Piale, Luigi; Wyndham, R. C. [Bearb.]: Rome seen in a week: being a hand-book to Rome and its environs : containing a description of the Roman antiquities, galleries, museums, churches, catacombs and general information necessary to the touristh (Rome: Luigi Piale, 1902)

HISTORICAL NOTICE

Rome was founded 753 years before the Christian
Era, by Romulus who was the first king. From a simple
collection of houses inhabited by fugitives, she became
in the course of two centuries the mistress of Etruria,
of Latium, and the greater part of Samnium. The des-
potic rule of the Tarquin Kings, was the cause which
excited Junius Brutus to stir up the people to revolt
against them. It was then that Rome was constituted
a Republic, and was governed by consuls, who re-
tained office for two years.
The division of the citizens of Rome into two classes,
patricians and plebeians, gave rise to continual discord,
of which the numerous enemies of Rome availed them-
selves to make war against her. It was in these
struggles that the Romans became celebrated for their
valour, and gained both reputation and power; being
almost always victorious over their adversaries, they
extended their conquests, so that in the lapse of a
short period, they subdued Sicily, Carthage, Spain,
Greece, Macedonia, Asia Minor, the two Gauls, and
many other countries.
But the ambition and discord of their rulers occa-
sioned the downfall of the Republic, and with the pro-
clamation of Caesar Augustus, the Empire was inau-
gurated. B. G. 30.
His reign was a continual protection of arts, sciences
and letters, so at that time, Rome could justly call
herself the mistress of the world. Of the many Em-
perors who succeeded him, some were signalized by
their virtues; the greater part by their vices. The