From one city to the known world

Map

Drag the year, or press play, to watch Roman rule grow from a single city on the Tiber, the faith spread across the empire and beyond it, and a new empire rise in the West under Charlemagne. Borders and dates are approximate.

AD 117

Point at a shaded area to see when and how it was gained.

Gained and lost

Roman Empire (44 areas)

Area	When	How
Rome	753 BC – AD 476; AD 554 – AD 751	Founded, by tradition, in 753 BC.
Central Italy	343 BC – AD 476; AD 554 – AD 568	Won in the Samnite Wars, ending in 290 BC.
Latium	340 BC – AD 476; AD 554 – AD 751	Rome defeats the Latin League in 338 BC.
Southern Italy	282 BC – AD 476; AD 554 – 1071	Tarentum surrenders in 272 BC. The last Roman city in Italy, Bari, falls to the Normans in 1071.
Sicily	241 BC – AD 476; AD 535 – AD 902	The first province, taken from Carthage in 241 BC.
Sardinia and Corsica	238 BC – AD 455; AD 534 – AD 800	Seized from Carthage in 238 BC.
Illyria and Dalmatia	229 BC – AD 480; AD 535 – AD 640	The Illyrian kingdom falls in 168 BC.
Cisalpine Gaul	225 BC – AD 476; AD 554 – AD 568	The Po valley, conquered from the Gauls by 191 BC.
Hispania (east and south)	218 BC – AD 475	Taken from Carthage in the Second Punic War; two provinces by 197 BC.
Hispania (interior and west)	181 BC – AD 460	Numantia falls in 133 BC.
Macedonia and Greece	168 BC – 1204; 1224 – 1430	Corinth is destroyed and Macedonia made a province in 146 BC.
Africa	146 BC – AD 439; AD 534 – AD 698	Carthage is destroyed in 146 BC. The Vandals take it in 439; Justinian takes it back in 534.
Asia	133 BC – 1081; 1097 – 1310	The kingdom of Pergamon, left to Rome in its king's will, 133 BC.
Gallia Narbonensis	121 BC – AD 476	Southern Gaul, the road between Italy and Spain, 121 BC.
Cyrenaica	74 BC – AD 643	Left to Rome by its last king; a province in 74 BC.
Bithynia and Pontus	74 BC – 1204	Organised by Pompey in 63 BC after the wars with Mithridates.
The Aegean islands	67 BC – 1204	The islands between Greece and Asia, gathered in as Rome took both shores.
Crete	67 BC – AD 824; AD 961 – 1204	Conquered in 67 BC.
Cilicia	64 BC – 1085	Settled by Pompey after his war on the pirates, 64 BC.
Syria	64 BC – AD 637	Pompey ends the Seleucid kingdom in 64 BC. Lost to the Arab conquest in 637.
Gaul	58 BC – AD 476	Julius Caesar's conquest, 58 to 50 BC, up to the Rhine.
Cyprus	58 BC – AD 649; AD 965 – 1191	Annexed in 58 BC.
Numidia	46 BC – AD 435; AD 534 – AD 698	Annexed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC.
Tripolitania	46 BC – AD 455; AD 534 – AD 643	The coast of the three cities, joined to Africa in 46 BC.
Egypt	30 BC – AD 642	Annexed by Octavian after the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra, 30 BC. Lost to the Arab conquest in 642.
Hispania (north-west)	29 BC – AD 411	Augustus finishes the conquest in the Cantabrian Wars, 19 BC.
Moesia	29 BC – AD 681; AD 971 – 1185	The lower Danube, a province by about AD 6. Lost to the Bulgars in 681 and won back by Basil II in 1018.
Galatia	25 BC – 1081	Annexed by Augustus in 25 BC. Lost after the battle of Manzikert, 1071.
Raetia and Noricum	15 BC – AD 476	The Alps and the upper Danube, taken under Augustus in 15 BC.
Pannonia	12 BC – AD 433	Secured after the great Illyrian revolt, AD 9. Ceded to the Huns around 433.
Judaea	AD 6 – AD 638	A client kingdom from 63 BC, ruled directly from AD 6. Jerusalem falls to the Arab conquest in 638.
Cappadocia	AD 17 – 1081	Annexed by Tiberius in AD 17.
Mauretania	AD 40 – AD 429	A client kingdom, annexed under Claudius after a revolt, AD 40 to 44.
Britannia	AD 43 – AD 410	Invaded under Claudius in AD 43 and conquered up to the north of England by about 79. The legions leave around 410.
Lycia and Pamphylia	AD 43 – 1207	Annexed by Claudius in AD 43.
Thrace	AD 46 – 1204; 1235 – 1369	A client kingdom made a province in AD 46.
Agri Decumates	AD 73 – AD 260	The corner between the Rhine and the Danube, held from about AD 83 to 260.
Dacia	AD 101 – AD 271	Trajan's conquest, AD 106. Abandoned under Aurelian around 271.
Arabia Petraea	AD 106 – AD 636	The Nabataean kingdom of Petra, annexed by Trajan in AD 106.
Armenia	AD 114 – AD 118	Trajan's short-lived province, AD 114. Given up by Hadrian.
Mesopotamia	AD 116 – AD 118	Trajan reaches the Persian Gulf in AD 116. Hadrian withdraws to the Euphrates.
Upper Mesopotamia	AD 198 – AD 639	Won back by Septimius Severus in AD 198.
Spania	AD 552 – AD 624	Justinian's foothold in southern Spain, 552 to 624.
Constantinople	1261 – 1453	Retaken from the Crusaders in 1261. Falls to the Ottomans in 1453.

