History And Geography

History

Pre 20th Century History

Ancient Romans believed their city had been founded on 21 April 753 BC, and recent archaeological findings support this view. According to mythology, the city was founded by the twins, Romulus and Remus. Romulus killed Remus in a battle over where their city was to be situated and became the first of the seven Kings of Rome, as well as the source of the city's name.

The city was ruled by Etruscan kings till 510 BC, after which it became a republic. By the 2nd century BC, the city ruled central and southern Italy, had overpowered the rival empire of Carthage and was poised to take over the whole Mediterranean.

The rise of Christianity in the 4th century led to Rome losing much of its secular control, but it became the center of a new empire, Christendom. The Bishop of Rome was named heir to Saint Peter (or the Pope). Several large churches such as Santa Croce, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Pietro and San Sebastiano were constructed around this time.

The 9th to the 12th centuries witnessed a rise in the power of the popes, even though it was under continuous attack from the city's various aristocratic houses.

The papacy spent extravagantly on several new churches dedicated to the Virgin - the Santa Marias of Cosmedin, Trastevere (with its stunning mosaic), Aracoeli and Sopra Minerva. The 14th century experienced volatile conditions, when the pope was exiled to Avingnon due to factional fighting. This resulted in a sudden plunge in the city's population. By the 15th century, the papacy had reinstated its firm grip on the city.

The only real intermission to papal power came in the form of the Roman Commune, whose republican constitution and classical-style committee were introduced in the Roman revolution of 1143.

Modern History

During the 20th century, Rome experienced yet another growth spurt. In 1929, the pope was made sovereign of Vatican City. The new administration was more involved in offices and housing blocks than churches, and during the 1930s the city stretched beyond its existing city walls.

Fascism was a way of life during Mussolini's reign in the 1920s and ‘30s. Thoughts of majestic glory led Mussolini to form an association with Germany during WWII. However, the outcome of the war was drastically different from what he had envisioned and this set the scene for Italy's transformation from a dictatorial regime into a republic in 1946.

In the postwar years, Rome expanded physically and become the hub of Italy's film industry till the early 1960s. During the 1970s and '80s, more aggressive transformations, specifically those of some radical student groups (who had complaints about Italy's left-wing governments) into right-wing terrorists took place. The Brigate Rosse (Red Brigade) was the most infamous group. They kidnapped and ultimately killed ex- Prime Minister Aldo Moro in Rome in 1978.

Recent History

The public responded with headstrong moral resentment in 1994 by voting for a stridently right-wing alliance headed by a billionaire media magnate, Silvio Berlusconi. Among claims of corruption, the government collapsed, and after some years, Berlusconi returned from the desert to win the 2001 national elections. In spite of the landslide victory, his right-wing government's actions have often been met with large-scale protests.

The Jubilee Year in 2000, in which about 16 million Catholic pilgrims visited Rome, gave the city a thrust to clean up the church and palazzo facades, develop roads and transport, and regain public spaces from the car parks they had become.

Geography

Rome is often referred to as the ‘City of 7 Hills'. It is situated halfway along Italy's western coast, around 12 miles inland. It is across the confluence of the Tiber and Aniene rivers.

The Tiber runs through Rome and rises on the slope of Monte Fumaiolo, entering the Tyrrherian Sea. Initially referred to as the Albula, it was renamed Tiberis after King Tiberinus who drowned in it. The river is 405 kilometers long, 20 meters deep and 120 meters wide.

The Seven Hills of Rome

Capitolium (Capitoline)

This is the smallest, but the most renowned of the seven hills of ancient Rome. The hill was devoted to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, and was the historic and religious center of the city. The temple of Jupiter was situated on the southwest end, and the temple of Juno on the height known as the Arx.

Palatium (Palatine)

Cicero and Catullus resided on the Palatine. Augustus was born here and lived here as well. The best-preserved constructions are the House of Augustus and the House of Livia. The temple of Magna Mater is also situated on the Palentine.

Aventinus (Aventine)

The Circus Maximus stands between the Aventine and the Palatine. This hill is considered to be one of the most peaceful regions in Rome. This hill is the place where Remus chose to live. In historical times, this hill was home to plebeians, who constructed a temple to Ceres in the 5th century BC.

Esquiliae (Esquiline)

This is the largest of the seven hills. The baths of Titus and Trajan were situated here, apart from the Golden House of Nero. Since 700 BC, this hill had a walled city on it.

Quirinalis (Quirinal)

Towards the east end of this hill, were the baths of Diocletian. It is on this hill that the Sabines formerly lived and built their city. Archaeological evidence supports occupancy of this hill since at least the 8th century BC through tomb and walled village excavations.

Viminalis (Viminal)

A smaller ridge between the Quirinal and Esquiline, this is the smallest of the Seven Great Hills, and was one of the last to be included inside the walls of Rome.

Caelius (Caelian)

This hill is in the southernmost direction of the four large hills. Many of Rome's elite resided on this hill during the Roman Republic.

Archaeological evidence suggests that there was a wall that surrounded the Palatine, Esquiline, Velian, and Caelian hills but not the Capitoline, Quirinal, and Viminal hills.