Geography of the Roman Empire

6th Grade Social StudiesPiedmont Middle School

7 Hills

• The city of Rome was founded on 7 hills along the Tiber River in Italy

• The citizens farmed at the base of the hills and lived at the top– This made Rome easier to

defend

1- Tiber River• 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

2- 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

• The peninsula had large plains that were excellent for farming– The grew beans, veggies, fruits, grapes,

olives

3- Mediterranean Sea

• The Mediterranean Sea links 3 continents:– Europe, Africa, and Asia

• Connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Strait of Gibraltar

4- Adriatic Sea

• In between the Italian Peninsula and the Balkan Peninsula – Part of the Mediterranean Sea

• Located to the east of the Italian Peninsula

5- Tyrrhenian Sea• The Tyrrhenian Sea is a part

of the Mediterranean Sea– Like the Aegean Sea and

Ionian Sea

• Located to the west of the Italian Peninsula

6- Alps• The tallest mountain range

in Europe (about 13,000 feet tall)

• Formed by the collision of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates

• Protected Rome to the north

7- Apennines• A mountain range that runs

north/south through the Italian Peninsula

• These mountains are not nearly as tall as the Alps (about 6,000 feet tall)

• Also helped to protect Rome

8- Siciliy

• The largest island of the Mediterranean Sea

• Separated from the Italian Peninsula by the Strait of Messina

9- Mt. Etna

• Located in Sicily

• Europe’s largest and most active volcano– Last erupted in 2013

• News Report (2002)• Time Lapse (2013)

Mt. Etna eruption in 2002

10- Corsica

• Corsica is a French Territory• About 300,000 people live

on the island– About half as many people as

Charlotte

11- Sardinia

• The second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea

• Located to the west of the Italian Peninsula in the Tyrrhenian Sea

Modern Rome

• Today, over 4 million people live in Rome• It is the 4th largest city in Europe – behind London (1st), Paris (2nd), and Berlin (3rd)

Modern Rome

• Home to the Colosseum, one of the most famous buildings in the world– Built around 70 CE

• Vatican City is located in Rome– It is the world’s smallest country– The Catholic Church headquarters

(where the pope lives)

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

Critical Thinking

• What made the city of Rome well protected?

• What factors allowed the Roman Empire to expand?

• What do you think the most important geographic features were to the Romans?

1) ___________ River

2) ___________ Peninsula

3) ________________ Sea

4) ________________ Sea

5) ________________ Sea

6) __________ Mountains

7) __________ Mountains

8) _____________

9) Mt. ___________

10) _____________

11) _____________