Catholic Church (58 areas)

Area	When	How
Judaea	AD 30 – 1054	Where the Church began, at Pentecost in Jerusalem, about AD 30.
Syria	AD 35 – 1054	At Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
Rome and Latium	AD 42 – today	A church in Rome by the 40s. Peter and Paul are martyred here in the 60s.
Cyprus	AD 45 – 1054	Visited by Paul and Barnabas, about AD 45.
Asia	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Bithynia and Pontus	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Galatia	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Cappadocia	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Lycia and Pamphylia	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Cilicia	AD 47 – 1054	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest.
Macedonia and Greece	AD 50 – 1054	Paul preaches at Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth around AD 50.
The Aegean islands	AD 50 – 1054	John writes Revelation on Patmos.
Egypt	AD 60 – 1054	By tradition the Church of Alexandria was founded by Saint Mark.
Crete	AD 60 – 1054	Titus is left in Crete by Paul to organise the Church.
Southern Italy	AD 61 – today	Paul lands at Puteoli on his way to Rome, about AD 61.
Sicily	AD 61 – today	Paul stops at Syracuse on his way to Rome.
Arabia Petraea	AD 100 – 1000	Christian towns east of the Jordan by the fourth century.
Cyrenaica	AD 100 – AD 900	Christian from the second century until the Arab conquest.
Thrace	AD 100 – 1054	Around Constantinople, the heart of the Christian East.
Central Italy	AD 100 – today	Most of Italy is Christian by about 400.
Hispania (east and south)	AD 100 – AD 950; 1085 – today	Mostly Muslim under al-Andalus by the tenth century; won back in the Reconquista, ending at Granada in 1492.
Hispania (interior and west)	AD 100 – AD 950; 1085 – today	Toledo is retaken in 1085.
Upper Mesopotamia	AD 150 – 1054	Edessa, one of the earliest Christian cities outside the empire.
Northern Italy	AD 150 – today	Ambrose is bishop of Milan from 374.
Africa	AD 150 – 1150	The Church of Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. It fades away after the Arab conquest.
Numidia	AD 150 – 1150	The Church of Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. It fades away after the Arab conquest.
Tripolitania	AD 150 – 1150	The Church of Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. It fades away after the Arab conquest.
Mauretania	AD 150 – 1150	The Church of Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine. It fades away after the Arab conquest.
Hispania (north-west)	AD 150 – today	Never conquered by the Moors. Pilgrims walk to Santiago de Compostela.
Southern Gaul	AD 150 – today	Irenaeus is bishop of Lyon in the 170s.
Gaul	AD 177 – today	The martyrs of Lyon, 177. Martin of Tours in the 300s, and Clovis is baptized about 496.
Moesia and Bulgaria	AD 200 – AD 600; AD 864 – 1054	Overrun by pagan Slavs and Bulgars; the Bulgarian khan Boris is baptized in 864.
Illyria and Dalmatia	AD 200 – today	Christian under Rome; the Croats who settle there are baptized from the seventh century.
Sardinia and Corsica	AD 200 – today	Christian under the late empire.
Britain	AD 200 – AD 450; AD 597 – 1559	Christian under Rome; pagan Anglo-Saxons take the east. Augustine of Canterbury arrives in 597.
Armenia	AD 250 – 1054	The first kingdom to make Christianity its religion, by tradition in 301.
Romania	AD 300 – 1054	Christianity spreads slowly north of the Danube, in Latin and then Slavonic.
The Alps	AD 300 – today	Severinus of Noricum, about 470.
Pannonia	AD 300 – AD 450; AD 970 – today	Christian under Rome; lost to the Huns and Avars; part of Christian Hungary from 1000.
Georgia	AD 326 – 1054	Converted through Saint Nino in the 320s.
Ireland	AD 432 – today	Patrick, by tradition from 432.
Bavaria	AD 500 – today	Christian by the 700s. Boniface organises its dioceses in 739.
