At the height of their power, the Romans controlled the entire Mediterranean basin, along with large swathes of northern Europe, the north African coast, and modern-day Turkey.

The Roman historian Livy puts the founding of Rome at 746 BC, though the site was certainly occupied for longer. Roman history is generally divided into 3 very broad periods:
1. 753‍–‍509 BC: The Kingdom of Rome.
2. 509-27 BC: The Roman Republic (republican_roman).
3. 27 BC – 476 AD: The Roman Empire (imperial_roman).

The Romans have had an extraordinary influence on subsequent European cultures, and cultures further abroad. Partly due to the resurgence of interest in Rome during the European Renaissance, the Romans have become a symbol of political and imperial greatness. The myths, imagery, and history of Rome permeate through modern language, sciences, arts, and politics.