1. Origins of Rome 6 th Grade Social Studies

2. 1) What describes the Legend of the Founding of Rome?

3. The Legend of Rome The founding of Rome is described in a poem called The Aeneid by the poet Virgil Aeneas, a hero of the Trojan war, moved to Italy to escape the fighting in Greece

4. 2) Who are Romulus & Remus? What happened to them?

5. The Legend of Rome Romulus and Remus were descendants of Aeneas. They were twins that were abandoned along the Tiber River Legend says a she-wolf found the infant and raised them

6. The Legend of Rome Once they grew older, they decided to build a city at the spot along the Tiber River where they were raised by their wolf mother The named the city Rome, coming from the name Romulus in 753 BC – Remus was killed in an argument to decide where the city should be

7. Roma F.C. Today, the largest soccer team in Rome uses the shewolf, Romulus, and Remus in their logo – Stop thinking negative!

8. In Reality Rome was first settled by Italic people who migrated to the region looking for good land to grow crops and for cattle grazing They first built wooden huts at the top of the 7 Hills of Rome along the Tiber River – They lived at the top of the 7 Hills for protection

9. 3) Why were the Alps and Apennine Mountain Ranges an advantage for the people of Rome?

10. Alps- The tallest mountain range in Europe (about 13,000 feet tall) – Protected Rome to the north Apennines- A mountain range that runs north/south through the Italian Peninsula – Protected Rome to the east Alps and Apennines protected Rome

11. 4) How did the climate and location of Rome help it develop?

12. Climate Located in an area with a mild and humid climate – Didn’t get too cold and got plenty of rain Romans were able to grow a lot of crops: – Wheat – Grapes – Olives

13. 5) Did the city of Rome develop on the Mediterranean Sea or further inland? Why?

14. Tiber River and Location Rome was located about 15 miles from the coast along the Tiber River – The city was built inland so it would be easier to defend The river provided fresh water and transportation – If you needed to get out to the Mediterranean, you could just float down the Tiber

16. 6) Why was it an advantage for Rome to be located on a peninsula?

17. Italian Peninsula Living on a peninsula was a great advantage to Rome – They had a strong navy and this helped them conquer new territories – They were able to develop trade routes across the Mediterranean Sea

18. 7) How did the Greeks influence the establishment of Rome?

19. The Greeks Between 750 BCE-600 BCE, Greek settlers established colonies on the coast of Italy They brought Greek culture to the Italy and also taught the Romans how to grow grapes and olives

20. 8) What influences did the Etruscans have on Roman civilization?

21. Etruscans The Etruscans were a group of people that were native to northern Italy They had a system of writing, and the Romans adopted their alphabet The Etruscans had a major influence on Roman architecture, especially the use of the arch

22. 9) Describe early Roman Religion

23. Religion The Romans combined ideas from the Etruscans and the Greeks Romans adopted Greek gods, but gave them different names

24. Religion Today, over 90% of the population of Italy is Roman Catholic (the largest branch of Christianity) The Vatican is located in Rome – The headquarters of the Catholic Church – The Pope lives here

25. Romans Rebel During this time, the Romans lived in the Etruscan kingdom In 509 BC, the Romans overthrew the Etruscans and established their own republic

26. 7 Hills on the Tiber River Rome began as a small collection of towns along the Tiber River on the Italian Peninsula These towns were located on 7 hills

27. Advantages Located in an area with a mild and humid climate – Didn’t get too cold and got plenty of rain Good farmland Geographic barriers protected Rome, but did not stop trade