To the question about the climatic and geographical position of ancient Rome asked by the author Dmitry Abramenko the best answer is The history of Ancient Rome, as a state entity, was determined by its favorable geographical and climatic position. First of all, it is necessary to note the location of the Apennine Peninsula. He divided the Mediterranean Sea into western and eastern parts. The Apennine Mountains stretch along the peninsula, adjoining the western part of the coast in the north and south, and the eastern part in the middle.
A conditional division of the territory of Italy into three parts has been accepted: South unites the provinces of Apulia Basilicata, Calabria and Fr. Sicily; The middle includes Etruria (modern Tuscany), Latium, Campania; The northern part is mainland lands. Actually, the Greek tradition called only the south of the Apennine Peninsula Italy, until in the 3rd century. BC e. this name was not given to the entire peninsula. The Mediterranean Sea, washing the shores of the Apennine Peninsula, is also divided, from the west the peninsula is washed by the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, from the south by the Ionian. To the east is the Adriatic Sea.
The climatic conditions are favorable. The climate is mild and warm throughout the territory and becomes hot in the south. A comparative description of fertile lands indicates a larger territory of such lands than in Greece at that time. And of course, it is inferior to the conditions of the most fertile Mesopotamia. The amount of precipitation falls most of all in the north of Italy, the valley of the river. Po and the middle part. The lands along the coast were distinguished by their fertility. Innovations in economic life, such as the creation of a system of sewage canals, helped overcome swampy lands and include most of such lands in the complex of productive agriculture.
Both climatic and geographical data explain the reasons for the settlement of Italy back in Paleolithic and Neolithic times. The Chalcolithic culture (before the 5th millennium BC) is also known here in the southern part. In the north and south lived bearers of a rich culture who knew bronze and settled in terramaras, pile-type settlements.
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Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: the climatic and geographical location of ancient Rome

Answer from Dmitry Demjanjuk[newbie]
The late Roman Republic collapsed in 476 AD. The Huna era under the leadership of Attila captured and plundered the Western and Eastern Roman Empire

Answer from Artyom Gorbunov[newbie]
The civilization of Ancient Rome. What did colonization give to Greece? In the social sphere: In economic terms: 1. Caused a massive outflow of the population; 1. Opened up new opportunities for trade;2. Reduced the number of dissatisfied people among the free population; 2. Accelerated the development of shipbuilding and crafts; 3. Relieved social tension. 3. Established strong ties between the metropolises and colonies. In the 2nd half of the 4th century BC. e. Thanks to the campaigns of Alexander the Great, a gigantic empire arose that covered Lesser, Anterior, part of Central and Central Asia to the Lower reaches of India, as well as Egypt. Roman civilization was in many ways similar to Ancient Greek. For this reason, there has long been a debate among historians: does an independent Roman civilization exist? Some scientists answered in the negative, other historians, and the majority of them, argue that Rome created its own original civilization, different from Ancient Greece. Ancient Rome, like the Ancient Greek civilization, was a maritime civilization located on the Apennine Peninsula, which was fenced off from the mainland by the Alps, washed from the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and from the east by the Adriatic, which were parts of the Mediterranean. But the coastline is much less indented than in Greece - there are not a large number of harbors and islands. But those harbors that existed were vast and convenient. The climate in Italy is mild and warm, only in the north there are severe winters. The most fertile were the valleys of the Po, Tiber, and Arno rivers. Conditions for farming were not as favorable as, for example, in Egypt.

One of the most famous tourist centers in the world, the ancient and original city of Europe is Rome. The history of this city, its attractions, the characteristics of the population of Rome - all this is described in the article.

Rome: geographical location

The capital of Italy is located on the hills formed on the Campania Roman plain, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. It washes Rome from the west, and the river that divides the city into two parts, the Tiber, flows into it. The weather in Rome is determined by the Mediterranean subtropical climate. The city is not characterized by sudden changes in temperature, which is due to its location near the seashore surrounded by mountains: Sabatini, Sabini, Prenestani, Albani. Summer in Rome is mild, but city residents suffer from a strong south wind - the sirocco. In winter, temperatures with a minus sign are rare, but there is a north wind - tramontana.

Rome: history of the city

Rome has been known since ancient times as the Eternal City. This epithet is explained by the unusual history of the city. Over the centuries, it has suffered destruction and fall several times, but it has always managed to survive and become even more beautiful.

