istoryworld
Events relating to rome
Octavian defeats the forces of Antony and Cleopatra (both are at sea with their fleets) in a battle off the Greek coast at Actium
Octavian annexes Egypt as a Roman territory and takes back to Rome the vast treasures of the Egyptian pharaohs
With the annexation of Egypt, the entire Mediterranean falls under Roman control
When Octavian's Egyptian hoard reaches Rome, the standard rate of interest falls from 12% to 4%
Octavian is given the life-long title of Augustus by the senate in Rome, becoming in effect the first Roman emperor
Livy begins writing and publishing his History of Rome, a task which will occupy him for forty years
The first three books of Horace's Odes are published, written on his Sabine farm
The excellence of the arts, particularly literature, during the reign of Augustus Caesar causes it to be remembered as a golden age of culture
A collection of witty love poems, entitled Amores, brings Ovid an early success
Augustus Caesar puts a team of surveyors to work mapping the empire's 50,000 miles of roads, a task which will take them twenty years
Roman author Vitruvius writes De Architectura, now generally known as The Ten Books of Architecture
Virgil dies just after completing the Aeneid, and imperial command from Augustus Caesar prevents his executor from destroying the epic
The period of stability achieved during the reign of Augustus Caesar has been given the name Pax Romana ('Roman peace')
The death of Augustus introduces half a century of chaos, as the members of his family compete ruthlessly for power
The Thessalonians receive the first of Paul's epistles - the earliest text in the New Testament, written in Greek
A working week of seven days is adopted in Rome, based on the seven known planets (whose names provide the days)
St Peter, believed to have come to Rome as leader of the Christian community, is subsequently considered the first pope
St Paul arrives in Rome a prisoner, but then spends two years freely preaching Christianity
A great fire in Rome is popularly believed to have been started by Nero, whom legend also accuses of fiddling while the city burns
Early Christian tradition states that both Peter and Paul meet death in Rome as martyrs, possibly as a result of the fire of AD 64
The Zealots play a prominent part in the uprising which expels the Romans from Jerusalem
Nero comes to Athens to give some of his officially celebrated performances at the Greek games
A rebellion in Spain prompts such chaos that Rome has four emperors within a year, after the suicide of Nero in 68
Titus recovers Jerusalem for Rome, after four years of Jewish rule
The Acts of the Apostles are written, probably by Luke – the evangelist and companion of Paul on his final journey to Rome
