Ancient Rome--first appearing as a Kingdom, then a Republic, and finally an Empire--was an Italic civilization which became one of the dominant powers of Antiquity, rivaling China, Egypt, Macedonia, and Persia if not for size then for influence. The effects of Rome's existence in Europe alone can be seen to this day: the Britannian Empire takes its name from the Roman province which once occupied half of its Homeland, and many other place names in Britannia are taken from when Rome ruled; refined and derivative forms of Rome's government as both a Republic and Empire have recurred throughout history; and many current European languages are derived from Rome's Latin.
|
History
According to mythology, the Roman civilization was founded by a refugee from another ancient city: Aeneas, who escaped the destruction of Troy by the Greeks and, after a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean, (contemporarily to Ulysses' journey as told by Homer) he arrived at the seven hills on which Rome would one day be built. Fifteen generations later, Aeneas' descendants Romulus and Remus founded the city proper.