Beginnings of Rome

The Mighty Empire is Born

Located in the middle of the northern Mediterranean Sea, Italy is a peninsula that resembles a high heeled boot. Rome is a city which is

found in central Italy near. the west coast

Rome is nicely situated 20 miles inland along the eastern banks of the Tiber River. It is located at a natural fording place of the River. 20

miles was far enough to deter pirates from attacking.

The first people to live in Rome settled on the 7 hills that dominate the landscape. They were easy to defend.

The people who lived in Rome were a group of Indo-European speakers known as the Latins. They were surrounded by the

Etruscans to the North & the Greeks to the South.

The romans built their city upon the hills, but it was not much to look at, until the Etruscans conquered them and

built it up.

In these early days, Rome was a monarchy and many of the Kings were of Etruscan descent.

The Etruscans drained the swampy areas and cleared land. They also began to build many things with stone, such as bridges, buildings, and

temples.

The Etruscans also gave the Romans ideas for dress (togas and cloaks) and organization for their army.

The Greek colonies in Italy gave the Romans their alphabet, the idea for growing grapes & olives, and ideals for art.

The popular myth of the founding of Rome is that 2 orphans were raised by a she-wolf. As they grew, they built Rome

then fought to see who would be king. Romulus killed Remus to be king, and thus the city is named.

Soon Rome began to grow, and it began to conquer the rest of Italy.

Rome stopped its monarchy and adopted a government based on the democratic model in Athens, and the ideas of the Philosophy Plato. They formed a Republic which had a Senate of elected lawmakers.