Natural and climatic conditions of ancient Rome natural conditions. Natural conditions and population of Ancient Italy. Periodization of the history of Ancient Rome. Sources on the history of ancient Rome What was the climate in ancient Rome
Periodization of the history of Ancient Rome. A beautiful description of each period.
Periodization
1. Royal Rome. VIII-late VI centuries. BC.
04/21/753 BC- founding of Rome.
509 BC- expulsion of the last king Takrvinius the Proud.
2. The era of the Roman Republic. V-I centuries BC. (before 30 BC - the end of Greek Hellenism).
· Early RR (V-III centuries BC – foundation of the community).
· Late RR (II-I centuries BC – Rome conquers the Mediterranean).
3. The era of the Roman Empire.
· Early RI. Period of the Principate. (before 192 AD - death of Commodus).
· Crisis of the 3rd century.
· Late RI. Dominant period (IV century – 476 AD – death of the ZRI).
The concept of “Ancient Rome” is a state, society and civilization, the history of which is from 753 BC to 476 AD. Main periods:
1) Tsarist Rome (VII – VI centuries BC; April 21, 753 BC – foundation of Rome): the decomposition of tribal structures, the emergence of an early class society, the beginning of the formation of state institutions;
2) The period of the Early Republic (V - III centuries BC; 509 BC - the expulsion of the 7th king Torquinius the Proud): intensive development of the slave society and state, the conquest of Italy by Rome;
3) The period of the Late Republic (II - I centuries BC): the time of classical slavery and the formation of the Roman Mediterranean power;
4) Early empire, or principate (1st – 2nd centuries AD): the flourishing of the ancient civilization of the Mediterranean, the rise of the economy and culture$
5) Crisis III in AD: it struck all the structures of the Roman society and led to the collapse of the empire;
6) Late empire, or dominant (IV - V centuries AD): the period of decomposition of the slave society, the emergence and development in its depths of relations of the proto-feudal type.
Natural conditions and their influence on the development of ancient Roman civilization.
The Apennine Peninsula extends deep into the Mediterranean Sea in its central part; from the north it is adjoined by a wide river valley. Po, fenced on the mainland side by the arc of the Alps; The Apennine mountain range stretches along the entire peninsula (in the north and south the mountains approach the western coast of Italy, and in its middle part - towards the eastern coast); The Apennine Peninsula is washed by the Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian and Ligurian seas, which are parts of the Mediterranean Sea.
Conditions for the development of navigation are worse than in Greece: there are few islands near Italy, the largest of which is Sicily - a bridge between Italy and North Africa, but two other large islands - Corsica and Sardinia - lie quite far to the west.
The coastline of the Ap Peninsula is slightly indented: there are few convenient bays (especially on the east coast)
In ancient Italy there is more fertile land than in Greece: in the river valley. Po, in Etruria, Campania, Sicily; in ancient Latium, many lands were swampy, but with the creation of a drainage system in the form of sewage canals, this area also became quite suitable for agriculture; the soils in the center and south of the eastern part of the peninsula were less fertile; Italy abounds in rivers (most of them now become shallow in the summer, but in ancient times they were fuller due to the abundance of forests, which were later cut down). There were few mineral resources in ancient Italy: marble and other types of building stone were mined, as well as clay suitable for pottery production; at the mouth of the Tiber there were deposits of table salt; but there are almost no ore deposits; Only in Etruria was copper smelted and on the island of Ilva (Elba) - iron.
The natural conditions of Italy, favorable for the life of primitive people, the region was inhabited since the Paleolithic era, for a long time contributed to a certain isolation of its historical development, while, for example, the Greeks were driven overseas by the need for bread associated with relative overpopulation. from the 8th century BC. The impossibility of widespread development of agriculture in Italy, with its dense forests and predominantly heavy soils, before the advent of steel or at least bronze tools, excluded the creation of a more or less highly productive economy and a class society on its basis.
Tin appeared here only from the end of the 2nd millennium BC; it may have begun to be imported from Spain and Britain. Accordingly, it was only from this time that bronze production began in Italy. The production of iron, especially steel, expanded even later. Italy's greater distance from the advanced civilized countries of the East compared to Greece also slowed down the pace of its historical development in ancient times.
Rome of the royal era.
Royal Rome (753-510 BC)
Ancient Rome - one of the cities of Latium (the area of settlement of the Latvian tribes south of Erturia), arose as a result of synoicism (the merger of small tribal settlements).
In VIII BC there were 30 cities - the Latin Federation led by Alba-Longa (the founder of Alba-Longa was Ascanius-Yul, the son of the Trojan hero Aeneas). The grandsons of the 14th king of Alba Longa Numitor, Remus and Romulus, founded the city of Rome on the Palatine Hill on the banks of the Tiber. In a quarrel, Romulus killed his brother and became the first of 7 Roman kings. Under him: Roman-Sabine synoicism, the population of Rome - 30 curiae, expansion of Roman possessions at the expense of neighbors (Latins and Sabines), victory over Veii, creation of a personal royal guard of 300 celers.
