L'impero romano

Introduction

Welcome back! In this issue I am going to be talking all about the Roman Empire and its impact on Italy's history. So, enjoy!

A Brief History(of the Roman Empire)

Roman Empire (27 BC – 476 AD) The Roman Empire was founded when Augustus Caesar proclaimed himself the first emperor of Rome in 31 BC and came to an end with the fall of Constantinople in 1453 C.E.(common era) An empire is a political system in which a group of people are ruled by a single individual, an emperor or empress.

Now, you may be confused about some of the terms that I am using. BCE (Before Common Era) and BC (Before Christ) mean the same thing- previous to year 1 CE (Common Era). This is the same as the year AD 1 (Anno Domini); the latter means “in the year of the lord,” often translated as “in the year of our lord.”

A Brief History

Yes, there is a difference! First, it's crucial to differentiate between the Roman Empire (think Caesar and Mark Antony) and the Holy Roman Empire (think Christendom and the pope). The Roman Empire lasted from 27 B.C. to A.D. 476. In 395, the empire split into eastern and western divisions after the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. The difference between the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire was primarily one of a patina of democracy versus outright dictatorship. Under the Republic, Rome was governed by a Senate, its members appointed by two powerful consuls whose tenures were strictly restricted to avoid the emergence of an absolute dictator.

The Roman Republic

The first was the Roman Republic which lasted from 509 BC to 27 BC. During this time there was no single leader of Rome. The government was run by elected officials. The second period was the Roman Empire which lasted from 27 BC to 476 AD (Western Roman Empire).Both the Roman Republic and Roman Empire had periods of instability which ultimately caused their demise. Ancient Roman historians initially differed over the precise date of Rome's foundation. By the end of the republic, however, it was generally accepted that Rome had been founded in 753 bce and that the republic had begun in 509 bce, following the overthrow of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last of Rome's seven kings.However, if one considers the extent of the Roman Empire and its continuation from Byzantium after the collapse of the Western Empire, then the Empire was ultimately more successful than the Republic. Two thousand years ago, the world was ruled by Rome, but Rome could not rule itself. It took two men to wrestle Rome back from chaos and turn a republic into an empire. In the first century BC, Rome was a republic. Power lay in the hands of the Senate, elected by Roman citizens.

Conclusion

Well, I guess that's it! Well, for this article! To all you history nerds out there, I will be coming back soon with another amazing article! So come back soon! And remember to tell your friends and family all about the Italian Gazette!