Scotland	AD 563 – 1560	Columba founds Iona in 563.
Alemannia	AD 600 – today	Irish and Frankish monks, such as Gall, in the 600s.
Central Germany	AD 690 – today	Boniface, the apostle of Germany, from 719.
Saxony and Frisia	AD 690 – 1530	Willibrord in Frisia from 690; Saxony converted by force under Charlemagne.
Bohemia and Moravia	AD 863 – today	Cyril and Methodius come to Moravia in 863. Wenceslas dies in 935.
Wallachia	AD 900 – 1054	Orthodox Christian lands north of the lower Danube.
Lands east of the Elbe	AD 928 – 1540	The Slavic Wends, converted slowly between the 900s and the 1100s.
Denmark	AD 965 – 1536	King Harald Bluetooth is baptized about 965.
Poland	AD 966 – today	Duke Mieszko is baptized in 966.
Hungary	AD 970 – today	Stephen is crowned the first Christian king in 1000.
Moldavia and Galicia	AD 988 – 1054	The south-west of Rus, Christian after the baptism of Vladimir.
Rus	AD 988 – 1054	Prince Vladimir of Kiev is baptized in 988.
Norway	AD 995 – 1537	Olaf the Saint dies at Stiklestad in 1030.
Sweden	1008 – 1530	King Olof is baptized about 1008.
Prussia, Livonia, and Estonia	1200 – 1525	Converted by crusade in the 1200s.
Lithuania	1387 – today	The last pagan kingdom in Europe, baptized in 1387.

Orthodox and Eastern churches (22 areas)

Area	When	How
Judaea	1054 – 1300	Where the Church began, at Pentecost in Jerusalem, about AD 30. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Syria	1054 – 1300	At Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Upper Mesopotamia	1054 – 1300	Edessa, one of the earliest Christian cities outside the empire. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Egypt	1054 – 1300	By tradition the Church of Alexandria was founded by Saint Mark. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Cyprus	1054 – today	Visited by Paul and Barnabas, about AD 45. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Armenia	1054 – today	The first kingdom to make Christianity its religion, by tradition in 301. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Georgia	1054 – today	Converted through Saint Nino in the 320s. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Asia	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Bithynia and Pontus	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Galatia	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Cappadocia	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Lycia and Pamphylia	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Cilicia	1054 – 1500	Paul's missions from about AD 47. Much of it stays Christian long after the Turkish conquest. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Macedonia and Greece	1054 – today	Paul preaches at Philippi, Thessalonica, Athens, and Corinth around AD 50. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
The Aegean islands	1054 – today	John writes Revelation on Patmos. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Crete	1054 – today	Titus is left in Crete by Paul to organise the Church. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Thrace	1054 – today	Around Constantinople, the heart of the Christian East. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Moesia and Bulgaria	1054 – today	Overrun by pagan Slavs and Bulgars; the Bulgarian khan Boris is baptized in 864. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Romania	1054 – today	Christianity spreads slowly north of the Danube, in Latin and then Slavonic. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Wallachia	1054 – today	Orthodox Christian lands north of the lower Danube. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Moldavia and Galicia	1054 – today	The south-west of Rus, Christian after the baptism of Vladimir. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.
Rus	1054 – today	Prince Vladimir of Kiev is baptized in 988. Orthodox after the break between Rome and Constantinople.

