The Rise of Rome
The major stream of civilization moved from the Middle East toward western Europe. In the area now known as Italy the Roman civilization developed. These people played a major role in world events for more than a thousand years. Roman leaders imposed one system of government upon the people establishing first a republic and then an empire. The features that made Rome a great power however were developing long before it became an empire. Like the Greeks the Romans were first ruled by a king. They became republic in 509 B.C. and an empire in 31 B.C.
The "boot"
The Roman Empire had its beginning in the area of Italy. A narrow boot-shaped peninsula Italy appears to have "straps" in the Alps Mountains and a "toe" pointing into the Mediterranean Sea. It is about 700 miles long and is four time larger than Greece. The island of Sicily is located of the tip of Italy's "boot." Early settlers in Italy found a mountainous courntry. The Apennine Mountains extend dwon the center of the peninsula. Unlike Greece however the noutains of Italy did not divide the coutry into separte units. Three neaby islands Elba, Sardinia, and Corsica provided