Geography and the Early Development of Rome
I can describe the location and geography of Rome.
I can hypothesize how geography led to the success and growth of Rome.
1. Locate the Alps. Label them on your map.
2. What mountain range runs the length of the Italian peninsula? Label it.
Apennine Mountains
3. Locate Rome. On what river is it located? Label this river. Tiber River
a. Why was the location of Rome a good place to found a city? Refer to textbook
pages 336-337 to read about this.
Its hillside location made it easy to defend. It sat at the very point at which
crossing the TIber was easiest. Rome also lay on the route from the
Apennine Mountains to the sea.
b. Summarize the origins of Rome (p. 340).
No known “first king.” We do know that the first people to live in the area
that became Rome were the Latins (invaded Italy sometime before 1000
BC). Around 700 BC, a Latin tribe built the village that eventually became
Rome. They built their village on the Palatine, a hill in central Italy. The
Palatine overlooks the Tiber River, about 12 miles inland from the sea.
Over time, the village grew.
c. Who were the Etruscans (p. 340)?
controlled Etruria (north of Palatine); not known where the came from; built
some city-states and conquered others. By around 600 BC, controlled
much of northern and central Italy, including Rome.
d. Provide at least two examples of how they, the Etruscans, influenced the
development and culture of Rome (p. 341).
arches, engineering, cuniculus,slave fighting (gladiators), chariot races
e. Provide at least four examples of how the Greeks influenced the development and
culture of Rome (p. 342-344).
Pantheon, Colosseum, Circus Maximus, displaying documents, poetry and
myths, pottery, painting, sculpture, gods/religion
4. What is a peninsula? Label the seas that make Italy a peninsula.
A land mass surrounded by water on three sides; The Ionian Sea, The
Mediterranean Sea, and the Adriatic seas make Italy a peninsula.
5. Locate the Po River. Label it. Use the compass rose to determine the answer to the
following questions:
f. In what direction does the Po River run? east-west
g. In what direction does the Tiber River run? north-south
h. How might the Tiber River have been helpful to the development of Rome? The
Romans could use the Tiber River as a route to the sea. Also, because the city
was located at the best place to cross the Tiber River, it became a center for
trade.
6. Loot at the map of the Roman Empire, displayed in the Unit 6 “Setting the Stage”
feature in your textbook (p. 336-337). How far north did it extend? In Europe, how far
west? The Roman Empire expanded as far north as Britain, and in Europe, as far
west as Spain.
7. Using these same textbook pages, answer the following questions:
i. What geographical term/adjective would be used to describe most of the land in
Italy? mountainous
Geography and the Early Development of Rome
I can describe the location and geography of Rome.
I can hypothesize how geography led to the success and growth of Rome.
j. Land that is not this (the term/adjective from “i”) is made up of what? high, rocky
coastlines or level plains
8. What physical feature formed the southern boundary of the Roman Empire? Label
this feature. the Sahara Desert
9. Create a legend on your map.
10.
Consider the location of the Italian peninsula. How might this location have
helped the Romans control trade in the Mediterranean Region? The Italian peninsula
was centrally located in the Mediterranean region, which made it easier for the
Romans to trade with other countries, as well as to transport armies and supplies.
11.
How might the mountain ranges of Italy have affected people’s lives in ancient
times?
The altitude of the Alps would have made it difficult for people to interact with
cultures in northern Europe. The Apennines would have made it difficult for
people on Italy’s east coast to interact with those on the west coast. It is likely
that the mountainous geography isolated individual communities in ancient Italy,
allowing little contact with other Romans or other cultures. Thous would change
as Roman technological advances were made.
12.
Were the Romans more likely to choose a land or a water route to Spain?
Explain.
water route; much shorter, and stops to restock supplies could have been made
at Sardinia and other islands along the way
13.
At one time, the Romans avoided sea travel because the Italian peninsula had
few good harbors. What evidence can you find to support the argument that this
geographical drawback was eventually overcome?
The evidence lies in the expansion of the Roman empire itself, eventually
extending as far north as Britain, as far east as Spain, south to Africa, and west
to Syria. It is unlikely that the Romans could have succeeded without sea travel.
BONUS: What is the myth of Romulus, Remus, and how Rome got its name?!?
A princess gave birth to twin sons, Romulus and Remus. The boys’ father was
Mars, the Roman god of war. The princess’s uncle -- the king -- was afraid the
boys would grow up to take his throne, so he ordered his men to drown them in the
Tiber. But, before the twins drowned, a wolf rescued them. When the twins grew
up, they decided to build a town on the banks of the Tiber River where the wolf
had found them. The fought over who would rule the settlement. Romulus killed
Remus, and declared himself king, naming the city Rome.