Legends of Rome connect the emergence of the city with the names of Romulus and Remus, sons of the god Mars. They founded the city together, but, as legend says, Romulus removed his brother from power and became the first king of Rome. The founding date of the city is considered to be 753 BC. His influence spread first to the entire Apennine Peninsula, then to other European lands. By the 2nd century AD, Rome, which had become the center of a world superpower, began to dominate a vast territory from England to North Africa, including the entire Mediterranean and the southern shores of the Black Sea. By the 4th century, Rome became the center of the Christian world, but economically it was losing its position. In the same century, the most terrible event in the history of the population of Rome took place. Vandals who came from the northeast captured the city. They destroyed most of the historical monuments and cultural centers, and did not take into account the Roman population and its customs. It took Rome several centuries to recover. The empire was destroyed - the eastern part began to be called Byzantium. But already in the 15th century, the Eternal City once again became a world cultural center - the center of the Renaissance. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Rome was subject to French conquest. The heads of the Catholic Church were taken out of the city, which was considered the center of Catholicism, several times. Only towards the end of the 70s of the 19th century did Rome recover from endless conflicts and become the capital

Country in Rome?

The Vatican State is unique. This country, located on the territory of Rome, is the smallest state officially recognized.

The Vatican was formed under Mussolini in 1929 and is a theocratic state in which power is in the hands of religious institutions. There is no one like him in the world. Only Athos in Greece, which is a community of 20 Orthodox monasteries, has a similar structure. Even in ancient times, the territory of the present Vatican was considered sacred. And in the 4th century, the Basilica of Constantine was erected here, over the tomb of St. Peter. Since then, this place has received thousands of pilgrims from all over the world.

Population of Rome

Rome is one of the most densely populated cities in Europe. Number is about 3 million people. The eternal city, to which all roads lead, has been multinational since ancient times.

The ethnic composition of the population of Rome is very diverse. It is inhabited by representatives of Southeast Asia, Arabs, and North Americans. All constitute, in general, about 5% of the total population of the city, the rest recognize themselves as Italians. The main religion is Catholicism. There are representatives of other faiths: Judaism, Islam, Buddhism. Residents of Rome speak Italian, many use the Roman dialect - Romanesco.

Symbols of Rome

The symbols of cities are traditionally the flag and coat of arms. Thus, the coat of arms, which is a scarlet heraldic shield with a diagonal inscription near the St. George's cross, above the shield is a crown with five protrusions, is the main symbol of Rome. The combination of colors on the coat of arms - red and gold - speaks of the strength and power of the city. The crown, according to custom, symbolizes power and justice.

The founders of Rome, according to legend, were suckled by a she-wolf. The scene cast in bronze, where the she-wolf feeds the boys, is another symbol of Rome. The statue is called "Capitolian Wolf". The time of creation of the monument is unknown, but there are facts that allow us to date the statue to the 5th century BC. e. The work is located in the Capitol.

Sights of Rome: Colosseum

"Italy. City of Rome" is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Lovers of history, architecture, archeology, and connoisseurs of high culture will appreciate the city and its attractions. Many buildings are not only ancient monuments, but also witnesses to the leisure time of the ancient Romans. Thus, aqueducts indicate the provision of water to the population, and thermal baths (in other words, baths) confirm the high standard of living in the ancient city.

The amphitheaters of Rome tell us what kind of entertainment the Romans had: gladiator fights, animal pitting, chariot races and other similar events were held here. The Colosseum, which has survived to the present day, is the largest amphitheater of the ancient period. The capacity of this four-tier building is 50 thousand people. The entire elite of Rome gathered here. It was possible to get to the performance at the Colosseum only with tickets.

This architectural monument is located on site in a vast hollow between the Palatine, Esquiline and Caelian hills.

Capitol Hill

The Capitoline Hill - the Capitol - witnessed all historical events in Rome.

Temples of the ancient Roman gods were located here. This natural site is built up with important cultural monuments. The modern image of the Capitol is Michelangelo's design. The square, palaces with identical facades, intricate staircases - this is all the idea of ​​an outstanding master. Of the oldest structures, part of the insula has been preserved, its age is about 2 thousand years. Historical information suggests that this multi-story building was as tall as the hill itself. The Capitol is rich in monuments and many legends are associated with it. This place is one of the main ones on the tourist map.

Rome and tourism

How to get to Rome is known to many millions of people who visit the Eternal City every year. The city is connected to main Europe by highways. Many people prefer to fly into the city by plane. Rome has two major international airports: Ciampino and Leonardo da Vinci di Fiumicino. The weather in Rome allows tourists from all over the world to visit the city all year round. Walking through the ancient, central part of Rome is especially delightful and gives you the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of the city. Do not put off visiting the world famous Vatican Museums, the Capitoline Museum, the National Roman Museum, the Borghese Gallery and many other cultural centers. The central streets of the city begin in the heart of the city - in Piazza Venezia. This is the central square near the Capitol. Nearby is the Roman Forum - the center of ancient Roman architecture, a historical and cultural corner of the city. Many ancient temples and basilicas have been preserved here.

