To be fair, he might have been referring to the actual Roman Empire itself, from 31 BCE to 476 CE (about 500 years), rather than the whole history of Rome as a kingdom, republic and empire from its founding by Romulus and Remus in 753 BCE.
BCE and CE? I notice that you’re new to FR, but please spare us the revisionist, anti-Christian dating system. The appropriate terms are “BC and “AD.”