Geography of the societal homeland

The city of Rome was situated on the west coast of the Italian peninsula. Rome was located in a central location on the peninsula and the Mediterranean and was surrounded by fertile farmland. The Romans settled on the Latium plain, eventually formed a city and brought the rest of Italy under control. As the Romans expanded their empire, they brought new land and resources under their leadership.

Italy

Italy is a long peninsula located in the centre of the Mediterranean. It was a natural stop for travellers heading back and forth across the Mediterranean. It was relatively easy for Roman traders and travellers to travel west to Gaul (France) and Spain, south to North Africa and east to Greece and the ancient Near East. Refer Image1 and animation 

The sea was an important connection for Rome to the rest of the ancient world. As they brought the countries around the Mediterranean under their control, the Romans referred to the Mediterranean as Mare Nostrum, our sea.

There were few good harbours on the Italian coastline, but ships could travel inland along a number of rivers, such as the Tiber, which led directly to Roman cities.

Italy is divided by a long mountain range called the Apennines. This runs down the middle of the peninsula. The mountains are covered with forest. Ancient Roman shepherds grazed their flocks there. The Romans also used the forests for timber for construction. There was a plentiful supply of stone and marble for building. But there were few minerals such as copper, iron or silver. The Romans had to import these metals.

Italy is a hilly country but it has many fertile plains suitable for farming and agriculture. The climate is mild. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold but brief.

Rome

Rome is situated on the plain of Latium on the western coast of Italy. The area was originally settled by members of the Latin tribe. They built their villages on the plain near the Tiber River. The area was favoured as it was surrounded by seven hills which acted as a natural fortress around the city. This made the settlement easily defensible against raiding neighbours and invading armies. The hills are the Quirnal, Viminal, Esquiline, Caelian, Aventine, Palatine and Capitoline. These hills became important areas in Roman history. The Capitoline hill was the location of the temple of Jupiter. The Palatine was the home of many wealthy Republican aristocrats. Refer Image2

Rome's location near the Tiber River is beneficial for trade but also protection. While it was possible to access the Mediterranean by ship along the Tiber, it was too far for raiding pirates to travel. There were several marshes near the plain of Latium, but these were eventually drained and land for settlement reclaimed. The Tiber River narrowed near the city of Rome. There was a small island in the middle of the river. The Romans built bridges across the Tiber River.

The land around Rome was very fertile and suitable for planting a wide variety of crops. Roman farmers planted wheat, barley, emmer, olives and grapes. The hills and mountains of Italy allowed shepherds to herd sheep, goats and cattle.

Rome was situated at a major junction of ancient travelling routes up and down the Italian Peninsula.

Roman power on the Italian Peninsula

The Romans eventually took control of the entire Italian Peninsula. There were many other Etruscan tribes that shared the peninsula with Rome - the Volsci, Aequi and Samnites. In 400 BC, Rome led a league of the Etruscan cities. As Rome's ambitions grew, she conquered the home cities of many of their Etruscan allies. In 396 BC, Rome defeated the city of Veii, an Etruscan stronghold. Refer Image3

In 390 BC, an army of Gauls, Celtic tribes from central Europe and modern-day France, invaded the Italian Peninsula and defeated the Romans in battle at the Allia River. The city of Rome was completely destroyed.

The Romans rebuilt their city and returned to their program of conquest. By 338 BC, Rome had defeated her former allies and taken control of the whole of central Italy. In 290 BC, Rome conquered the hill tribe of Samnites and asserted control over the majority of central and northern Italy.

The Romans then turned their attentions to the Greek city states in southern Greece. The Greeks rallied behind their leader, Pyrrhus, who defeated the Romans twice but lost a huge number of his own soldiers. The Romans eventually defeated Pyrrhus and the southern Greeks by 264 BC. The Romans controlled the entire Italian Peninsula.