Roman Empire timeline (31 B.C.-217 A.D.)

31 B.C.: Battle of Actium

30 B.C.: Cleopatra and Anthony commit suicide

27 B.C.: Octavian becomes Augustus

c. 4 B.C.: Christ is born

9 A.D.: Battle of Teutoburg Forrest

14: Augustus dies/Tiberius becomes emperor

c. 30: Christ is crucified

37: Tiberius dies/Caligula becomes emperor

41: Caligula assassinated/Claudius becomes emperor

43: Invasion of Britain

54: Claudius dies/Nero becomes emperor

61: Boudicca's rebellion

64: Great Fire of Rome

66-70: Jewish Revolt

68: Nero commits suicide

68-69: Year of Four Emperors

79: Mount Vesuvius Erupts

122: Hadrian's Wall

132-35: Second Jewish Revolt

117-180: The Good Emperors

192: Commodus murdered/Throne auctioned off

193: The Year of Five Emperors

217: Caracalla assassinated

History Shorts: Commodus assassinated (192 A.D.)

The movie, Gladiator, claims Commodus murdered his father, Marcus Aurelius, to take power. According to the plot, Aurelius looked to restore the republic, but this is Hollywood rubbish. In 177, Commodus became co-emperor and assumed the throne by himself after the plague killed his father.

Commodus ruled alone for 12 years. He did fight in the arena and did not appear to be a very good ruler. Details are sketchy, but he apparently ruled in a cruel fashion. An athlete, perhaps a wrestler, maybe a gladiator, assassinated him in a bath. His death is chronicled in the 1964 film The Fall of the Roman Empire and 2000’s Gladiator. In the latter, Maxiumus kills Commodus in the arena.

Following Commodus’ death, the Roman Empire faced nearly a century of political and economic upheaval. Constant civil wars plagued the west and the economy never recovered. In 284, Diocletian finally restored order.


The following is from the classic “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9misNO8FOQ