Ancient Rome: Mapping the Empire

The founding of Rome is surrounded by myth and legend. Read through this article to learn about some of the lore surrounding its foundation and the history that supports these myths.

This article discusses some of the main important locations in Rome and how and why they were created, as well as the geographical features of the area impacted the location and layout of Rome.

This link provides a map of the city of Rome during the years of the early republic, with major features of the city marked out.

The development of civilisation is affected by geography. Rome did not spring into being as a power on the Italian peninsula. It began as a tiny village along the Tiber River. It was an excellent location, with seven hills offering a natural defensive barrier. The Tiber River gave these early settlers access to fresh water for drinking and bathing, as well as a waterway for trade, and food to eat. The flatland, on the other side of the Tiber River, was perfect for farmland. The soil was good so crops could be grown easily. Read through this website to learn more about how geography impacted the Roman Empire. It also includes great maps that show the size of Rome at different points throughout its history.

Before the rise of Rome, Italy was a patchwork of different cultures. Eventually they were all subsumed into Roman culture, but the cultural uniformity of Roman Italy erased what had once been a vast array of different peoples, cultures, languages, and civilisations. Read through this document to learn more about these cultures.

The position of the Italian peninsula was favourable to the growth of the Roman power. It was situated almost in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, on the shores of which had flourished the greatest nations of antiquity—Egypt, Carthage, Phoenicia, Judea, Greece, and Macedonia. By conquering Italy, Rome thus obtained a commanding position among the nations of the ancient world. Read through this website to learn more.

This site talks about the geography and its impact on Roman expansion as well as the climate of the ancient city, the Tiber River and the origin of the civilisation.