Rome grew from a small village 509bce to the ruler of most of the I_a_i__n peninsula 244 years later. Rome would later develop into the greatest western e_pi__e of the a__c__e__t world. The city was p__o__e__t__d 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.