Roman Origins and Early Inhabitants

• The city of Rome was founded


  753BC
• Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro


  Stated the city of Rome was founded in April 753BC
• The city of Rome was formed from settlements gathered around the River Tiber
• Myth of Romulus and Remus

  The Roman explanation for the creation of Rome
• Romulus and Remus were two quarrelsome brothers who were raised by a wolf
• Romulus won and built the city of Rome, which was named after him
• Early inhabitants of Rome

  • Mix of people from Latin and Sabine tribes
  • Made alliances with other cities which resulted in the creation of what is now known as modern-day Italy
• In the 3rd century BC, Rome's most powerful rival was Carthage
• Punic Wars


  1. 264BC-146BC

  2. Romans fought three wars with Carthage
• The Romans won control of Carthage's overseas territories in North Africa, the Mediterranean and southern Europe
• By 58BC the Romans had an empire that stretched from the deserts of North Africa and Syria to Portugal
• Provinces


  Lands outside of the boundaries of Rome that were ruled by Roman law