Bronze Age begins in Italy

The Etruscans settle in central Italy. The Iron Age begins

According to legend, Romulus founds the city of Rome

The Greeks settle much of southern Italy and Sicily

The Roman Republic is established

The Romans begin to colonize and take over much of Italy

Italy is invaded when Hannibal, leader of Carthage, crosses the Alps during the Second Punic War

Rome conquers Greece

A gladiator named Spartacus leads a slave rebellion

Julius Caesar is dictator of Rome

Julius Caesar is killed

Marc Antony is defeated by Octavian's forces at the Battle of Actium

The Roman Empire is established. Augustus becomes the first Emperor of Rome

Much of the city of Rome burns in the Great Fire of Rome

The city of Pompeii is destroyed when the volcano at Mount Vesuvius erupts

The Colosseum in Rome is completed

Trajan becomes emperor. He will build many public works and greatly expand the Roman Empire

The Roman Empire expands to include most of the Mediterranean

Emperor Hadrian rebuilds the Pantheon in Rome

Constantine the Great becomes Emperor of Rome

The Roman Empire is split into two empires. The Western Roman Empire is ruled from Rome

Rome is sacked by the Visigoths

The fall of the Roman Empire

The Ostrogoths led by Theodoric take over Italy

The Lombards conquer Italy. The pope requests help from the Franks

The Franks, led by Charlemagne, invade Italy and defeat the Lombards

The pope crowns Charlemagne leader of the Holy Roman Empire

Powerful city-states begin to develop throughout Italy including Florence, Milan, Venice, and Naples

The Renaissance begins in Florence, Italy in the 1300s

The Divine Comedy is written by Dante

The Black Death plague strikes Italy and kills around one third of the population

The papacy returns to Rome from France

The Medici family takes control of the city-state of Florence

France invades northern Italy

Leonardo da Vinci paints the Mona Lisa

Michelangelo begins painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel

Charles V sacks Rome

St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is consecrated

Galileo is condemned as a heretic and sentenced to life in prison

Northern Italy is conquered by Napoleon and made part of the French Empire

Napoleon declares the Kingdom of Italy

Napoleon is defeated and Italy is divided up into small states

The reunification of Italy begins

The Kingdom of Italy is established. Rome and Venice are still separate states

Venice becomes part of Italy

Most of Italy including Rome is now united as one kingdom. Rome is made the capital of the Kingdom of Italy

The telegraph is invented by Marconi

Italy joins World War I on the side of the Allies

World War I comes to an end with the Treaty of Versailles. Italy gains some territories

Benito Mussolini and the fascist government takes control

Mussolini is named dictator

Vatican City becomes an independent territory called the Holy See within the city of Rome

Italy invades Ethiopia

Italy joins the Axis alliance with Germany

Italian scientist Enrico Fermi wins the Nobel Prize in Physics

Italy joins World War II on the side of Germany. Italy invades Greece

Mussolini loses power and Italy surrenders to the Allies. The new government declares war on Germany

Allied forces liberate Rome

Mussolini is executed

The Italian Republic is formed along with a new constitution. Women gain the right to vote

Italy joins the United Nations

The summer Olympics are held in Rome

The Euro becomes the official currency of Italy