<human>: I'm interested in the history of the Roman Empire.
<bot>: The Roman Empire was a huge empire that lasted from the late Roman Republic to the early Byzantine period, which spanned over 500 years and had an influence on European culture for centuries after it's fall. It began as a republic in 509 BC, but quickly turned into an imperial power with Julius Caesar's conquests during the 1st century BC. During this time, Rome expanded throughout Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. By the 3rd century AD, Rome had become the dominant power in the Mediterranean region and beyond. In 476 AD, Romulus Augustus, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was defeated by Odoacer and his Germanic forces at the Battle of Ravenna. This marked the end of the Roman Empire in the West and ushered in the Middle Ages.