When did Rome become an Empire? It was long before Augustus.

Question

Rome became an empire the moment it expanded beyond its natural confines to rule non-Italian peoples. This occurred in 241 BC with the victory in the First Punic War (264-41 BC). Rome then took Sicily and the little islands around Sicily from Carthage. In the next five years, Rome also annexed Sardinia and Corsica from Carthage. Sicily became the first Roman province and together Sardinia and Corsica formed the second province. A Roman former consul or praetor was sent to govern each province for 1-2 years. Bad governors often plundered the province to pay back the debts they ran up running for office. In those days, the inhabitants of the islands were not at all considered Italians like today. Augustus was born about 180 years later in 63 BC. Rome was an empire for almost 200 years, as you can see, when he was born.

Note: not every empire has an emperor. Between 1871-1940, the Third Republic controlled a vast French Empire with territory in S America, Africa, SE Asia, and Pacific Islands (and more). There was no French emperor. The Athenian Empire controlled the islands and some poleis in Asia Minor 460-11 BC. Again, no emperor. Do not get caught up on the commonality between the words empire and emperor and correct others who make that mistake. -- Gaius Stern, Ph.D. Greek & Roman Hist, Cal Berkeley

Answer 1

Since the legendary first king of Rome, Romulus, founded it as a small city-state in the 8th century BCE, Rome has been technically an empire. During the Roman Kingdom, the kings of Rome were well aware that the city-state was vulnerable to foreign attack and that it was underpopulated with only male citizens. As a result, they spread throughout the Italian peninsula, conquering tribe after tribe and civilization after civilization to the Mediterranean Sea in the south and the Alps in the north, which were inhabited by various Gallic tribes. Following the fall of the Phoenician Carthaginian Empire following the Third and Final Punic War, the Romans conquered Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, Hispania, and North Africa by land and sea. In short, Rome was an empire from its inception as a small kingdom bordering the Tiber River.

Remember that there are two answers to your question because the traditional story of the Romans establishing an empire began when Augustus Caesar was given the title of Princeps by the Roman Senate, but today's historians beg to differ.

Signed

Francis.