A New Power Rises

     The earliest empires had been in the east. Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, India, and Greece were all home to at least one powerful civilization. About 387BC, a city on the Italian peninsula began acquiring land and building an empire. That city was Rome.

     Rome grew into an empire in part because of how they treated the people they conquered. If a city was defeated by another empire, its citizens were forced from the land if they were lucky, and enslaved if they were not. When the Romans defeated a city, they extended the rights of citizenship to the people they conquered. Rome conquered many of its "allies" by force, but once the new people became citizens, they often joined the Roman army. Rome managed to unify most of modern nation of Italy by 265BC.

     Rome is an ideal place for a city. It is located along the banks of the Tiber River. The river made it easy to travel to and from the sea. The Tiber is very shallow near Rome. A shallow portion of a river is called a ford. The ford made it easier for people to cross the river. Seven hills surround Rome. The hills make it harder for invaders to approach the city and served as lookout areas for the Romans. Rome is also close to excellent farmland and an abundance of wood and stone. Civilizations have grown and prospered in Rome for thousands of years, which is why Rome is nicknamed "the Eternal City."