Rome, which was to unite the ancient world in one great empire with a single one, at first showed no signs of its future greatness. Despite the fact that in prehistoric times the Apennine Peninsula was relatively densely populated, the site of the future Rome and the surrounding area until the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. were empty. People could not live or farm here due to volcanic activity and thick layers of volcanic ash that covered the land.

Although the area of ​​ancient Rome was uninhabited, the rest of the peninsula was not empty. Tribes invading from the north settled across the hills and valleys of Italy. Along the Apennine ridge, stretching from north to south, the Italic tribes settled - the Umbrians, Sabines and Samnites. The plains south of the Tiber River (Latium region) were inhabited by Latins. Other tribes also appeared here - such as the Ligurians and Veneti in the north of the peninsula, the Messapians and Siculi in the south.

A higher level of culture was brought to Italy by two foreign peoples in the period before 700 BC. The Greeks founded their colonies in southern Italy and Sicily, which is why this area began to be called “Magna Graecia.” North of the Tiber was the region of the Etruscans, who spoke a very unique language that does not fit into any classifications. The possessions of the Etruscans, at their maximum distribution, reached the valley of the Pad (Po) River in the north and the Puteolan (Naples) Gulf in the south. Information about their origin is contradictory; The Etruscans may have arrived in Italy from Asia Minor, but some scholars believe that they are the indigenous population of these lands. Geographical location of ancient Rome. In ancient times, they maintained close trade, industrial and cultural ties with Greece and the Middle East.

Roman history is divided into three main periods: royal (mid-8th BC - 510 BC), republican (510 - 30 BC) and imperial (30 BC - 476 AD). e.).
Ancient Rome

Early Roman history.

Tsarist period. From the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. in the lower reaches of the Tiber in northern Latium (Central Italy) settled the Latin-Siculian tribes, a branch of the Italics who came to the Apennine Peninsula from the Danube regions at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. The Latins settled on the Palatine and Velia hills, and the Sabines occupied the neighboring hills. As a result of synoicism (unification) of several Latin and Sabine villages in the middle of the 8th century. BC. (tradition dates this event to 754-753 BC) a fortress common to all was built on the Capitoline Hill - Rome. Tradition attributes this act to Romulus, a prince from the city of Alba Longa. Initially, the Roman urban community (people) consisted of three tribes (tribes) - Ramni, Titii and Luceri, divided into thirty curiae (unions of male warriors), and those into one hundred genera (gentes). The Roman family was patrilineal with the right of mutual inheritance; it could accept strangers into its membership, had its own religious cult, a common place of settlement and burial; its members bore the same family name, which went back to a mythical or real ancestor, and were obliged to help each other. The clan consisted of large (three generations) paternal families (familia). The land was owned by the clan; relatives used forests and pastures together, and arable land was divided between families. Rome was governed by the comitia (national assemblies of male warriors), the senate (council of heads of families) and the king. Participants in the comitia gathered in curiae (curiate comitia). The king combined the functions of military leader, priest and judge; he was elected by the comitia on the recommendation of the Senate.

Members of Roman families were quirites - full citizens (patricians). A special category was made up of clients - people dependent on individual quirites and under their protection. Perhaps the clients were impoverished Quirites, forced to seek protection from their relatives or members of other clans.

Of the legendary list of the seven kings of ancient Rome, the first reliable one was Numa Pompilius, the second was Ancus Marcius, after whom the throne passed to the Etruscan dynasty (Tarquinius the Ancient, Servius Tullius, Tarquinius the Proud). Under them, the Romans conquered a number of neighboring Latin cities and resettled their inhabitants in; There was also voluntary immigration. Initially, the settlers were included in tribes and curia; later access there was closed. As a result, a group of incomplete citizens was formed: plebes; they were not included in the Senate or the Comitia (that is, they were deprived of the right to vote) and could not serve in the army; the state provided them with only a small plot, but they did not have the right to receive part of the “public field” (the fund of lands seized by the Romans from their neighbors).

Demographic growth provoked territorial expansion; The strengthening of the king's power as the leader of the army as a result of constant wars caused opposition from the Senate, which largely controlled the comitia. Geographical location of ancient Rome. The kings tried to weaken the clan organization, the basis of the power of the heads of patrician families, and rely on the plebeians, including them in the political and military organization (this also made it possible to strengthen the army). In the middle of the 6th century. BC. Servius Tullius introduced a new administrative division of Rome and the surrounding area: he established twenty-one territorial tribes instead of three, thereby mixing patricians with plebeians. Servius divided the entire male population of Rome (both patricians and plebeians) into six categories based on property; each rank was obliged to field a certain number of armed detachments - hundreds (centuries). From now on, the national assembly to resolve major political issues no longer met in curiae, but in centuries (comitia centuriata); Mostly religious affairs remained under the jurisdiction of the curiat comitia.

