THE ROMAN LEGACY

The Roman Legacy



The Roman Legacy

A) From its earliest days, Rome was surrounded by many powerful, independent city-states and tribes that were intent on Rome's destruction. In the rich alluvial plain of Latium alone, Rome lived among at least twelve independent Latin-speaking nations. To Rome's north was the ancient, wealthy, and highly civilized Etruscan confederation. To the south, around the Bay of Naples and beyond, were the large Greek cities of Cumae, Neapolis (modern Naples), and Posidonia. Thanks to its position on both the last available crossing of the Tiber River near the sea and the great salt trade route, Rome became a natural contact point for all of these cultures. And because of its location, and the rich trade in salt and other commodities it encouraged, Rome was coveted by all its neighbors.

B) According to tradition, the city of Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC by the twins Romulus and Remus. Archaeological evidence indicates, however, that there were minor settlements at Rome for at least 300 years prior to this date. For the first several hundred years of its history, Rome was a small, relatively insignificant city, often under the domination of its powerful neighbor, the Etruscans. During this monarchical period of Roman history (753—509 BC), Rome was ruled by kings, who undertook a number of public works projects, such as the building of the Cloaca Maxima (Great Drain), to render the site more habitable. This era ended in 509 BC when the Romans expelled their Etruscan overlords and established the Roman Republic (509—31 BC). The subsequent centuries were a time of rapid growth for both the city and its empire, as the city extended its political control over the entire Italian peninsula. (Hibbert, 1985)

C) The ancient Romans cast a long shadow over the peoples of ...