Wednesday, 5/4/11

Rome was built on 7 hills mostly on the left bank of the Tiber River- Quirinale, where their modern government is located, Esquiline, Viminal, Caelian and Aventine and 2 other hills. They form a crescent shaped plateau of historical fame. In its center is Palatine Hill with the imperial residences of Ancient Rome and in the northwest, Capitoline Hill. All of these hills are surrounded by marshy, mosquito-infested lowlands (sounds like Florida) which contributed to their downfall. The Tiber River bends 2 times around Rome at the Ponte Cavour, and at the island of Tiberius, which is rich with history.
Due to the presence of active volcanoes Rome was settled much later than Sicily and Sardinia. Even Tuscany and Umbria were settled earlier. The Etruscans of maybe Asia Minor had contact with Mesopotamia and moved onto the coast of Umbria around 1200-1000BC. Within 2 centuries they overcame Tuscany and Campania. Rome at this time was only a sheepherding village and profited from the ancient salt way of commerce. Salt was worth more than gold then. By 600BC the Etruscans arrived and the small tribes of Rome were swept away. The best of Asia Minor and Greek culture arrived with gold tableware, jewelry, bronze urns, and terra cotta statuary. Italy was called Latium and Rome was made the government seat. Actually, Rome is an Etruscan name and the kings of Rome had Etruscan names: Numa, Ancas, Tarquinius and Romulus and Remus. Therefore, the forced peace and mixing of Latin tribes and Etruscans blended to become the Republic of Rome and the ancestors of all Italians now.
Legend has it that Romulus and Remus were 2 brothers who were cared for by a she-wolf. They created Roma on the 7 hills above the Tiber River. There is no historical eveidence of this, but the story is enjoyable.
By 510-250BC the Romans and their Campanian allies threw out the Etruscans with their language and religion, but much of their culture remained because they had assimulated it as their own over time. A lot of Etruscan bloodlines still exist in Tuscany today.
The Roman Republic believed in many gods. The Senate ruled and their armies fought victoriously. Rome had well-maintained military roads and a well-defined hierarchy of military commanders. By 49BC Italy ruled all of the Mediterranean area. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and became a dictator and consul (which is almost like a king) for 10 years. On 3/15/44BC Brutus stabbed Julius Caesar to death; therefore, Beware the Ides of March!!! By 49BC, Marc Antony assumed control, but met and fell in love with Cleopatra while trying to annex Egypt into his Republic. He was tricked into marrying Octavious' sister, Octavia, when he really loved Cleopatra. Being unfaithful to Octavia and openly marrying Cleopatra he was defeated by Octavius at the Battle of Actium. Augustus Octavius, born in 63BC and adopted by his great uncle, Julius Caesar, became the first Roman Emperor reigning from 27BC-14AD. His reign began the "Golden Age" of Rome and led to the "Pax Romana" with two centuries of peace. The ruins of his Forum of Augustus and his Domus Augustana are still here.
During Augustus' reign Rome reached unheard of heights and he turned a city of brick into one of marble. Rome had some very good emperors: Augustus, Claudius, Trajan, Vespasian and Hadrian, but there were at least four corrupt ones: Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Caracalla.
Decay of moral values, excesses and scandal were so prevalent that by the 3rd century AD there had been 23 emperors in 73 years. This was the era when Rome's citizens spent all day at gladiator games or at the imperial baths. By the 4th century Diocletian came into power, enforced the imperial power, heavily taxed the people and divided the empire into two halves : the east and west.