The Roman Empire (Latin: Imperium Rōmānum;
Classical Latin: [ɪmˈpɛ.ri.ũː roːˈmaː.nũː] Koine and Medieval
Greek: Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων tr. Basileia tōn Rhōmaiōn) was the
post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization
characterized by government headed by emperors and large
territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe Africa
and Asia. The city of Rome was the largest city in the world c. 100
BC – c. 400 AD with Constantinople (New Rome) becoming the largest
around 500 AD and the Empire's populace grew to an estimated 50 to
90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's population at
the time). The 500-year-old republic which preceded it was severely
destabilized in a series of civil wars and political conflict
during which Julius Caesar was appointed as perpetual dictator and
then assassinated in 44 BC. Civil wars and executions continued
culminating in the victory of Octavian Caesar's adopted son over
Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the
annexation of Egypt. Octavian's power was then unassailable and in
27 BC the Roman Senate formally granted him overarching power and
the new title Augustus effectively marking the end of the Roman
Republic.
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