The Roman Empire (Latin: IMPERIVM ROMANVM) was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean.

The 500-year-old Roman Republic, which preceded it, had been weakened and subverted through several civil wars. Several events are commonly proposed to mark the transition from Republic to Empire, including Julius Caesar's appointment as perpetual dictator (44 BC), the Battle of Actium (2 September 31 BC), and the Roman Senate's granting to Octavian the honorific Augustus (16 January 27 BC).

Roman expansion began in the days of the Republic, but the Empire reached its greatest extent under Emperor Trajan: during his reign (98 to 117 AD) the Roman Empire controlled approximately 6.5 million km² of land surface. Because of the Empire's vast extent and long endurance, the institutions and culture of Rome had a profound and lasting influence on the development of language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and forms of government in the territory it governed, particularly Europe, and by means of European expansionism throughout the modern world.

Order from Chaos was an extreme metal band formed in 1987 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA by Pete Helmkamp, Chuck Keller and Mike Miller. They are recognised as being an extremely influential group in the early US black metal scene, and served as a launching pad for its band members that went on to form such groups as Angelcorpse, Ares Kingdom, Revenge, Vulpecula, and Kerasphorus.

Order from Chaos, a trio consisting of Pete Helmkamp (vocals/bass), Chuck Keller (guitar) and Mike Miller (drums), was formed in Kansas City, Missouri during 1987, playing a mixture of old school thrash, black and death metal, influenced by the likes of Venom, Bathory and Celtic Frost. The band released a trio of demos in 1988, until a fourth (Crushed Infamy), which sold 1000 copies, attracted the attention of Putrefaction Records who released the Will to Power 7" EP, limited to 1100 copies. The band then signed a record deal with Wild Rags in 1989, who released cassette versions of the Crushed Infamy demo and Will to Power. A final demo, Alienus Sum, was released in 1992 by the band, featuring three rough mixes from their delayed debut album and a couple of rehearsal tracks; an official cassette version of the demo was released through Chilean label Hexateuc Torment.

Michael Kulikowski (born 1970) is an American historian, tenured at the Pennsylvania State University, who is a specialist in the history of the western Mediterranean world of Late Antiquity. He has published two books Late Roman Spain and Its Cities (Johns Hopkins University Press), 2004, and Rome’s Gothic Wars from the Third Century to Alaric (Cambridge University Press), 2006, as well as numerous articles, which range from the dependability of the Notitia Dignitatum as a historical source or ethnic self-identifications to examination of the careers of various late Roman individuals. He is the editor of the forthcoming Landmark Ammianus Marcellinus. Before moving to Penn State in 2009, Kulikowski taught at Washington and Lee University, Smith College, and the University of Tennessee.

He received his B.A. from Rutgers University, 1991, his M.A., 1992, and Ph.D., 1998, from the University of Toronto, and a Licentiate of Mediaeval Studies (canon law) from the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in 1995. He is presently Professor of History and Classics and Head of the History Department at Penn State.</ref>

Gaius Julius Caesar (Classical Latin: [ˈɡaː.i.ʊs ˈjuː.lɪ.ʊs ˈkaj.sar], July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

In 60 BC, Caesar, Crassus and Pompey formed a political alliance that was to dominate Roman politics for several years. Their attempts to amass power through populist tactics were opposed by the conservative elite within the Roman Senate^{[citation needed]}, among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero. Caesar's conquest of Gaul, completed by 51 BC, extended Rome's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both when he built a bridge across the Rhine and conducted the first invasion of Britain.

These achievements granted him unmatched military power and threatened to eclipse Pompey's standing. The balance of power was further upset by the death of Crassus in 53 BC. Political realignments in Rome finally led to a standoff between Caesar and Pompey, the latter having taken up the cause of the Senate. Ordered by the Senate to stand trial in Rome for various charges, Caesar marched on Rome with one legion—legio XIII—from Gaul to Italy, crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC. This sparked a civil war from which he emerged as the unrivaled leader of the Roman world.

Benjamin Richard "Ben" Powell (born 28 November 1984 in Helensvale, Queensland, Australia) is a former motorcycle speedway rider. He retired from the sport in 2008 after receiving a ban from the Speedway Control Board.

Powell signed for Sheffield Tigers's Conference League side, Sheffield Prowlers in 2002. He then spent two seasons with Carmarthen Dragons before they folded and he moved to Rye House where he rode for Rye House Raiders in the Conference League with the number one race jacket. He was also given several outings in the Rye House Rockets Premier League side in 2006. His performances improved and he was signed by Birmingham Brummies for his first full Premier League season. He averaged close to six points a meeting with the Brummies in 2007.

Another move, this time to Newcastle Diamonds in 2008, didn't work out and Scunthorpe Scorpions signed him at the beginning of June 2008. Powell was sacked by Scunthorpe after he launched his motorcycle at Newcastle rider Kenni Larsen during a meeting at his former club in October. Powell announced he was retiring from British speedway after he was later banned for 12 months by the Speedway Control Board.