The Classical WorldGovernment & Law Roman Empire begins 27 BCETurning point Augustus becomes the first emperor. The Pax Romana brings two centuries of relative peace. ▲ MattersSaveShareTrace roots Longest chain: The Big Bang → First stars ignite → Supernovae seed heavy elements → The Sun forms → Earth forms → First oceans → First life → Photosynthesis evolves → Great Oxidation Event → Complex cells (eukaryotes) → Multicellular life → First animals → Cambrian Explosion → First vertebrates → Jawed fish → Fish walk onto land → The amniotic egg → The Great Dying → Dinosaurs appear → Asteroid ends the dinosaurs → Early primates → Apes split from monkeys → Human line splits from chimpanzees → Walking upright → First stone tools → Genus Homo appears → Homo erectus → Control of fire → First fired clay figures → First pottery → Potter's wheel → The wheel → Spoke-wheeled chariot → Hittite Empire → Iron Age begins → Rome founded (traditional date) → Roman Republic founded → Caesar crosses the Rubicon → Roman Empire begins Community notesLoading notes… Learn more ranked by votesDocumentclassics.mit.eduThe Deeds of the Divine Augustus (Res Gestae), Internet Classics Archive ↗Editor's pickDocumentbritannica.comAugustus (Britannica) ↗Editor's pickBookMary BeardSPQR ↗Editor's pickBookAdrian GoldsworthyAugustus ↗Editor's pickVideoSearch on YouTubeHistoria Civilis Augustus ↗Editor's pick