A timeline of the Roman Empire from Augustus to the fall of the West — the Pax Romana, the rise of Christianity, and the empire's division and decline.
Augustus maintains republican forms while concentrating real power in his hands — creating a political system that will endure for centuries.
Jesus is born in Roman-controlled Judea — the beginning of a movement that will transform the empire and the world.
Jesus is executed by Roman authorities. His followers proclaim his resurrection, founding a movement that will become the world's largest religion.
Paul of Tarsus travels across the eastern Mediterranean, establishing Christian communities and opening the faith to non-Jews.
The volcanic eruption buries Pompeii and Herculaneum, preserving an extraordinary snapshot of Roman daily life.
Under Emperor Trajan, the empire spans from Britain to Mesopotamia — approximately 5 million square kilometers.
Hadrian completes the Pantheon — its unreinforced concrete dome remains the world's largest and has stood for nearly 1,900 years.
The death of the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius marks the traditional end of the Pax Romana and the beginning of the empire's long decline.
Over fifty claimants to the throne in fifty years. The empire nearly fragments into separate states.
Diocletian stabilizes the empire through administrative reforms, dividing it into Eastern and Western halves with co-emperors.
Constantine and Licinius proclaim religious tolerance, ending the persecution of Christians and transforming the empire's religious landscape.
Constantine establishes a 'New Rome' at Byzantium, shifting the empire's center of gravity eastward.
Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, completing its transformation from persecuted sect to dominant faith.
Alaric's Visigoths capture and plunder Rome — the first time the city has fallen to an enemy in 800 years. Shockwaves ripple across the empire.
The Germanic chieftain Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus, the last Western emperor. The Eastern Empire continues for another millennium.