5.2: Basic Chronology and Periods of Roman History
According to Roman tradition, Rome was founded as a monarchy. However, it was not long-lived, and its history is overshadowed by myth and legend. Historians most often divided Roman history into two major periods, based on the type of government: the Republic (from 509 B.C. to 27 BCE) and the Empire (27 BCE- c. 476 CE). The basic difference between the two periods is quite simple. During the period of the Republic, Rome was ruled by a Republican government, which distributed power, in theory, among all Roman citizens. In practice, this was really an aristocratic oligarchy. By contrast, under the Empire, Rome was under one ruler, the Emperor.
This chapter proceeds chronologically, sub-dividing both the Republic and the Empire into early and late periods, while also devoting some attention to certain thematic topics that are key to understanding each period.