753 B.C. Rome is founded. Legend says two brothers named Romulus and Remus started the city of Rome. Early Romans believed these two were sons of the Roman god of war.

509 B.C. Rome becomes a republic. Rome starts to elect leaders instead of allowing kings to rule. These leaders are called senators.

47 B.C. Julius Caesar rules Rome. This famous ruler didn’t want to share power. He put an end to Rome’s republic. A year later, Caesar’s death starts a civil war.

30 A.D. Jesus was crucified. Jesus’ death would change history forever—for Romans and everyone else.

33 A.D. Saul of Tarsus becomes a Christian. We know him better as Paul. Paul was a Jew and a Roman citizen. Once, he killed Christians. But then he started telling gentiles the good news: Jesus saves people from every nation!

64 A.D. Fire! Much of Rome burns. Nero, the ruler of Rome, blames Christians for the disaster. Many think Nero started the fire himself because he wanted more power.

303 A.D. Emperor Diocletian persecutes Christians. Diocletian wanted to put an end to Christianity. He burned Christian books. He destroyed churches. He made Christianity against the law. Many Christians were killed.

312 A.D. Emperor Constantine becomes a Christian. After converting, he made a new rule: Each person can follow the religion he or she chooses. Soon, Christianity spread throughout the empire.

325 A.D. Nicene Creed is written. Christians had to fight heresies—wrong beliefs that snuck into the church. People started saying Jesus was not God. So Christians wrote the Nicene Creed. It clearly stated the truths they believed. Christians still recite it today!

391 A.D. Emperor Theodosius makes Christianity the empire’s official religion. Pagan worship becomes illegal.

476 A.D. The Roman Empire falls. A barbarian commander replaced the last emperor of Rome.