Rome began as a village with a few families and expanded into a vast empire encompassing the continent of Europe and areas of Asia and Africa. Beginning in a small area in central present-day Italy, the city-state of Rome expanded to the entire Italian peninsula through a series of wars. It then expanded westward into Spain and Portugal. The defeat of the Saxons allowed Rome to control the present-day island of England. Rome defeated the Germanic tribes in northern Europe to gain control of the present-day countries of Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, and Holland. By defeating the Gauls, the Roman legion had conquered all of Europe.
In 753 BCE, Rome was founded, and in two hundred years, the Roman Republic was formed. The Roman legions battled against the Etrscans, Latins, Umbirans, and several other peoples who neighbored Rome. In 451 BCE the Twelve Tables, the first written code of Roman Law was developed and colonies were established in Italy. In 390 BCE, Rome was conquered and destroyed by the Gauls. In 343, the Samnite wars were fought and Rome prevailed, gaining territory in central Italy. In 264 BCE, the first Punic War was fought and Hannibal invaded Italy and the Romans were defeated at Lake Trasimene and Cannae. They had won at Metaurus and Zama. Next, the Macedonian wars were fought and Macedonia was annexed as a Roman province. In 190 BCE, Rome extended its borders into Asia. In 150 BCE, Rome Fought the Third Punic War and a province in Africa was established. Now the Roman Empire had a foothold on three continents.
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