Climate+and+Geographic+Factors

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HOME //” Not without good reason did gods and men choose this spot as the site of a city. . . “ (Livy) //

 **__Geography__ **

 *   Italy: Boot-shaped peninsula extending 800 km south from Europe into Mediterranean Sea; Rome in heart of Italy on plain of Latium
 * Snow-covered Alps in North seperated Italy from harsh winters and enemies
 * Rugged Apennine Mountains down length of Italy created east and west zones, barrier to attacks
 * East zone: desolate lowlands, rivers eroding landscape
 * West zone: vast fertile lowlands, rich in potash and phosphates, stable Arno and Tiber Rivers, excellent harbours for trade
 * Rivers: Po, Arno, and Tiber provided network of water transportation
 * **Po**: Flowed from Alps east to Adriatic through fertile Po Valley
 * **Arno**: Flowed from Apennines to Tyrrhenian Sea
 * **Tiber**: Flowed from Apennines south through Rome to Tyrrhenian Sea
 * Easy access to sea enabled foreign influence in art and promoted trade
 * **Rome**, perfect place to build a city
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">[[image:hills,_marshes,_rivers_rome.png width="245" height="231" align="right" caption="Rome: Hills, marshes, rivers. http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/Ancient%20Rome%20Geography_.htm" link="http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/Ancient%20Rome%20Geography_.htm"]]Centre: Agricultural region <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Volcanic origins: soil rich in water springs and minerals
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Seven hills protected city from attackers and provided tufa rock for buildings and walls
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Between Etruscan city-states in North and Greeks in south, both of which traded with other cultures
 * <span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Tiber River location provided quick access (24 km) to sea

**<span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(0,0,128);">__Climate__ **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;"> <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Geography contributed to climate
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Long country resulting climate variations
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">//Central Italy//: Mediterranean climate-mild winters, hot summers, moderate rainfall, heavy winter precipitation
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Northern Alps provided partial barrier against westerly and northerly winds
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;"> <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">//Northern Italy//: temperatures below the freezing during winters with snow
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Alpine zone, continental mountain climate
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;"> <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">//Southern Italy//: warmer, more moderate climate
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal;"> <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Warm-wet cycle (500-300 BC) resulting in very warm and wet temperatures


 * Citations**
 * Flower, Harriet. __The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic__. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.
 * Murrell, Deborah. __The Best Book of Ancient Rome__. Boston: Kingfisher Publications, 2004.
 * Ramage, Nancy and Andrew Ramage. __Roman Art__. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 1996.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Thinkquest Team. "Terra Geography." __Ancient Rome Geography__<span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">. 1999. 6 May 2009 <[] >.
 * Milani-Santarpia, Giovanni . "Ancient Rome Geography." __Antiquities of Rome__. 2006. 1 May 2009 <http://www.mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/Ancient%20Rome%20Geography_.htm>.
 * <span style="font-family: Tahoma, Geneva, sans-serif;">Harris-Mann Climatology. "Weather History and Climate." __Long Range Weather and Climate__. 2007. 6 May 2009 <http://www.longrangeweather.com/500bc.htm>.