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Rome, from City to Empire: The Rise and Fall

From its legendary foundation to the fall of the Western Empire, the film traces Rome’s political institutions, imperial power, and eventual division.

Chapters

• 0:07 Foundations of the City
• 1:16 Republican Institutions and Expansion
• 2:25 Imperial Power and Unity
• 4:10 Division and Decline

On-screen text

• 0:07 Foundations of the City
• 0:14 Foundations of the City
• 0:31 Romulus and Remus myth Tradition / scripture · Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, Book 1
• 0:49 The Twelve Tables: Rome's first laws Historical record · The Twelve Tables (c. 450 BC), fragmentary inscription
• 1:07 Ostian census tablet, 100 BC Historical record · Bronze tablet from Ostia (c. 100 BC), Museo Archeologico di Ostia Antica
• 1:16 Republican Institutions and Expansion
• 1:23 Republican Institutions and Expansion
• 1:40 Roman mixed constitution Historical record · Polybius, Histories, Book 6
• 1:58 Fasti Capitolini: magistrate list Historical record · Fasti Capitolini (inscription, 1st c. AD)
• 2:16 Actium ends Republic Historical record · Plutarch, Life of Antony (c. 100 AD)
• 2:25 Imperial Power and Unity
• 2:32 Imperial Power and Unity
• 2:49 Augustus' Res Gestae Historical record · Res Gestae Divi Augusti (inscription, AD 14)
• 3:07 Colosseum built 72‑80 AD Historical record · Cassiodorus, Variae 2.1 (c. 540) quoting earlier sources; archaeological evidence
• 3:25 Pax Romana: peace and stability The Institute's interpretation · Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. 2015, p. 212
• 3:43 Edict of Milan: religious tolerance Historical record · Edict of Milan (313), Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum
• 4:01 Constantine's Lateran basilica Historical record · Eusebius, Life of Constantine (c. 340)
• 4:10 Division and Decline
• 4:17 Division and Decline
• 4:34 395: empire split The Institute's interpretation · Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire. 2005, p. 78
• 4:43 410: Visigoths sack Rome Historical record · St. Jerome, Letter to Paulinus (c. 410)
• 5:01 476: Odoacer ends West Historical record · Jordanes, Getica (c. 551) citing earlier sources; archaeological layers of Odoacer's rule
• 5:19 Notitia Dignitatum: late empire order Historical record · Notitia Dignitatum (c. 420), manuscript Vatican Reg. lat. 112

Sources

Historical record: The Twelve Tables (c. 450 BC), fragmentary inscription · Bronze tablet from Ostia (c. 100 BC), Museo Archeologico di Ostia Antica · Polybius, Histories, Book 6 · Fasti Capitolini (inscription, 1st c. AD) · Plutarch, Life of Antony (c. 100 AD) · Res Gestae Divi Augusti (inscription, AD 14) · Cassiodorus, Variae 2.1 (c. 540) quoting earlier sources; archaeological evidence · Edict of Milan (313), Lactantius, De Mortibus Persecutorum · Eusebius, Life of Constantine (c. 340) · St. Jerome, Letter to Paulinus (c. 410) · Jordanes, Getica (c. 551) citing earlier sources; archaeological layers of Odoacer's rule · Notitia Dignitatum (c. 420), manuscript Vatican Reg. lat. 112

Tradition / scripture: Livy, Ab Urbe Condita, Book 1

The Institute's interpretation: Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome. 2015, p. 212 · Heather, Peter. The Fall of the Roman Empire. 2005, p. 78

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 84 s of CPU.