![]() Known as the “emperor-philosopher,” emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus produced writings now considered philosophical canon. After his murder at the hands of dozens of members of the senate, Rome officially transitioned from a democracy to an imperial society. These reforms made Caesar increasingly popular with Rome’s commoners while alienating him from its elite (and leading to his eventual infamous assassination). As leader of the Roman Republic, Caesar increased the size of the senate to represent more Roman citizens, established the Julian calendar (the 365-day, 12-month calendar still in use worldwide), granted Roman citizenship to all those living under Roman rule and redistributed wealth among the poor. Aside from being a successful general, conquering Spain and Gaul-feats that greatly expanded the size, power and wealth of Rome-Caesar enacted a number of foundational reforms that would set up the oncoming Roman Empire. But it’s impossible to tell the story of Rome (or its eventual transition from a republic to an empire, without mentioning Julius Caesar. Technically, as the last ruler of Rome’s Republican era, Gaius Julius Caesar was never recognized as an emperor. Over that time, Rome was ruled by scores of kings, dictators and emperors who expanded it from a small city to an empire spanning nearly 2 million square miles and consisting of, historians estimate, anywhere from 50 to 90 million inhabitants. So who exactly left an indelible mark on ancient Rome?įrom its inception to its collapse in 476 A.D., ancient Rome had three distinct periods: Regal Rome, (753–509 B.C.), when monarchs ruled Republican Rome (509–27 B.C.), when Roman elected its governors and Imperial Rome (27 B.C.–476 A.D.), when a supreme ruler oversaw the empire, and in early years did so alongside the elected senate. The more-than-1,000-year span of influence that began with the founding of Rome in 753 B.C. While its influence on western civilization, in particular, has been ubiquitous, its remnants can be found virtually everywhere, from our calendar and political systems to our alphabet. Few periods in history have had a greater impact on humankind than that of ancient Rome.
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