The Rise & Fall of Roman Civilization: Every Year Shown in a Timelapse Map Animation (753 BC -1479 AD)

The Youtuber “EmperorTigerstar” specializes in documenting the unfolding of world historical events by stitching together hundreds of maps into timelapse films. In years past, we’ve featured his “map animations” of the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), World War I (1914-1918), and World War II (1939-1945). Today, we’re highlighting a more ambitious project, an attempt to visually document the rise and fall of the Romans. The video covers 2,000 years of history, in just ten minutes.

Moving from 753 BC  to 1479 AD, the animated map shows Rome’s territorial boundaries changing as the Roman Kingdom morphs into the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Then the gravity of history takes over and we experience the gradual decline of Roman civilization. We see the bifurcation that splits the Empire into Western and Eastern (Byzantine) parts, until only a little piece remains.

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Related Content:

The History of Ancient Rome in 20 Quick Minutes: A Primer Narrated by Brian Cox

The Splendid Book Design of the 1946 Edition of Gibbon’s Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

An 8-Minute Animated Flight Over Ancient Rome

How to Make Roman Concrete, One of Human Civilization’s Longest-Lasting Building Materials

The History of the Byzantine Empire (or East Roman Empire): An Animated Timeline Covering 1,100 Years of History


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  • Mike Kelly says:

    This was great! I’m on my third go around on Edward Gibbons history, and it moves around a little in time and location to keep the narrative so it is wonderful to see it with time and place unfolding together as they did.

    Barbarian today, Holy Roman Emperor tomorrow, there is hope for us all!

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