How Long Each Territory Was Part of The Roman Empire (Western and/or Eastern)

Map created by VitalyAlexandreevichThe map above shows how long various territories were part of the Roman Empire, which includes both the classic Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire (aka the Byzantine Empire).

From the author:

This map includes all Roman territory from the founding of the Republic in 509 BCE to the fall of Constantinople in 1453 CE.

Due to unclear information, I rounded the time of control to the next 50 years (so if the Empire controlled a territory for about 182 or 152 years, it is shown as 200).

DISCLOSURE: the method for creating this map is not perfect, since what I did was calculate the difference between the estimated beginning of Roman control to the end, not accounting for periods of no control in the middle.

This map also only accounts for the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire as a whole, as well as the Western and Eastern Roman Empires. Claimed successors such as the Ottomans, Russians, Holy Roman Emperors, etc, are not taken into account.

Also the area that seems to have overall been controlled by Rome the longest is the city of Thessaloniki, if you’re curious.

Also when asked: “Guessing it doesn’t include the reconquest of the WRE by the ERE?”

He replied:

Oh no it does include that. In fact it this map likely has a major flaw there since it assumes uninterrupted control rather than accounting for barbarian invasions in the west and the balkans.

Also it should be noted:

I should make it more specific in the future. All the bright pink is “less than 50 years” of control. Whether that’s 1 year or 49 years, same colour.

And as for the choice of including the Eastern Roman Empire aka the Byzantine Empire:

The Eastern Roman Empire did more than just call themselves Roman. They carried on Roman laws and institutions uninterrupted. They were, for all intents and purposes, Romans and their state was the Roman Empire, not a successor state, but a continuation of what began with Augustus. Arguments like “they were Greek” or “they were Christian” or “they’re not italian” are invalid for a myriad of reasons, all of which can be found in other comments.

The Byzantines being Roman is not up for debate. It is a fact.

Rough Roman Timeline

The Roman Republic (509 BCE–27 BCE)

• 509 BCE: Overthrow of the Roman monarchy; establishment of the Republic.
• 264–146 BCE: Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage; Rome emerges dominant in the Western Mediterranean.
• 133–121 BCE: Gracchi brothers’ reforms; social and political turmoil begins.
• 60–44 BCE: First Triumvirate (Caesar, Pompey, Crassus); Julius Caesar’s rise.
• 44 BCE: Assassination of Julius Caesar.
• 31 BCE: Battle of Actium; Octavian defeats Mark Antony and Cleopatra, marking the Republic’s end.

Early Roman Empire/Principate (27 BCE–284 CE)

• 27 BCE: Octavian becomes Augustus, initiating the Roman Empire.
• 27 BCE–180 CE: Pax Romana (Roman Peace), a period of stability and prosperity.
• 64 CE: Great Fire of Rome; persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero.
• 79 CE: Eruption of Mount Vesuvius; destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
• 117 CE: Peak territorial extent of the empire under Emperor Trajan.

Late Roman Empire/ Crisis and Reform (284–395 CE)

• 284–305 CE: Reforms of Emperor Diocletian; division into Eastern and Western administrative halves.
• 313 CE: Edict of Milan under Constantine I, legalizing Christianity.
• 324 CE: Constantine founds Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
• 380 CE: Christianity becomes official state religion under Emperor Theodosius I.
• 395 CE: Permanent division into Eastern and Western Roman Empires upon Theodosius I’s death.

Western Roman Empire (395–476 CE)

• 410 CE: Sack of Rome by Visigoths led by Alaric.
• 451 CE: Battle of Chalons; Roman alliance defeats Attila the Hun.
• 455 CE: Sack of Rome by Vandals.
• 476 CE: Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus; traditional date for the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

Eastern Roman Empire/Byzantine Empire (395–1453 CE)

• 527–565 CE: Reign of Justinian I; attempted reconquest of Western territories, codification of Roman law (Corpus Juris Civilis).
• 634–718 CE: Expansion of Islamic Caliphate; loss of Eastern provinces to Arabs.
• 717–718 CE: Siege of Constantinople; Byzantine victory prevents Islamic expansion into Europe.
• 867–1056 CE: Macedonian Renaissance; cultural revival, territorial stabilization.
• 1054 CE: Great Schism; formal separation between Orthodox and Catholic churches.
• 1071 CE: Battle of Manzikert; Byzantium loses Anatolia to Seljuk Turks.
• 1204 CE: Fourth Crusade; Western crusaders capture and loot Constantinople, founding the Latin Empire.
• 1261 CE: Restoration of Byzantine rule under Michael VIII Palaiologos.
• 1453 CE: Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, marking the definitive end of the Roman (Byzantine) Empire.

You can also watch the following video to see how it all plays out:

What do you think of the map?