1. The Geography of Ancient Rome
What is the best story you have ever heard? Why?

2. The Beginnings of Rome Founding of Rome owed much to it’s location
Rome begins in 509 B.C. w/ the overthrow of foreign kings
Romans date their beginnings to 753 B.C. , Romulus and Remus, raised be a she wolf found the city, sons of the god Mars, abandoned on the banks of the Tiber river, a shepherd found them and raised them, decided to build a city where they were found, argument broke out over what hill to build on, Romulus killed Remus w/ a brick, city named after Romulus
Another Legend says that Aeneas founded the city after the Trojan war after Troy was destroyed

3. The Founding of Rome
In the Aeneas story Romulus and Remus are his descendants and are abandoned by their mother and rescued by a she wolf, fought over location, Romulus killed Remus on Palentine hill
After Romulus a series of Roman kings ruled
600 B.C. Etruscans conquered Rome, from northern Italy
509 B.C. Overthrew Etruscan king, formed a Republic, elected leaders

4. Rome’s Geographic Location
After the overthrow of the Etruscans, Rome grew from a city into a country, then an empire, location made this possible
People founded Rome, not legends,1st settlers were the Latins, came from region around Rome
Spot chosen for climate, farmland and good defense
Rome built on 7 steep hills, farmed fertile plain at base of hills, homes on top of hills for defense
Located short distance from Mediterranean , on trade routes, on Tiber River

5. Italian Peninsula
Rome’s location on Italian Peninsula important to development
Shaped like a boot, location made it easy to reach other locations by sea and to conquer and gain new territory and develop trade routes
2 main Mtn ranges protect Italy, Alps in the North, Apennines form a spine, did not separate Italy like Greece, large plains made farming easier

6. The Tiber River
During earliest times Tiber served as a water source for farming and drinking
A route for travel and trade, small ships could sail down to Mediterranean
Located away from the sea provided protection