Rome, once an EMPIRE, was a major power in the Mediterranean region for centuries. It was founded in 753 BC and was the center of the Roman Republic, which later became the Roman EMPIRE. The city of Rome was the capital of the Roman EMPIRE and was home to some of the most influential figures in history, including Julius Caesar, Augustus, and Nero. Rome was also the birthplace of Christianity and the site of the Catholic Church. The city was sacked by the Visigoths in 410 AD and eventually fell to the Lombards in 568 AD, marking the end of the Roman EMPIRE.