The growth of the power of kings in the 6th century. BC. expressed in the disappearance of the principle of their election and their adoption of new royal paraphernalia, borrowed from the Etruscans (golden crown, scepter, throne, special clothing, lictor ministers). The early Roman monarchy attempted to rise above society and its traditional institutions; absolutist tendencies especially intensified under Tarquinius Proud. However, the tribal aristocracy succeeded in 510 BC. expel Tarquin and establish a republican system.

Republican Rome.

History of Ancient Rome

The struggle of the plebeians and patricians (495287 BC). The overthrow of the monarchy did not lead to fundamental changes in the government of Rome. The place of the king for life was taken by two praetors elected by the comitia centuriata for one year from among the patricians (“those who lead the way”); from the middle of the 5th century they began to be called consuls (“consulting”). They convened and led meetings of the Senate and the People's Assembly, monitored the implementation of decisions made by these bodies, distributed citizens among centuries, monitored the collection of taxes, exercised judicial power, and commanded troops during the war. Only their joint decisions were valid. At the end of their term, they reported to the Senate and could be subject to prosecution. The assistants to the consuls in judicial matters were the quaestors, to whom management of the treasury later passed. The highest state body remained the people's assembly, which approved laws, declared war, made peace, and elected all officials (magistrates). At the same time, the role of the Senate increased: not a single law came into force without its approval; he controlled the activities of magistrates, decided on foreign policy issues, and supervised finances and religious life; Senate resolutions (Senatus consultations) became laws.

The main content of history in early republican ancient Rome was the struggle of the plebeians for equal rights with the patricians, who, as full citizens, monopolized the right to sit in the Senate, occupy the highest magistracy and receive (“occupy”) land from the “public field”; The plebeians also demanded the abolition of debt bondage and the limitation of debt interest. The growing military role of the plebeians (by the beginning of the 5th century BC they already constituted the bulk of the Roman army) allowed them to exert effective pressure on the patrician Senate. In 494 BC. after another refusal of the Senate to satisfy their demands, they withdrew from Rome to the Sacred Mountain (first secession), and the patricians had to make concessions: a new magistracy was established - tribunes of the people, elected exclusively from the plebeians (initially two) and possessing sacred immunity; they had the right to interfere with the activities of other magistrates (intercession), impose a ban on any of their decisions (veto) and bring them to justice. In 486 BC the consul Spurius Cassius proposed distributing half of the land seized from the Hernics and part of the “public field” plundered by the patricians to the plebeians and allied Latin communities; senators did not allow the adoption of this law; Cassius was accused of treason and executed. In 473 BC the people's tribune Gnaeus Genucius was killed on the eve of his scheduled trial of both consuls. In 471 BC The plebeians managed to achieve the adoption of a law on the election of tribunes by tribunal comitia (meetings of plebeians in tribes): thus, the patricians lost the opportunity to influence elections through their freedmen. In 457 BC the number of tribunes of the people increased to ten. In 456 BC The tribune of the people, Lucius Icilius, passed a law granting plebeians and settlers the right to develop and cultivate land on the Aventine Hill. In 452 BC the plebeians forced the Senate to create a commission of ten members (decemvirs) with consular power to write laws, primarily for the sake of fixing (i.e. limiting) the powers of patrician magistrates; the activities of consuls and tribunes of the people were suspended during the work of the commission. In 451450 BC. the decemvirs drew up laws that were engraved on copper tablets and exhibited in the Forum (the laws of the Twelve Tables): they protected private property; they approved a strict debt law (the debtor could be sold into slavery and even executed), while establishing a limit on usurious interest (8.33% per annum); determined the legal status of the main social categories of Roman society (patricians, plebeians, patrons, clients, freemen, slaves); prohibited marriages of plebeians with patricians. These laws satisfied neither the plebeians nor the patricians; the abuses of the decemvirs and their attempt to extend their powers provoked in 449 BC. second secession of the plebeians (to the Sacred Mountain). The Decemvirs had to give up power; the consulate and tribunate were restored. In the same year, consuls Lucius Valerius and Marcus Horace passed a law making the decisions of tribunal comitia (plebiscites) binding on all citizens, including patricians, if they received the approval of the Senate. In 447 BC The right to elect quaestors was transferred to the tribute comitia. In 445 BC On the initiative of the people's tribune Gaius Canulei, the ban on marriages of plebeians and patricians was lifted. The growing influence of the plebeians was also expressed in the establishment of the post of military tribunes with consular power, which they had the right to occupy. In 444, 433432, 426424, 422, 420414, 408394, 391390 and 388367 BC. military tribunes with consular power (from three to eight) performed the duties of the highest officials of the Republic instead of consuls; true until the beginning of the 4th century. BC. Only patricians were elected to this post, and only in 400 BC. it was occupied by the plebeian Licinius Calvus. In 443 BC. the consuls lost the right to distribute citizens into centuries, which was transferred to the new magistrates two censors, elected from among the patricians every five years by the centuriate comitia for a period of 18 months; Gradually, their responsibility came to compile a list of senators, control the collection of taxes, and supervise morals. In 421 BC The plebeians received the right to occupy the position of quaestor, although they realized it only in 409 BC. After ten years of fierce struggle with the patricians, the people's tribunes Licinius Stolon and Sextius Lateran won in 367 BC. a decisive victory: a limit was set on the land allocated from the “public field” (500 jugers = 125 hectares) and the debt burden was significantly eased; the institution of consuls was restored, provided that one of them must be a plebeian; however, the Senate achieved the transfer of judicial power from the consuls to the praetors, elected from the patricians. The first plebeian consul was Licinius Stolon (366 BC), the first plebeian dictator was Marcius Rutulus (356 BC). From 354 BC the plebeians had the opportunity to influence the composition of the Senate: now it was staffed by former high magistrates, some of whom no longer belonged to the patricians; only they had the right to make proposals and participate in their discussion. In 350 BC The first plebeian censor was elected. In 339 BC. the law of Publilius assigned one of the censorship positions to the plebeian class. Geographical location of ancient Rome. In 337 BC The position of praetor also became available to the plebeians. Ancient Rome. Activation in the second half of the 4th century. BC. The policy of moving colonies of land-poor citizens to different regions of Italy made it possible to partially remove the severity of the agrarian question. In 326 BC the people's tribune Petelius passed a law abolishing debt bondage for Roman citizens - from now on they were responsible for the debt only with their property, but not with their bodies. In 312 BC the censor Appius Claudius allowed citizens who did not have land property (merchants and artisans) to be assigned not only to urban but also to rural tribes, which strengthened their influence in the comitia; he also tried to include some of the sons of freedmen among the senators. In 300 BC According to the law of the Ogulniy brothers, plebeians received access to the priestly colleges of pontiffs and augurs, the composition of which was doubled for this purpose. Thus, all magistracies were open to plebeians. Their struggle with the patricians ended in 287 BC, when, after their next secession (on the Janiculum Hill), the dictator Quintus Hortensius passed a law according to which the decisions of the tribunal comitia received legal force without the sanction of the Senate.

