Ancient Rome
The civilization of Rome developed on the Italian peninsula, a long, boot-shaped piece of land in Europe, surrounded on three sides by water. To the north of Italy lies the rest of northern Europe, while to the south, east, and west lay the seas. On this peninsula are two major mountain ranges: the lofty Alps, which extend along Italy's northern border; and the Apennines, which stretch like a backbone down the length of Italy. Their peaks and hillsides cover most of the peninsula. The small amount of Italy that is not mountainous is made up of high, rocky coastland or level plains. Several rivers, including the Po and the Tiber, flow through these areas to the sea. Romans settled near rivers, just as other early civilizations did. Find the city of Rome on the map The Italian Peninsula. Notice that it is located about midway down the peninsula, on the Tiber River and close to the sea. This was a good place to found a city, since its hillside location made it easy to defend and it sat at the point where crossing the Tiber was easiest. Rome also lay on the route from the Apennine Mountains to the sea. As you will learn in this unit, several different cultures converged in Rome. The Greeks, for example, settled nearby, on other parts of the peninsula. Rome's access to the Silk Road allowed Indian and Chinese cultures to influence the Romans as well. As the map of the Roman Empire shows, Rome gradually grew from a city into an empire that extended into Europe and parts of Africa and Asia. Today, the legacy of ancient Rome lives on in the contributions it has made to western civilization. In this unit, you will learn how Rome grew into an empire. You will also learn about Rome's lasting influence on the world today. |