Rome was around for many centuries before the Roman Empire began. The traditional date for the founding of Rome is 753 BC (while there's no certainty in this da

Rome was around for many centuries before the Roman Empire began. The traditional date for the founding of Rome is 753 BC (while there's no certainty in this date, it's probably not off by very much). It was a kingdom for about 250 years, then a republic for about 500 years, and only then did it become an empire. Rome had been in existence for over 800 years before Hadrian assumed power. Many people don't realize that Rome had a republic and then lost it. Probably more people should know that, and learn about how it happened.