Following the East–West Schism and the limited success in the Investiture Controversy, the Papacy did gain considerable influence in the High Middle Ages, but with the Avignon Papacy and the Western Schism, the city of Rome was reduced to irrelevance, its population falling below 20,000. The Papacy struggled to retain influence in the emerging Holy Roman Empire, and during the Saeculum obscurum, the population of Rome fell to as low as 30,000 inhabitants.

Medieval Rome is characterized by a break with Constantinople and the formation of the Papal States.

At this time, the city was reduced to a fraction of its former size, being sacked several times in the 5th to 6th centuries, even temporarily depopulated entirely. With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, Rome's power declined, and it eventually became part of the Eastern Roman Empire, as the Duchy of Rome until the 8th century.

The Roman Empire followed the Republic, which waned with the rise of Julius Caesar, and by all measures concluded after a period of civil war and the victory of Caesar's adopted son, Octavian, in 27 BC over Mark Antony.

With the Punic Wars from 264 to 146 BC, Ancient Rome gained dominance over the Western Mediterranean, displacing Carthage as the dominant regional power. During the 5th century BC, Rome gained regional dominance in Latium. The period was marked by vast expansion of Roman territory.

The Roman Republic, which commenced in 509 BC when kings were replaced with rule by elected magistrates.

The period of Etruscan dominance and the Regal Period, in which according to tradition, Romulus was the first of seven kings.

Pre-historical and early Rome, covering Rome's earliest inhabitants and the legend of its founding by Romulus.

Roman history can be divided into the following periods: Roman history has been influential on the modern world, especially in the history of the Catholic Church, and Roman law has influenced many modern legal systems. The history of Rome includes the history of the city of Rome as well as the civilisation of ancient Rome. Rome: Ruins of the Forum, Looking towards the Capitol (1742) by Canaletto

Rome total war protectorate