The victory of the plebeians led to a change in the social structure of Roman society: having achieved political equality, they ceased to be a class distinct from the class of patricians; noble plebeian families, together with the old patrician families, formed a new elite nobility. This contributed to the weakening of the internal political struggle in Rome and the consolidation of Roman society, which allowed it to mobilize all its forces for active foreign policy expansion.

Ancient Rome united the ancient world into one great empire.

Don't judge a person by what views he holds, but judge by what he achieves with them.

One of the main reasons for the rapid growth and rise of Rome was its exceptionally advantageous location. Rome was located at the intersection of the most important land routes, next to it were sea routes from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Western and from Africa to Europe. Rome is located in the center of the Apennine Peninsula; The earliest settlements on the site of the future city were located on hills with steep slopes standing on a marshy plain, which is why Rome was often called the “city of seven hills.” The warm, mild climate, fertile soils, and rich flora favored the emergence and development of human settlements in this place.

Italy's peninsular position led to the development of shipbuilding, fishing, maritime trade, and naval military activity in Rome. The mountains in Italy occupied a significantly smaller part of the territory than in Greece and Macedonia, were not so high and did not serve as a serious obstacle to the development of close contacts between different regions and to the unification of the country. The natural resources of Italy were richer than in Greece, which allowed the peoples of the Apennine Peninsula to more successfully develop agriculture, cattle breeding, and crafts. An important consequence of all this was the high population of Ancient Italy, which was certainly important for the state in the conditions of constant wars waged by the Romans.

Volcanoes

The ancient Romans believed that they could conquer the whole world, but they could not cope with the formidable volcanic forces of nature at home.

Most of the Apennine Peninsula is occupied by mountains. Some of these mountains - volcanoes, composed of cooled ash and lava ejected from the hot bowels of the Earth to the surface. A series of volcanic mountains rise directly from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, and their surface peaks form islands. The ancient Romans thought that the god Vulcan worked underground in his forge. From the blows of his hammer, the earth begins to shake, a strong underground rumble is heard, from crater - depressions at the top of the volcano - fire, smoke, ash burst out. Fiery lava begins to flow down the slopes of the volcano. A volcanic eruption occurs. People were afraid of volcanoes, but often settled at their foot, because volcanic ash fertilized the earth well. Eruptions occurred rarely, sometimes once every hundred, or even once every thousand years, and everyone hoped that there would be no eruption during his lifetime.

