Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Roman Empire
Table of Contents
References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Extent of the Roman Empire in 117 ce
Glimpse remnants of the Roman Empire in the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Via Appia
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire
statue of the Roman emperor Augustus
How Constantine the Great changed Rome forever
Learn about the magnificent infrastructural work of imperial Rome, especially Roman masonry
Colosseum Pont du Gard, Nîmes, France
Hannibal's daring strategy against Rome explained
The dramatic birth of the Roman Empire
Quizzes
Overlooking the Roman Forum with Temple of Saturn in Rome, Italy
The Roman Empire
Related Questions
Read Next
The statue of Constantine the first Christian Roman emperor. Located in York, England, UK, outside York Minster.
Major Events in the Life of Constantine I
Hadrian, Roman emperor from 117 to 138.
What was Hadrian’s relationship with his Jewish subjects?
Statue of the emperor Hadrian at the ancient Agora of Athens, Greece.
How did Greek culture influence Hadrian?
Gold, silver, and bronze medals in the air. Background for Rio Olympic time (Olympics, Olympic games)
8 Olympic Cheating Scandals
Hadrian's Villa (Villa Adriana in Italian) near Rome, Italy.
What was Hadrian’s architectural legacy?
Discover
Hemp (Cannabis sativa).
9 Mind-Altering Plants
Moonrise over Tucson, Arizona
Why Doesn’t Arizona Observe Daylight Saving Time?
Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. America, Soviet Union, U.S.S.R., space exploration
Timeline of the Space Race, 1957–69
Statue of Liberty in front of the skyline of Manhattan, New York City, New York.
Who Was the Woman Behind the Statue of Liberty?
The Colosseum, Rome, Italy. Giant amphitheatre built in Rome under the Flavian emperors. (ancient architecture; architectural ruins)
New Seven Wonders of the World
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Calendar marking march 15th
22 Questions About Time and Timekeeping Answered

Roman Empire: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/Roman-Empire
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Hoard of silver Roman coins found in UK — and some date to reign of Marcus Aurelius • Mar. 5, 2025, 12:04 AM ET (Live Science)
Shattered 1,800-year-old sword was 'ritually sacrificed' and may be from Vandal warrior's grave • Feb. 19, 2025, 2:31 AM ET (Live Science)
Archaeologists unearth the remains of a Roman basilica on the site of a new London skyscraper • Feb. 13, 2025, 7:40 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Date 27 BCE - 476

Photos and Videos

Extent of the Roman Empire in 117 ce
statue of the Roman emperor Augustus
Colosseum
Pont du Gard, Nîmes, France
Glimpse remnants of the Roman Empire in the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Via Appia
The rise and fall of the Roman Empire
How Constantine the Great changed Rome forever
Learn about the magnificent infrastructural work of imperial Rome, especially Roman masonry
Hannibal's daring strategy against Rome explained
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Major Events

Battle of Milvian Bridge
Battle of Milvian Bridge
Hermannsdenkmal, Teutoburg Forest, Germany
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Parthenon frieze with Poseidon, Apollo, and Artemis
Classical antiquity
Battle of Mursa
Antoninus Pius
Antonines
Augustus from Prima Porta
Pax Romana

Related Places

United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Germany
Germany
France
France
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Israel
Israel
Turkey
Turkey
Netherlands
Netherlands
Italy
Italy
Switzerland
Switzerland
Syria
Syria
England
England
constituent unit, United Kingdom
Belgium
Belgium
Spain
Spain
Egypt
Egypt
Ukraine
Ukraine

Key People

Augustus
Augustus
Roman emperor
Constantine I
Constantine I
Roman emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius
Roman emperor
Hadrian
Hadrian
Roman emperor
Diocletian
Diocletian
Roman emperor
Tacitus
Tacitus
Roman historian
Edward Gibbon
Edward Gibbon
British historian
Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Roman emperor
Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius
emperor of Rome
Bust of Vespasian, found at Ostia; in the Museo Nazionale Romano, Rome.
Vespasian
Roman emperor
Nero
Nero
Roman emperor
Trajan
Trajan
Roman emperor
Theodor Mommsen.
Theodor Mommsen
German historian, philologist, and legal scholar
Claudius I
Claudius
Roman emperor
Julian the Apostate, detail of a marble statue; in the Louvre, Paris.
Julian
Roman emperor
Caracalla
Caracalla
Roman emperor
Detail of a marble bust of Domitian, in the Palazzo dei Conservatori, Rome
Domitian
Roman emperor
Gaius Maecenas, marble bust; in the Palazzo dei Conservatori, Rome
Gaius Maecenas
Roman diplomat and patron
Septimius
Septimius Severus
Roman emperor
Aurelian
Aurelian
Roman emperor

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Overlooking the Roman Forum with Temple of Saturn in Rome, Italy
The Roman Empire