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City Guide - Rome - History | ||
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History 753BC Romulus kills his brother Remus and founds Rome c. 616BC Tarquinius Priscus is made king 507-6BC The Etruscans are expelled; the Roman Republic is declared 494BC The Plebeians revolt against the Patrician, or ruling, class 450BC Codification of Roman laws into Twelve Tables 390BC Rome is invaded by the Gauls 312BC Construction starts of the Appennine Way 219BC Following his crossing of the Alps, Hannibal takes control of most of Italy 168BC Rome conquers Greece 146BC After more than a hundred years of war, Rome destroys Carthage 100BC Emperor Julius Caesar is born 55BC The Roman invasion of Britain 44BC Brutus and Cassius assassinate Caesar on the Ides of March 31BC Anthony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium AD37-41 Reign of Emperor Caligula 64 Nero fiddles while Rome burns 80 The Colosseum is completed 125 Pantheon is rebuilt 313 Following years of persecution, Constantine promulgates the Edict of Milan, which guarantees toleration of Christianity 410 The Visigoths march on Rome 475-6 Byzantium is proclaimed the centre of the Empire 800 Alliance with the Franks results in the crowning of Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor 1300 First Holy Year 1309 The papacy under Clement V moves to Avignon 1423 Holy Year 1450 Holy Year 1475 Holy Year 1508 Michelangelo begins the Sistine Chapel ceiling 1527 Charles V's troops sack Rome 1563 Council of Trent leads to the start of the Counter-Reformation 18th C Construction of Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps 1798 Pope is abducted by the French who declare Rome a republic 1808 Napoleon Bonaparte annexes the city 1814 Napoleon falls and the papacy is restored 1860 Kingdom of Italy is established. The French remain in Rome 1870 Unification of Italy 1922 Mussolini's 'Blackshirts' descend on Rome 1929 Creation of the Vatican State 1943 Mussolini is ousted 1946 King Umberto II goes into exile following the referendum that proclaims Italy as a republic 1959 Release of Fellini's La Dolce Vita 1960 Rome hosts Olympic Games 1981 Pope John Paul II is wounded in a gun attack 1990 Italy hosts the World Cup 1994 Berlusconi's right-wing coalition lasts just a few months 1995 Andreotti, Italy's former Prime Minister, is put on trial charged with colluding with the Mafia 1996 Prodi wins the general election and forms a left-wing coalition |