PLZ HE Rome grew from a small village 509bce to the ruler of most of the Italian peninsula 244 years later. Rome would later develop into the greatest western empire of the ancient world. The city was protected from enemy i__v__s__on by seven h__l__s and a shallow r__v__r. From the hills the Romans could see e__e__i__s approach. Experienced Roman s__i__o__s with small ships were able to n__v__g__te the T__b__r River, but the river could not accommodate large s__a__o__ng vessels necessary to attack the city.
Roman *m__t__o__o__y teaches that the city was founded in 753bce by R__m__l__s, one of two b__o__h__rs raised by a w after he and his t brother were thrown into the T__b__r River. The a__c__a__o__o__i__al evidence indicates that Rome has been occupied since about 1500bce.
Roman warriors united most of the Italian peninsula through f__r_e and p__r__u__si__n. The city was almost constantly at w, but unlike most other cities at that time, Rome allowed the people they c__n__u__r__d to become c__ti__e__s. The massive Roman army built r__a__s that connected Italian cities and villages. The army also provided an endless supply of m__n__o__er for Rome’s many wars.