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ABRIDGED HISTORY OF ROME PART I - ANCIENT ROME PART II - MEDIEVAL ROME PART III - MODERN ROME PART IV - CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS BETWEEN 1871 AND 2007 I THE FOUNDATION AND THE EARLY DAYS OF ROME BETWEEN HISTORY AND LEGEND Introduction Rome in the VIIIth century BC First settlements Velabro Campidoglio Ripa Expansion of the first settlements (Regia) Lacus Curtius and Lapis Niger The first prison Iconography II THE EARLY REPUBLICAN PERIOD A Difficult Transition and the first Roman Heroes Expansion of the City Old Republican Sites Crisis and New Foundation War at Sea (Rostra) Relocation of the Harbour A New Player in the Mediterranean Game Iconography III THE ROMANS MEET THE ELEPHANTS Almost a Movie set in the American Far West Clash with the Greek World The First Punic War The Second Punic War Crisis, Despair and Resurrection Iconography IV EXPANSION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN The three Macedonian Wars (Sepolcro degli Scipioni) End of Carthage Social Unrest (Basilica Aemilia) Rise of Marius (Trofei di Mario) Dictatorship of Silla (Tabularium) Iconography V POMPEY AND CAESAR Gneus Pompeus (Pompey), a new leader The First Triumvirate: Caesar, Crassus and Pompey (Saepta Iulia) Conquest of Gallia (Clivus Capitolinus and Basilica Iulia) Civil War The First Imperator Iconography VI AUGUSTUS Antony and Octavian, the political heirs of Caesar The Second Triumvirate: Antony, Lepidus and Octavian Partition of the Empire Civil War (Iseo Campense) Octavian becomes Augustus Pax Romana Iconography VII FROM TIBERIUS TO NERO The First Dynasty Tiberius' first years Tiberius Emperor of Capri Caligula Claudius Nero (Via Sacra and Via Nova) Iconography VIII THE FLAVIAN DYNASTY The Four Emperors' Year (Tempio della Pace and Portico degli Dei Consenti) Vespasian Titus (Terme di Tito) Domitian and the Consolidation of the Empire (Stadio and Odeon di Domiziano) Domitian's end Iconography IX FROM NERVA TO MARCUS AURELIUS Nerva and the Adoption Process - Trajan Trajan's Wars Hadrian Hadrian's Last Years Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius Iconography X A CENTURY OF TURMOIL (180-285) Commodus Septimius Severus Caracalla Heliogabalus (Mithraeum) Alexander Severus Military Anarchy Iconography XI FROM DIOCLETIAN TO CONSTANTINE Diocletian The Tetrarchy Maxentius Battle of Ponte Milvio Constantine Constantinopolis Iconography XII THE END OF ANCIENT ROME Constantine's sons Julian Peoples on the move Theodosius Honorius Fall of the Western Roman Empire (Rostra Vandalica) Iconography PART II - MEDIEVAL ROME I BYZANTINE ROME The Ostroghothic Kingdom The Greek-Gothic War New Invaders: the Longobards Rome during the Byzantine Rule The Rising Role of the Pope The Donation of Sutri Iconography II THE IRON AGE OF ROME Rome between Longobards and Franks The Holy Roman Empire: a Short Renaissance A New Threat: the Saracens Saeculum Ferri The Ottonian Emperors Iconography III THE INVESTITURE CONTROVERSY The papacy in the hands of two families Reformation Process The Investiture Controversy Attempts to form a Municipal Power in Rome Pope Alexander III Iconography IV THE RISE AND FALL OF THEOCRATIC POWER Encirclement of the papal possessions Pope Innocent III Pope Honorius III and Pope Gregory IX The Sicilian Question Angevin Influence The First Jubilee Iconography V THE POPES LEAVE ROME Pope Clement V and the Move to Avignon Decline of the Roman Economy Cola di Rienzo's Attempts to Restore the Roman Republic Calls for the Return of the Pope Cardinal Albornoz Pope Gregory XI and his Return to Rome Iconography VI FROM CHAOS TO RECOVERY The Great Schism The Council of Constance Pope Martin V Pope Eugenius IV and the Council of Florence The Debate about S. Pietro Pope Nicholas V Iconography PART III - MODERN ROME I ROME'S EARLY RENAISSANCE Pope Calixtus III and Pope Pius II Pope Paul II Pope Sixtus IV The Role of the Cardinals Pope Innocent VIII Pope Alexander VI Iconography II SPLENDOUR AND CRISIS The Renaissance Man Pope Julius II A Roman Cenacle Pope Leo X Between France and Spain - Pope Adrian VI Pope Clement VII and the Sack of Rome Iconography III A PERIOD OF CHANGE Pope Paul III and the Defence of Rome The Farnese Dynasty Initial Steps towards the Reformation of the Catholic Church Pope Julius III The Tridentine Council Pope Paul IV and the Jewish Ghetto Iconography IV THE COUNTER-REFORMATION Pope Pius IV Closure of the Tridentine Council Pope Pius V The Battle of Lepanto Pope Gregory XIII Scientific and Economic Developments Iconography V EARLY BAROQUE ROME Pope Sixtus V The Foundation of Modern Rome Pope Clement VIII Favourable Developments Pope Paul V An Artistic Centre Famous Trials Iconography VI THE AGE OF BERNINI Pope Gregory XV Pope Urban VIII Galileo's Trial Pope Innocent X The 1650 Jubilee Year Iconography VII THE LOSS OF THE LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS Pope Alexander VII Bernini in Paris Pope Clement IX Pope Clement X Pope Innocent XI Pope Alexander VIII Iconography VIII A SLEEPING CITY Pope Innocent XII Pope Clement XI Roman Barocchetto Pope Innocent XIII Pope Benedict XIII Iconography IX GRAND TOUR ROME Pope Clement XII The Grand Tour Pope Benedict XIV The 1750 Jubilee Pope Clement XIII Pope Clement XIV Iconography X DRAMA AT THE QUIRINALE Pope Pius VI The First Coalition The Roman Republic Pope Pius VII Annexation by the French Empire Restoration of the Papal State Iconography XI THE AGONY OF THE PAPAL STATE Pope Leo XII Pope Pius VIII and Pope Gregory XVI Pope Pius IX A Year of Revolution Ten Troubled Years Italian Unity Waiting for the Inevitable End Epilogue Iconography PART IV - CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS BETWEEN 1871 AND 2007 I CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS BETWEEN 1871 AND 1911 II CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS BETWEEN 1912 AND 1956 III CHRONOLOGY OF THE EVENTS BETWEEN 1957 AND 2007 The images used as background for this page show a Museo Nazionale Romano statue portraying Augustus attending a religious ceremony (Ancient Rome), a detail of the choir screen at S. Clemente (Medieval Rome), a relief on the façade of il Gesù (Modern Rome) and the statue to King Victor Emmanuel II.