 If you were founding a new city, what natural features would influence your choice of a building site?  Write your answer on your on paper. Use complete sentence or short answer/list form. Be Prepared to discuss your answer.  Turn to Page 263 in your textbook

 What feature makes Italy easy to find on a map?

Key features: Mountains: Alps: Across the top of the boot Appennines: Runs from north to south River Tiber

 Tiber River:  Rome located 15 miles upriver from the Mediterranean Sea 1. Gave Romans a source of water 2. Easy access to Mediterranean Sea 3. Still far enough away from sea to escape raid by pirates  Mountains:  Rome built on seven hills 1. Easy to defend from attack 2. Located in a place where people could cross the river 3. Became key stopping point for people traveling North and South or by ship into the Mediterranean

GREECE  Mountains more rugged  Difficulty crossing caused the development of isolated communities ITALY  Mountains less rugged  Large flat plains of better farmland allowed more people to settle in Italy than Greece

Origins of Rome  Romulus & Remus  Brothers who were abandoned in the wilderness  Found in the Tiber River and raised by a wolf.  Founded the city of Rome  Romulus would be the first king of Rome

 Epic poem: Story of Aeneas  Trojan hero who sailed to the mouth of the Tiber river  Through marriage & warfare he would unite the locals known as Latins with his Trojan warriors.  Became known as “father “ of the Romans

 Historians are not exactly sure of how Rome began  It is believed the Latins of Latium banded together for protection  It was these communities that became Rome  The Greeks and Etruscans played a role in shaping Roman civilization

Greek ContributionsEtruscan Contributions How did they come to the area of Rome? When?

 Answer the question on your own paper and hand it to me on your way out.  How did Rome’s Geography help the Romans prosper?