2. Geography -Located on the Italian peninsula, in the center of the Mediterranean Sea -The Alps are in the North -The Apennine Mts. are on the eastern coast -broad, fertile plains in the north and west
3. Early Civilization -Italy was originally occupied by many different groups of people -Two main groups were Greek colonists and the Etruscans -The Etruscans ruled much of central Italy and Rome itself -Ancestors of the Romans, the Latins , settled in the area that is now Rome around 800 B.C.
4. Legend of the Founding of Rome -Legend has it that twin brothers, Romulus and Remus founded the city -According to the tale, the twins’ mother was a Latin woman and their father was the war god Mars -This led Romans to believe that they had a divine origin
5. Rome Geography Rome is located: -On the banks of the Tiber River -On and around seven hills Why would this geographic location be an advantage?
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. The Punic Wars - Carthage had an empire throughout the Mediterranean -Rome fought Carthage in three wars from 264 B.C. to 146 B.C. (118 years!) -By the Third Punic War, Rome had completely destroyed Carthage and gained all of Carthage’s territory
13. Economics - Conquests brought much wealth to Rome -Wealthy families bought huge estates called latifundia . -Romans forced the people they conquered to work as slaves on the latifundia -Slave labor hurt the small farmers because it cost them more to produce food, and the price was driven down by the immense quantities coming into Rome -Farmers fell into debt , sold their land , and moved to the city looking for work -gap between rich and poor widens=riots and chaos
14.
15. Republic to Empire - Civil wars break out to decide who should hold power. The senate wanted to keep the status quo ; political leaders wanted to weaken the senate and enact reforms -Slave uprisings throughout the republic -Armies became loyal to their commanders because they gave them benefits such as captured land
