The Roman civilization lasted about 1,000 years, from 753 BCE to 476 CE, with its impacts still apparent today. The Roman civilization began as a monarchy influenced by the Hellenistic Empire. Latin was the primary language of the civilization.

A people known for their military, political, and social institutions, the ancient Romans conquered vast amounts of land in Europe and northern Africa, built roads and aqueducts, and spread Latin, their language, far and wide.

Rome continued to decline after that until AD 476 when the western Roman Empire came to an end. The eastern Roman Empire, more commonly known as the Byzantine Empire, survived until the 15th century AD. It fell when Turks took control of its capital city, Constantinople (modern day Istanbul in Turkey) in AD 1453.

Its demise can be attributed to many factors, especially internal corruption, division, and outside invasion. As Rome grew in size and population, the rulers of Rome became very corrupt. Rather than serving the interests of the Empire, rulers, generals, and politicians became more concerned with protecting themselves.