Those Romans who lived next to the volcano thought so too. Vesuvius. A strong eruption in the 1st century AD began unexpectedly, many people died. Two cities were burned and filled with lava. The third city, Pompeii, was covered with volcanic ash. Today, the streets and houses of Pompeii have been dug out from the ashes, and we can imagine how people lived about 2,000 years ago.

When the last king was expelled from the city, Rome was declared a republic. The Roman Republic was governed by the Senate - a group of individuals (senators) who came from the most noble Roman families. Under the leadership of the Senate, the Romans gradually conquered all of Italy.

Roman Senate

At meetings in the Senate, issues important to the Roman Republic were decided. The Senate was headed by two consuls. They were the highest representatives of power. There were always guards near them. Every year, special officials - magistrates - were elected from the senators. Each senator had responsibilities for a specific part of the government or organization. Also among the senators were eight praetor judges. All senators wore a toga (loose robe) with a wide purple stripe.

Punic Wars

From 264 BC e. The Romans and the inhabitants of Carthage fought with each other several times. Both sides fought a bitter struggle for control of trade in the Mediterranean.

In 218 BC. e. The Carthaginians invaded Italy. The Carthaginian commander Hannibal led his troops through the Alps. During the campaign in the mountains, 10 thousand soldiers died. Only two war elephants out of forty survived the hardships of this journey.

The wars between Rome and Carthage went down in history as the Punic. They ended with the fall and complete destruction of Carthage in 146 BC. e.

Julius Caesar

While the Romans conquered more and more territories, senators argued about ways to govern them. Opposing groups of senators resorted to the help of troops in the struggle for power. In 49 BC. e. The commander Julius Caesar, approaching Rome with his legions, seized its supremacy. Caesar brought peace. However, several senators, fearing that he would proclaim himself king, stabbed him to death.

The Roman Empire

After Caesar's death, the struggle for power intensified even more. In 31 BC. e. Caesar's grandnephew Octavian, having defeated his rival Mark Antony, subjugated the entire Roman state to his influence. Octavian adopted the nickname Augustus, which means “sacred, exalted by the deity.”

The Rise of Ancient Rome

By the time Augustus became emperor, most of the Mediterranean was subject to Rome. Over the next 150 years, the Romans conquered even more territory. They created a colossal empire - from Britain to the countries of the Middle East.

During the reign of Emperor Trajan, in 117 AD. e., the Roman Empire reached its maximum limits.

Decline of Rome

Around 200 AD e. The power of the Roman Empire began to weaken. The emperor was now chosen by the army, and skirmishes broke out between different groups of warriors. The Roman Empire was invaded by tribes from the northeast. They were called Germans. The Romans called these people barbarians.

Reign of Diocletian

In 284 AD e. The military leader Diocletian became emperor. To protect the empire from barbarians, he reorganized the army, increasing its number.

Division of the Roman Empire. Diocletian understood that such a huge empire could not be ruled by one person. So he divided it into two parts. Diocletian himself ruled the Eastern Roman Empire, and his military leader Maximian ruled the Western. Each emperor had a deputy who helped him manage the administration.

Reign of Constantine

When Diocletian voluntarily renounced the throne, a serious struggle for power broke out. In 312 AD e. Constantine becomes Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

Unification of the Roman Empire. Later, Constantine took control of the Eastern Roman Empire, recreating the state within its former borders. Constantine moves the capital of the Roman Empire to the city of Byzantium on the Black Sea. He rebuilds Byzantium, fills it with treasures from all over the empire and renames the city in his honor as Constantinople.

Fall of Ancient Rome

Invasion of the Huns on Rome

Around 370 AD e. Eastern Europe was invaded by the Huns who came from Central Asia. Moving across Europe, the Huns drove the Germanic tribes out of their lands and forced the latter to occupy the territories of the Roman Empire.

The Romans allowed some Germanic tribes, including the Visigoths, to settle in the lands of the empire. The latter, in gratitude, were supposed to help the Romans fight the barbarians.

Collapse of the Roman Empire

In 395 AD e. The Roman Empire finally split into Western and Eastern. Since then, many waves of barbarian invasions have swept through Western Europe. In 410 AD e. The Visigoths captured Rome, and in 455 AD. e. the city survived the invasion of Vandal warriors. They killed many Romans, burned most of the buildings, smashed the statues and plundered all the treasures.

