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The Roman Republic


  • The city of Rome was founded in 753 BC by Romulus and Remus
    • abandoned on the Tiber river as infants
    • raised by a she-wolf
  • Rome was built on 7 rolling hills at a curve on the Tiber river
  • Midway between the alps and Italy's southern tip
  • near midpoint of the Mediterranean Sea
The First Romans
  • earliest settlers arrived in prehistoric times (about 1000 - 500 BC)
  • 3 groups inhabited the region and eventually battled for control
    • Latins
    • Greeks
    • Etruscans

  • Latins built the original settlement at Rome
    • a cluster of wooden huts atop one of its 7 hills, Palatine Hill
    • considered 1st Romans

  • Greeks established colonies along Southern Italy and Sicily 
    • became prosperous and commercially active
    • brought Italy and Rome into closer contact with Greek civilization

  • Etruscans - native to Northern Italy
    • skilled Metalworkers and Engineers
    • strongly influenced the development of Roman Civilization and Rome's architecture

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