Post on 16-Dec-2015
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Geography of ItalyGeography of Italy
• Located at 42° 50’ N, 12° 50’ E
• Europe• Boot-shaped peninsula• Slightly larger than the
state of Arizona• Only about ¼ of the
land is arable (able to be used for farming)
Seas Around ItalySeas Around Italy• Mediterranean Sea
– the largest inland sea– between Europe, Africa, and
Asia• Adriatic Sea
– between Italy and the Balkan Peninsula
• Ionian Sea– between Southern Italy (by heel
of boot) and Greece• Tyrrhenian Sea
– between Italy and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily
• Ligurian Sea– between Northwest coast of Italy
and the island of Corsica
Neighboring IslandsNeighboring Islands• Corsica
– southeast of France, north of Sardinia, and west of Italy
– Birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte
• Sardinia– settled by Phoenicians, Greeks,
and Carthaginians before the sixth century B.C.
– taken by Rome in 238 B.C. • Sicily
– the “football” that the boot of Italy appears to be kicking
– separated from the Italian mainland by the narrow Strait of Messina
– largest Mediterranean island
Major RiversMajor Rivers
• Po River– flows from the Alps near
the French border, through Turin, and eastward into the Adriatic Sea
• Tiber River– flows from the north-
central Apennines, south through Rome, and into the Tyrrhenian Sea
Mountain RangesMountain Ranges
• Alps– located along the north of Italy, along modern-day border
with France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia
• Apennines– run through the center of Italy
ClimateClimate• Mild, “Mediterranean” climate
– Warm, dry summers– Mild, rainy winters
• The far north is cold and mountainous; the south is rugged, hot and dry
• Similar to Greece• Good for growing grapes, olives, and wheat
People of Ancient ItalyPeople of Ancient Italy
• Etruscans lived mostly in northern and west-central Italy
• Latins lived along the Tiber River. Founded the city of Rome
EtruscansEtruscans
• Heavily traded with the Greeks and the Phoenicians– Etruscans sent lumber, furs, and probably slaves to the
East– They bought jewelry, spices, perfume, and Greek vases
from the East
EtruscansEtruscans
• Lived mostly in northern and west-central Italy, from the Po Valley to the Tiber River
• Their region was known as Tuscany
• stone walls• stone temples• canals and
ditches to irrigate crops
• Monarchy with powerful rulers
LatinsLatins
• Aeneas, hero of Virgil’s Aeneid– According to legend….
• Trojan War hero• After the war,
he traveled to Italy• Made an alliance
with the Latin tribe• Helped them conquer
much of Italy• His family ruled
Italy for centuries
Geography of RomeGeography of Rome• West central Italy• On the banks of the Tiber River
• Seven Hills– Quirinal (Quirinalis)– Viminal (Viminalis)– Esquiline (Espuiliae)– Caelian (Caelius) – Aventine (Aventinus)– Palatine (Palatium)– Capitoline (Capitolium)
• Queen Victoria Eyes Caesar's Awfully Painful Corns
Founding of RomeFounding of Rome
• Romulus and Remus– Descendents of Aeneas– Raised by a wolf !?!?– Leaders of a Latin clan– 753 BC
• Established a new settlement on the Palatine Hill along the Tiber River
• Named “Rome” after Romulus
• Read about the founding of Rome at http://www.freewalt.com/socialstudies/history/world/grecoroman/romans/romulusremus.htm
Latins vs. EtruscansLatins vs. Etruscans
• In early 600’s BC, the Etruscans conquered Rome
• They brutally ruled for over 100 years
• The Latins (the people of Rome) rebelled
• According to legend, the last Etruscan ruler, Tarquin the Proud, was expelled in 509 BC