Death of the Roman Empire

In 476 AD e. The Visigothic leader Odoacer proclaimed himself king of Italy. The Western Roman Empire collapsed. The Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital at Constantinople, better known as Byzantium, lasted for another thousand years.

Culture of Ancient Rome

Painting in Ancient Rome

Portrait

Fun and Games in Ancient Rome

Pictures (photos, drawings)

• Statue of a she-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus (Capitolian she-wolf)

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  Ancient settlement in the Tiber Valley

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  Map of the Roman Republic

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  Meeting in the Senate (some of the benches have been removed)

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  Coin depicting the Senate building

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  Hannibal's crossing of the Alps in 218 BC. e.

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  The city of Carthage is in flames

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  Julius Caesar

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  Statue of Emperor Augustus. Augustus is depicted in the armor of a Roman commander

• Statue of Jupiter, supreme Roman god

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  German warrior

• Statue of Diocletian and Maximian with their two deputies

• Constantine holds a model of Byzantium in his hands. Late mosaic

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  Huns warriors in battle

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  Visigothic settlers

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  Map of barbarian invasions

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  Destruction of Rome by Vandal warriors

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NATURE AND POPULATION OF ANCIENT ROME

The magnificent geographical location, the wealth of natural resources necessary for farming, and the wonderful climate made all this possible in ancient times.Italy the most prosperous and populous country in the Mediterranean, and even today it surpasses all other Mediterranean countries in population, including those that are much larger in territory.

While in Balkan Greece only a fifth of the entire country could be used for agriculture, which is quite typical for the Mediterranean, inItaly three-fifths. It is not surprising, therefore, that many ancient writers calledItaly a land of abundance, they compared it to a continuous orchard.

Italy consists of two parts: the mainland, located in the river valleyBy (ancient Pad) at the foot of the highest Alpine mountains in Europe, and the Apennine Peninsula, narrow and long, shaped like a boot. To the south of it lies a vast islandSicily, separated from Italy the narrow Strait of Messina. In fact, it is a continuation and part of the Apennine Peninsula.

Geographical position Italy . If you look at the map, you will immediately notice that the Apennine Peninsula withSicily occupy a central position in the Mediterranean, separating its western part from the eastern, therefore fromItaly It is equally easy to reach any area of ​​this region. Over time, this strategically advantageous position of the country provided the Romans with the best conditions for their conquests in the Mediterranean and for the control of the captured areas.

Alps protectingItaly from the cold northern winds, were not an insurmountable obstacle either to the movements of peoples and armies, or to trade. Through mountain passes in the northwest and northeastItaly was connected by a whole network of trade routes with vast areas located in the basinsReina And Danube .

At the same time throughSicily , located just 160 kilometers from the African coast,Italy was closely connected with Africa. The Apennine Peninsula, stretching for a thousand kilometers from northwest to southeast, is only 70 kilometers away from the western coast of the Balkan Peninsula. Since ancient sailors preferred not to lose sight of the land, the most convenient routes for trade and military ships sailing from Europe to Africa or from Greece toSpain , walked alongItaly And Sicily .

Thus, the geographical location Italy was very advantageous, since it was located at the intersection of the most important trade and strategic routes, representing, as it were, a colossal bridge connecting Europe with Africa, the Western Mediterranean with the Eastern.

However, these advantages could be used by the inhabitantsItaly only with time. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. the country, located far from the centers of the ancient civilizations of the East, was a remote corner of the Mediterranean. And subsequently it tended towards isolation and conservatism, since it was abundantly provided with natural resources, but due to the lack of convenient harbors and a developed system of islands, it was poorly connected with the sea.Italy For a long time it remained a relatively backward peasant country, located on the periphery of the prosperous advanced Greek and Hellenistic world.

The main areas of the ancient Italy . Italy was located not only at the junction of the most important sea and land routes, but also at the junction of two different worlds: the world of Western Europe and the world of the Mediterranean. According to the natural and climatic conditions and the appearance of its inhabitants, the river valleyBy was more like Western Europe than Southern Europe, and the Apennine Peninsula was part of the Mediterranean world.Italy , thus, was like a miniature copy of the entire Roman state.

By large, full-flowing navigable river, the largest inItaly , flows along with its numerous tributaries through the most extensive fertile plain in the Mediterranean, which in ancient times was covered with dense oak forests. Large herds of cattle and horses grazed on the vast pastures and water meadows, and herds of pigs fed on acorns on the forest edges.

By the beginning of our era, when fields, orchards and vineyards appeared in place of many forests, this region became the breadbasket of the rest of the country, supplying it with wheat and meat, and remains so to this day.

