Ancient Rome was founded around 753 BC by the brothers Romulus and Remus and grew to become one of the most powerful empires in history. It started as a small town but became a large marketplace and melting pot of cultures as Greek and Etruscan people migrated there. Rome was originally ruled by kings but became a republic with elected magistrates around 500 BC. It expanded through military conquests across Europe, Africa and Asia. Julius Caesar took total power as a dictator in the 1st century BC, ending the republic. His heir Augustus became Rome's first emperor, beginning the imperial period that lasted until the Western empire fell to invasions in 476 AD.

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Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was one of
history’s most powerful
empires.
Have a think, what do you know about
Ancient Rome?

3. There are many theories on
how Ancient Rome was
founded.
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The Origins of Ancient Rome
Romulus and Remus
One theory is that the sprawling
Roman Empire was created by
brothers Romulus and Remus in 753
BC. It is believed that Romulus killed
Remus in a fight over who would
rule this new city. Romulus’ name is
considered to be the origin of the
word Rome.

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Another theory is that
Aeneas and some other
people escaped the city of
Troy after it fell and found
themselves on a riverbank.
While the men of the group wanted to
move on from this place, a group of
women, led by Roma, refused to leave.
They burned boats to stop others from
fleeing, so instead they settled on the
land. It is theorised that Rome is
named after Roma.
The Origins of Ancient Rome
Refugees of Troy

5. Early Ancient Rome
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Ancient Rome became populated
by merchants and soon grew
into a large marketplace.
Rome began as a small town. As the
settlement was located next to a
river, it soon became a popular way
to ship goods.

6. Inspirations from Other Cultures
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Rome became a melting pot
of culture and customs
thanks to neighbouring
colonies.
Greek people came into Rome and
brought with them religion, a
language system and architecture.
Another group of people, the
Etruscans, assisted in building
Rome’s trading system.

7. Originally, Ancient Rome was ruled by
royalty. For nearly four hundred centuries,
kings held the power.
How Ancient Rome Was Ruled
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The last king, Tarquin the Proud,
was thrown out of power by Lucius
Junius Brutus. He reformed Ancient
Rome’s government and put into
place the Roman Republic.

8. The Roman Republic
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The Roman Republic did not represent all people. Women could not vote or
participate in the government. Many leaders and officials in the
government were rich and those who had more money had more voting
power.
The Roman Republic was an
early form of government.
People could vote for officials
(magistrates) to represent
them. There was a set of
guidelines that were followed,
like a pre-constitution.

9. Ancient Roman Warfare and Expansion
One of Ancient Rome’s most famous aspects was its armies. Through
invading other lands, Ancient Rome was able to spread across the globe.
They took over land in Europe and parts of Africa and Asia.
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After defeating
Carthage,
Ancient Rome
became a
powerhouse of
trade in the
Mediterranean.

10. Julius Caesar
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One of Ancient Rome’s most infamous
leaders was Julius Caesar. Often known as
Rome’s first dictator, he ended the Roman
Republic and took total power.
Julius was assassinated in 44 BC,
during the Ides of March. He was
murdered by members of the senate
who were afraid that he was
becoming too powerful.

11. After Caesar's death,
Rome took over
Egypt. Julius
Caesar’s heir,
Augustus, became
Rome’s first emperor
in 27 BC.
He was followed by
many other
emperors. Some of
the most famous
ones included
Caligula and
Claudius.
The Rise of Roman Emperors
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12. Nero’s Reign and the Great Fire of Rome
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There are many rumours on
how this fire started. Some
ancient historians believe that
the emperor at the time, Nero,
had the fire started on purpose
to build a palace on the
cleared space.
In 64 AD, a massive fire
devastated Rome. Almost two-
thirds of the city was
destroyed.
Others think that the fire spread due to the
overcrowded city and flammable buildings.

13. Building the Colosseum
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In 80 AD, the colosseum was built. This massive
stadium could seat over 50 000 people.
The colosseum was
used for many
reasons. It would
host gladiator fights,
chariot racing,
animal hunts,
theatre
performances and
executions.

14. Constantine and Christianity
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In 306 AD, Constantine became emperor. He
was the first Roman ruler to convert to
Christianity. Prior to this, Christians were
persecuted in Rome.
By 380 AD, Christianity became the
main religion of the Roman people.

15. Near the end of its time,
the Roman Empire was
too huge for one emperor
to rule. So, it was split
into two – the Eastern
and Western Roman
Empires.
The Splitting of the Empire
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The Western Roman
Empire was attacked
several times by the
Goths throughout 400
AD.

16. The Fall of the Roman Empire
The Eastern Roman Empire continued to survive as the Byzantine Empire
until the 15th century when it was taken over by the Ottoman Turks.
In 476 AD, the Western
Roman Empire was
finally defeated by the
Goths. This led to the
official end of the Roman
Empire.