753BC Romulus kills his brother Remus and founds Rome
c. 616BC Tarquinius Priscus is made king
507-6BC The Etruscans are expelled; the Roman Republic is declared
494BC The Plebeians revolt against the Patrician, or ruling, class
450BC Codification of Roman laws into Twelve Tables
390BC Rome is invaded by the Gauls
312BC Construction starts of the Appennine Way
219BC Following his crossing of the Alps, Hannibal takes control of most of Italy
168BC Rome conquers Greece
146BC After more than a hundred years of war, Rome destroys Carthage
100BC Emperor Julius Caesar is born
55BC The Roman invasion of Britain
44BC Brutus and Cassius assassinate Caesar on the Ides of March
31BC Anthony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian at the Battle of Actium
AD37-41 Reign of Emperor Caligula
64 Nero fiddles while Rome burns
80 The Colosseum is completed
125 Pantheon is rebuilt
313 Following years of persecution, Constantine promulgates the Edict of Milan, which guarantees toleration of Christianity
410 The Visigoths march on Rome
475-6 Byzantium is proclaimed the centre of the Empire
800 Alliance with the Franks results in the crowning of Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor
1300 First Holy Year
1309 The papacy under Clement V moves to Avignon
1423 Holy Year
1450 Holy Year
1475 Holy Year
1508 Michelangelo begins the Sistine Chapel ceiling
1527 Charles V's troops sack Rome
1563 Council of Trent leads to the start of the Counter-Reformation
18th C Construction of Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps
1798 Pope is abducted by the French who declare Rome a republic
1808 Napoleon Bonaparte annexes the city
1814 Napoleon falls and the papacy is restored
1860 Kingdom of Italy is established. The French remain in Rome
1870 Unification of Italy
1922 Mussolini's 'Blackshirts' descend on Rome
1929 Creation of the Vatican State
1943 Mussolini is ousted
1946 King Umberto II goes into exile following the referendum that proclaims Italy as a republic
1959 Release of Fellini's La Dolce Vita
1960 Rome hosts Olympic Games
1981 Pope John Paul II is wounded in a gun attack
1990 Italy hosts the World Cup
1994 Berlusconi's right-wing coalition lasts just a few months
1995 Andreotti, Italy's former Prime Minister, is put on trial charged with colluding with the Mafia
1996 Prodi wins the general election and forms a left-wing coalition