The Geography Of Rome

LOCATION
Rome is in the Lazio region of central Italy on the Tiber
river (Italian: Tevere). The original settlement developed on hills
that faced onto a ford beside the Tiber Island, the only natural ford
of the river in this area. The Rome of the Kings was built on seven
hills: the Aventine Hill, the Caelian Hill, the Capitoline Hill,
the Esquiline Hill, the Palatine Hill, the Quirinal Hill, and the Viminal
Hill.Modern Rome is also crossed by another river, the Aniene, which
flows into the Tiber north of the historic centre.
Although the city centre is about 24 kilometres (15 mi) inland from
the Tyrrhenian Sea, the city territory extends to the shore, where
the south-western district of Ostia is located. The altitude of the
central part of Rome ranges from 13 metres (43 ft) above sea
level(at the base of the Pantheon) to 139 metres (456 ft) above sea
level(the peak of Monte Mario). The Comune of Rome covers an
overall area of about 1,285 square kilometres (496 sq mi), including
many green areas.

Topography
Throughout the history of Rome, the urban limits of the city were
considered to be the area within the city walls. Originally, these
consisted of the Servian Wall, which was built twelve years after
the Gaulish sack of the city in 390 BC. This contained most of the
Esquiline and Caelian hills, as well as the whole of the other five.
Rome outgrew the Servian Wall, but no more walls were constructed
until almost 700 years later, when, in 270 AD,
Emperor Aurelian began building the Aurelian Walls. These were
almost 19 kilometres (12 mi) long, and were still the walls the troops

of the Kingdom of Italy had to breach to enter the city in 1870. The
city's urban area is cut in two by its ring-road, the Grande Raccordo
Anulare("GRA"), finished in 1962, which circles the city centre at a
distance of about 10 km (6 mi). Although when the ring was
completed most part of the inhabited area lay inside it (one of the
few exceptions was the former village of Ostia, which lies along the
tyrrhenian coast), in the meantime quarters have been built which
extend up to 20 km (12 mi) beyond it.
The comune covers an area roughly three times the total area within
the Raccordo and is comparable in area to the entire metropolitan
cities of Milan and Naples, and to an area six times the size of the
territory of these cities. It also includes considerable areas of
abandoned marsh land which is suitable neither for agriculture nor
for urban development.
As a consequence, the density of the comune is not that high, its
territory being divided between highly urbanised areas and areas
designated as parks, nature reserves, and for agricultural use.

The geography surrounding Rome, an ancient Italian city on the

banks of the Tiber River, has heavily influenced the expansion of the
city through the ages.

The geography of Rome has been instrumental in the growth of this

historic city.

Where Is Rome Located?

The historic city of Rome is located in the central-western part of

the Italian Peninsula on the banks of the Tiber River in the Lazio
region of Italy. The city is the capital of Italy and also its biggest
and most populated metropolis hosting 2.9 million residents within an
area of 1,285 square km. Vatican City, a country, is located within

the boundaries of Rome making it the only example of a country

within a city.

Climate Of Rome

Mediterranean climate prevails in Rome characterized by dry and

hot summers, and humid, cold winters. During the warmest months of
July and August, the average temperature during the day is 30 C
while at night, it is 18 C. In the coldest winter month of January,
the average day temperature is 12 C, and that at night is 3 C.
Heavy snowfall is extremely rare, but light snowfall occurs almost
every winter. However, snow accumulation on the ground is not known
to happen frequently. The pleasant climate of Rome favors heavy
tourist footfall in the city throughout the year.

The Tiber River Of Rome

The Tiber River is a historic river in Europe, famous for the city of
Rome that is located on its banks. The Tiber River is the second

longest river in the country after the River Po. The river traces its
origin to the slope of Monte Fumaiolo from where it flows for 405
km in a generally southern direction and drains into the Tyrrhenian
Sea near Ostia Antica. According to some ancient writers, the Tiber
River was originally known as Albula but renamed Tiberis after a king
of Alba Longa, King Tiberius, died by drowning in the river. The river
has played a vital role in the birth and expansion of the city of Rome
as will be explained in the below sections. Another river, the Aniene
also crosses Rome. The river joins the Tiber north of the historic
center of the city.

Geography Of Ancient Rome And Origin Of The Roman

Civilization

Historians hold the view that Rome was founded on a group of seven
hills located in the present-day Lazio region of Italy. These hills,
named Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Palatine, Quirinal, and
Viminal are located on the Tiber River's eastern bank, in the heart
of the city of Rome. It is said that small village-like settlements
grew up on the summits of these seven hills but in the beginning,
these settlements were not organized or unified into a single entity.
The city was possibly founded by Romulus on the Palatine Hill, and
gradually, the residents of all the seven hills would come together to
share common interests and solve common problems, giving shape to
the ancient city of Rome. Thus the aggregation of these settlements
paved the way for the transformation from a proto-urban stage to
an urban situation. The increase in agricultural productivity and
heightened trade activities possibly boosted the growth of the city.

How Did The Geography Of Rome Affect Its Expansion?

The geography of a place often plays a big role in influencing the

growth of settlements in the place. This fact is no different for
Rome where the geography of Rome affected its expansion in a
major way. The elevated location of the city on the top of the seven
hills provided a sense of protection to the residents and also
protected the people against flooding. All great cities of the world
have developed on the banks of major rivers, and so did Rome. The
waters of the Tiber River satisfied the domestic water needs of the
people of the region. Also, the river facilitated irrigation and
navigation. It connected Rome to the Mediterranean Sea and thus
provided an easy trade route between Rome and other parts of
Europe and the world.