1. Rome’s Beginnings
Lesson 1

2. The Legend of Romulus and Remus

3. A Perfect Location
About 1600 BC, people came to live along the banks of the Tiber River on the Italian Peninsula.
Italy is mountainous. The Italian Peninsula has one of the longest coastlines in Europe. It stretches 650 miles into the Mediterranean Sea.
Near the middle of the western coast is the city of Rome. It spreads across low hills, which provided good protection against attacks and safety when the Tiber flooded.

4. Label: Italy Rome Tiber River Sicily Mediterranean Sea Ionian Sea
Adriatic Sea
Tyrrhenian Sea

5. The Romans Learn from Other Cultures
Because Rome is located in the center of a huge trade route, the Romans interacted with many people from Greece and far-off lands.
Because of this, the Romans studied new ideas about growing crops and learned the stories and legends of other peoples. Throughout their history, the ancient Romans had a gift for learning from other cultures.

6. Farming conditions were ideal on the west coast, where land was especially fertile.
The climate in Rome, which is warm and moist most of the year, was ideal for crops such as grapes and olives.
At first, the early peoples of Italy called themselves Latins. When Rome became more powerful, they started calling themselves Romans.

7. Etruscan Rule
As Rome grew in size, it prospered and attracted northern neighbors.
The Etruscans took over Rome about 600 BC and soon gained control of nearly all of the Italian Peninsula.
The Etruscans were skilled builders and farmers who taught many skills to the Romans:
Better weapons
Better ships
Aqueducts, or structures that carry flowing water to supply water to cities

9. Romans began to resent the Etruscan kings.
In 509 BC, an Etruscan noble Tarquin murdered the king and seized power.
Power was then seized by a Roman leader named Junius Brutus. He emerged as the new leader of Rome

10. Rome was about to enter a glorious period
Rome was about to enter a glorious period. During this time, the Romans would set up a form of government that people continue to study today.