Climate in NorthItaly not Mediterranean, but moderate, albeit in a milder version: winters are not as cold as beyond the Alps, and summers are not very hot due to the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea.

Gauls who inhabited the river valleyBy from the end of the 5th century BC, in their appearance and way of life they differed sharply from the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula and, until the Roman conquest, were more closely connected with their brothers beyond the Alps than with their neighbors in Central and SouthernItaly . By the name of the people who inhabited it, NorthernItaly called by the RomansGallia Cisalpine , that is, Gaul on this side of the Alps. And the country, located on the other side of the Alps on the site of modern France, received the nameGaul Transalpine .

Along the entire Apennine Peninsula, closer to its eastern coast, stretch the low Apennine Mountains. Together with the spurs extending from the main ridge, the Apennines occupy most of the peninsula. They are not as steep and rocky as the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, and have never been an obstacle for merchants and shepherds, and in the mountain valleys and hilly foothills, farmers reaped rich harvests.

The eastern arid coast stretches in a narrow strip between the Apennines and the sea. There is almost no bay on it that is convenient for seafarers, and besides, there are a lot of sandbanks near the shore, which are very dangerous for seafarers. Small non-navigable rivers flowing into the sea further southBy , in the summer they often dried out completely and could be used instead of roads. This poor, backward, poorly connected area was a backwaterItaly .

Balkan Greece faces east, and Italy west. The most fertile, densely populated areas of the Apennine Peninsula are located on its western coast. As elsewhere in the Mediterranean, they suffer less from drought than areas on the east coast, since clouds carrying rain usually come from the west from the Atlantic Ocean and hit the mountain ranges and rain down.

On the west coast there are several bays convenient for ships, and the sea here is quieter and more welcoming. Several large rivers flow into it, which in ancient times were deep and navigable. The largest of themTiber , flowing in the central part of the Apennine Peninsula.

The most fertile areasItaly were three vast rolling plains of the West Coast with very fertilevolcanic soil : north and west ofTiber lay Etruria (modern Tuscany), southLatius , and even further south, in the Bay of Naples area,Campaign .

Etruria was famous not only for its abundance of fertile land and water (due to numerous rivers, streams and swamps, its inhabitants had to worry not so much about irrigation as about draining the soil), but also as a storehouse of metals for the whole country: the best inItaly iron, and, in addition, copper and tin, so rarely found in the Mediterranean.

Campaign who was called HappyCampaign (lit. happy land of fields) was the most fertile place not only inItaly , but throughout the Mediterranean. The amazing combination of the most fertile soil and a wonderful mild climate made it possible to harvest from its fields not one or two, as in other places, but three or four rich harvests throughout the year. The best inItaly varieties of wheat, grapes and olives grew inCampaigns , the richest and most prosperous cities in the country, such as, famous for its luxuryCapua , were on its territory.

On the coast Campaigns there were many bays and bays convenient for sailors, and further from the coast there were a lot of warm thermal springs that were good for health. No wonder that for a long timeCampaign was a bone of contention for many local and foreign tribes and peoples who wanted to establish themselves on its fertile land, and when it came under Roman rule, it became an area where fashionable resorts and villas of the most influential and powerful aristocrats and even emperors were located.

Fertile Latius , located in the very center of the Apennine Peninsula, did not possess any deposits of metals, likeEtruria , nor such a fertile climate asCampaign , but it was located at the intersection of the most important land, river and sea routes connecting the northern and southern, coastal and inland regions of the country.Latius occupied the same position in relation to Italy , like that in relation to the entire Mediterranean. In fact Latsii the best location was at Rome, which quickly became one of the largest citiesItaly .

South coast Italy And Sicily called Magna Graecia , since on the fertile coastal plains were the Greek cities of the state, founded during the Great Greek Colonization and soon eclipsed their Greek metropolises in wealth, beauty and luxury. The largest and most powerful of the Greek citiesItaly was Tarentum , famous for its craft and trade, prosperity and large number of its citizens.

In the mountains of the central Apennines oppositeLatsia And Campaigns lived numerous tribes of cattle breeders and farmers, united in alliances, the strongest of which wasSamnite , that's why this whole area was calledSamnium . In the mountains of the southItaly against Magna Graecia close relatives livedSamnites Lucans and gross . The warlike mountaineers had neither cities nor a state. They spent most of their time with their herds, always moving from place to place. They often supplemented their meager income through robbery, attacking wealthy neighbors who lived on the fertile plains.

Description of work

Its magnificent geographical location, wealth of natural resources necessary for farming, excellent climate - all this, even in ancient times, made Italy the most prosperous and populous country in the Mediterranean, and even today it surpasses all other Mediterranean countries in population, including those which is much larger in territory.