin League dissolved.
337
 
 
First plebeian praetor elected.
326–304
 
 
Second Samnite War.
323
 
 
Alexander’s death.
321
 
 
Roman defeat at the Caudine Forks.
312
 
 
Censorship of Appius Claudius.
298–290
 
 
Third Samnite War.
295
 
 
Battle of Sentinum.
287
 
 
Lex Hortensia makes resolutions of the
concilium plebis
binding on all citizens.
282
 
 
Tarentum attacks Roman naval squadron.
281
 
 
Rome attacks Tarentum, which seeks help from Pyrrhus of Epirus.
280–275
 
 
War with Pyrrhus.
279
 
 
Battle of Asculum.
278
 
 
Roman treaty with Carthage.
Pyrrhus goes to Sicily.
276
 
 
Pyrrhus returns to Italy.
275
 
 
Pyrrhus defeated at Malventum, returns to Greece.
272
 
 
Surrender of Tarentum.
Livius Andronicus brought to Rome.
264
 
 
First Punic War starts. Mamertines of Messana appeal to Rome for assistance against Carthage. Rome sends an expeditionary force.
First gladiatorial show at Rome.
263
 
 
Hiero II changes sides, and allies Syracuse to Rome.
263/62
 
 
Sicilian city-states come under Roman control.
262/61
 
 
Siege and fall of Acragas.
261
 
 
The Carthaginian navy raids the Italian coast from Sardinia. Rome builds a fleet.
260
 
 
Naval victory off Mylae.
259
 
 
Hamilcar Barca campaigns in Sicily; also, fighting in Corsica and Sardinia.
258
 
 
Rome attacks Panormus. Carthaginians defeated off Sulci, in Sardinia.
257
 
 
Rome raids Malta and wins minor victory at Tyndaris.
256
 
 
Regulus defeats Carthaginian fleet at Ecnomus and sails to North Africa, where he defeats a Punic army and takes Tunis.
256/55
 
 
Peace negotiations fail.
255
 
 
Spartan Xanthippus leads Carthaginian army to victory near Tunis over Regulus, who is taken prisoner. Roman fleet victorious off Cape Bon. Survivors of Regulus’s army are rescued. Storm inflicts great losses on a Roman fleet.
255/54
 
 
Roman fleet rebuilt.
254
 
 
Rome captures Panormus; Carthage holds Drepana and sacks Acragas.
253
 
 
Rome fails to take Lilybaeum. Major Roman naval losses in a storm.
252
 
 
Rome captures Thermae Himerae and the Lipara Islands.
251/50
 
 
Hasdrubal defeated near Panormus.
250–241
 
 
Roman siege of Lilybaeum.
249
 
 
Carthage wins a great sea victory off Drepana over Claudius Pulcher. Heavy Roman losses in a storm near Camarina. Rome seizes Eryx.
248
 
 
Mutiny by Carthaginian mercenaries is put down.
248–244
 
 
Punic raids on the Italian coast.
247
 
 
Hamilcar Barca arrives in Sicily and sets up camp on Mount Heirkte.
244
 
 
Hamilcar captures Eryx.
242
 
 
New Roman fleet blockades Drepana and Lilybaeum.
242/41
 
 
Decisive Roman victory off the Aegates Islands.
241
 
 
Peace gives Rome control of Sicily. First Punic War ends.
241–237
 
 
Mercenary War at Carthage.
238–225
 
 
Invasion and annexation of Corsica and Sardinia.
236
 
 
Hamilcar Barca and his son Hannibal go to Spain. Barca launches a war of conquest.
231
 
 
Roman embassy to Hamilcar Barca in Spain.
229–228
 
 
First Illyrian War.
228
 
 
Hamilcar Barca killed in battle. His son-in-law, Hasdrubal, succeeds to his command.
226
 
 
Roman embassy to Hasdrubal in Spain. Ebro treaty.
225
 
 
Celtic invasion halted at Battle of Telamon.
221
 
 
Hasdrubal assassinated. Hannibal succeeds to the command.
Saguntum appeals to Rome.
219
 
 
Second Illyrian War.
Hannibal storms Saguntum.
218–201
 
 
Second Punic War.
218
 
 
Hannibal climbs the Alps and enters Italy.
Battles of the Ticinus and the Trebia.
217
 
 
Battle of Lake Trasimene.
216
 
 
Fabius Maximus, dictator.
Battle of Cannae. Large-scale defections in southern Italy; revolt of Capua.
215
 
 
Partial Roman recovery.
Hiero of Syracuse dies.
214
 
 
Roman successes in Spain.
Syracuse defects to the Carthaginians.
214–205
 
 
First Macedonian War.
213
 
 
Marcellus besieges Syracuse.
212
 
 
Hannibal takes Tarentum.
Marcellus takes Syracuse.
Scipios take Saguntum.
211
 
 
Hannibal marches on Rome.
Capua recaptured.
Scipios defeated and killed.
210
 
 
Young Scipio (later Africanus) arrives in Spain.
209
 
 
Scipio takes New Carthage.
208
 
 
Marcellus ambushed and killed.
Scipio wins Battle of Baecula. Hasdrubal disengages and marches to Italy.
207
 
 
Hasdrubal defeated and killed at the Battle of the Metaurus.

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