Protestant churches (8 areas)

Area	When	How
Prussia, Livonia, and Estonia	1525 – today	Converted by crusade in the 1200s. Prussia becomes the first Lutheran state in 1525; Livonia and Estonia follow.
Saxony and Frisia	1530 – today	Willibrord in Frisia from 690; Saxony converted by force under Charlemagne. Lutheran from the 1520s and 1530s. The northern Netherlands become Calvinist.
Sweden	1530 – today	King Olof is baptized about 1008. Gustav Vasa breaks with Rome from 1527.
Denmark	1536 – today	King Harald Bluetooth is baptized about 965. Lutheran by royal order in 1536.
Norway	1537 – today	Olaf the Saint dies at Stiklestad in 1030. Lutheran by order of the Danish king in 1537.
Lands east of the Elbe	1540 – today	The Slavic Wends, converted slowly between the 900s and the 1100s. Brandenburg turns Lutheran in 1539.
Britain	1559 – today	Christian under Rome; pagan Anglo-Saxons take the east. Augustine of Canterbury arrives in 597. Henry VIII breaks with Rome in 1534; the Elizabethan settlement follows in 1559.
Scotland	1560 – today	Columba founds Iona in 563. The Scottish Reformation, 1560.

Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire (12 areas)

Area	When	How
West Francia (France)	AD 800 – AD 843	Part of Charlemagne's empire; given to Charles the Bald in the division of 843.
The Low Countries and Lorraine	AD 800 – 1648	The middle kingdom of 843, joined to the East by 925. The Dutch leave the empire formally in 1648, and France takes Alsace.
Burgundy and Provence	AD 800 – AD 843; 1033 – 1378	The kingdom of Arles joins the empire in 1033 and slips away to France in the 1300s.
Swabia, Bavaria, and Switzerland	AD 800 – 1806	The southern German duchies. Bavaria is joined to the Frankish realm in 788.
Franconia and Hesse	AD 800 – 1806	The heart of East Francia, which becomes the kingdom of Germany.
Saxony	AD 800 – 1806	Conquered by Charlemagne in a war from 772 to 804. Its dukes become kings of Germany in 919.
The Kingdom of Italy	AD 800 – AD 888; AD 951 – 1797	Taken by Charlemagne from the Lombards in 774, and by Otto the Great in 951 to 962. Its cities go their own way, and Napoleon ends imperial Italy in 1797.
The Spanish March	AD 801 – AD 843	Barcelona is taken from the Moors in 801.
Bohemia and Moravia	AD 950 – 1806	Its dukes become princes of the empire, and from 1198 its kings are among the electors.
Austria and Carinthia	AD 955 – 1806	The eastern march, won back from the Magyars after 955.
Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, and Pomerania	1134 – 1806	Settled by Germans pushing east of the Elbe in the 1100s and 1200s.
Silesia	1289 – 1806	Passes from Poland to the crown of Bohemia by 1335.

The Roman Empire follows the Roman state itself, so after 476 it follows the empire ruled from Constantinople. The churches mark where most of the people had become Christian, not only where the first churches stood. Each land spreads out from the cities where the Church was first planted. Before each split the whole Church is shown as Catholic, one Church in communion with the bishop of Rome; lands pass to the Orthodox and Eastern churches at the break of 1054, and to the Protestant churches at the Reformation, where the change is drawn at a single year though it took decades. Client kingdoms, short occupations, and breakaway states are left out, and an area is drawn whole even when only part of it was held.