Roman Empire (27 BCE – 476 CE in the West, continued in the East until 1453 CE)

The Roman Empire (27 BCE–476 CE) revolutionized Western civilization through military conquest, engineering marvels, and legal systems that shaped governance for millennia. At its peak under emperors like Augustus and Trajan, it controlled the Mediterranean world, building roads, aqueducts, and cities that became templates for urban development. Rome's contributions—Latin language, republican ideals (later imperial rule), and Roman law—formed Europe's cultural foundation. While the Western Empire fell in 476 CE, the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire endured until 1453, preserving classical knowledge. The Empire's legacy persists in modern governments, architecture, and legal codes worldwide.