Roman Empire

The Roman Empire, or Rome, as it was known at the time, was the largest empire of the ancient world. Its capital was the city of Rome, and its empire was based in the Mediterranean. The Empire dates from 25 BCE, when Octavian became the Emperor Augustus, till it fell in 476 CE, marking the end of the Ancient World and the beginning of the Middle Ages.

The empire was the third stage of Ancient Rome. Rome was first ruled by Roman kings, then by the Roman Republic, then by an emperor. Many modern nations were once part of the Roman Empire, including "Britain" (not Scotland), Spain, Portugal, France (as Gaul), Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Egypt, countries of the Levant, Crimea, Switzerland, and the north coast of Africa. The main language of the Roman Empire was Latin; Greek was an important secondary language.

After Emperor Constantine took the throne, the empire's capital city was named Constantinople, later becoming known as "Istanbul."