ROME| INTRODUCTION

Social Studies 10| A. Morrison

OUTCOMES

• 4.1 Explain the geographical factors which influenced developments in the Italian Peninsula.

ASSIGNMENT

•Handout| The Land of the Ancient Romans• Complete the reading and answer the questions

on the back.• This is your copy to keep: you may write directly

on the sheet.

GEOGRAPHY

• Rome was centered around the Italian Peninsula.

• Peninsula: a long piece of land that sticks out into a body of water.

• Three times larger than Greece, it juts into the Mediterranean Sea.

Rome’s location was important for trade. What other places could they

reach?

• Two mountain ranges:

1. The Alps in the north.

2. The Apennines in the east.

• The Alps gave protection from invasion.

• Rugged landscape did not stop Romans from unifying (unlike Greeks).

GEOGRAPHY

• Rome had rich farming areas due to deposits from river floods and volcano eruptions.• Still… like Greece, Rome

eventually also needed colonies.• Climate had rainy winters, hot

dry summers.

GEOGRAPHY

• Three main rivers:• Po, Arno, Tiber

• The Tiber was most important:• City of Rome on its banks.

• Allowed trade.• Port of Ostia where Tiber

meets sea (for ships too big for river).

Po River

Arno River

Tiber River

LEGEND OF ROMULUS & REMUS

• The founding of Rome is legendary:• Twin brothers, Romulus & Remus

• Sons of a human mother and Mars.• 753 BCE: Romulus founded Rome. • Romans believed they were

descended from divine origin.• The Mythical Founding of Rome:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHN6HIjD9Y0

EARLY CIVILIZATION

• 1200 BCE—609 BCE: Italy was occupied by three main groups:

•Greek colonists• Latins (early settlers)• Etruscans

GREEK COLONISTS

• By 750 BCE – 500 BCE: towns in southern Italy & Sicily became city-states and flourished.• Famous Greeks like Archimedes

& Pythagoras helped colonies become centres of trade & learning.

ETRUSCANS

• Etruscans ruled central Italy & Rome

• By 800 BCE: complex society ruled by kings.•Historians are unsure of

their origins.• Lavish banquets, chariot

races…

ETRUSCANS

• Major influence on Roman culture:

aqueducts

harbours

urban sewage systems

religious beliefs metal working

ETRUSCANS

• Developed a civilization just north of Rome.• 650 BCE: expanded into Rome and ruled for

almost 100 years.• Ruled by the Tarquin family.• The last king, Tarquin the Proud, was an

oppressive ruler.• 509 BCE: he was overthrown by the Romans.

ROME

• After Tarquin, Romans no longer trusted power in hands of one ruler.

• Established a republic.• Republic: a government in which power resides with a

group of citizens entitled to vote for the leaders who represent them.

•Group of citizens had power under the leader.

• Some citizens had right to vote.

END