The second Roman king - Numa Pompilius (715-673 BC): disbanded the detachment of the Celers, deified Romulus under the name Quirinus, established the cults of the gods, created craft and priestly colleges, established trading days (nundins).
Numa's successor - Tullus Hostilius (673-641 BC): destroyed Alba Longa and resettled its inhabitants to Rome.
The fourth king is Ankh Marcius (641-616 BC): he fought with the Latins, Sabines and Volscians, built one wooden bridge across the Tiber, expanded the territory of Rome, founded the first Roman colony of Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber, took possession of the salt pans.
The next king, a native of Etruria, Lucius Tarquin the Ancient (616-578 BC): paved with stone and began to build up the Forum, erected the Great Circus between the Palatine and Aventine hills, prepared the site for the construction of the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol (it will be built by his grandson Tarquin the Proud ), erected city fortifications and conolization; under him, Rome began to dominate Latium.
Servius Tullius (578-534 BC): fought with Veii and other Etruscan cities, surrounded Rome with a wall, and carried out a series of government reforms.
The last one is Lucius Tarquin the Proud (534-510 BC): a tyrant, many wars of conquest, was expelled from Rome with his offspring => establishment of a republic in Rome.
Population of ancient Rome: cattle breeding (mainly), agriculture (minor role) and crafts; was divided into 3 tribal tribes (Titsiev, Ramnov and Lutserov), 30 curiae and 300 clans. Members of the clan owned a collection of land properties, had a family cemetery and their own cult. At the head of the tribal community is the Senate. Issues discussed by 300 senators were discussed at a national assembly convened in curiae (=> curiat comitia).
Tsar: fullness of military, will exercise and judicial power + high priest; had 12 lictors (bodyguards).
Members of the clan organization are the Roman people of the Quirites. The Roman civil community (initially replenished by settlers distributed among the curiae) became isolated in this area under Anca Marcius, because the reserves of the community land fund have dried up => fixation of 2 classes-estates: privileged patricians (access to the community land fund, the right to participate in curiat comitia; patrician clans were headed by clan elders and were divided into the patriarch of the family ao gl with houselords) and plebeians (preserving their clans, stood outside the Roman clan organization; impoverished plebeians became clients of the patricians (they joined the family of their patron, obeyed him in everything; patron - protection and patronage)).
Servius Tullius: military and licensing reforms => all males - into 6 property classes (poor - proletarians; each class assigned a certain number of centuries (hundreds) to the army). Also, Servius Tullius introduced comitia centuriata (property and age limits; one century - one vote; plebeians participated); admin-ter ref (=> Rome – 21st district (tribe)); the army is made up of 4 legions under the command of the king. As a result, the beginning was laid for the gradual inclusion of plebeians into the Roman citizens of the collective.
Towards the end of the royal period - the formation of a Roman polis - civitas (civil community with an ancient form of property). In 510 BC - a conspiracy of the aristocracy and the expulsion of the king's ambassador from Rome => 2 annually re-elected magistrates - consuls (first consuls: Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus).
Lesson topic : Ancient Rome.
The purpose of the lesson: assimilation of new knowledge about the emergence of Ancient Rome, about the geographical and climatic position of Ancient Rome, about the peoples inhabiting the Apennine Peninsula in ancient times.
Lesson objectives:
Educational:
to form among schoolchildren a vivid, imaginative, logical idea of the Apennine Peninsula and Rome in the 8th – 6th centuries. BC.;
based on the studied material, expand students’ understanding of Ancient Rome, using the basic skills of students;
promote students' mastery of basic conceptual material on this topic.
Educational:
during the lesson, promote the development of students' cognitive interest and motivation for learning activities using the example of the close connection of the material being studied with life;
during the lesson, promote the development of students' creative abilities, logical thinking, and the ability to find cause-and-effect relationships of events;
promote the development of skills in working with sources, oral speech, and the ability to argue your point of view.
Educational:
during the lesson, promote the formation in students of an emotional and value-based attitude towards the past being studied;
cultivate a respectful attitude towards the past of various peoples.
Lesson type: lesson on learning new material (combined)
Lesson format: lesson presentation.
Lesson teaching methods:
Verbal (story, conversation, explanation, description);
Stimulation methods (novelty, entertaining);
Control methods (test check, quiz, frontal survey), etc.
Equipment and visual aids: textbooks, workbooks, presentation material, computer.
New terms and concepts:
Etruscans, Latins, Vestal, Vesta, Mars, lictors, patricians, plebeians, senate.
Lesson structure
Stages
Time
Organizational stage
The stage of preparation for the active assimilation of new educational material
Goal setting stage
4.1.
4.2.
4.3.
Stage of assimilation of new knowledge
Geographical location and natural and climatic conditions of Ancient Rome
Peoples inhabiting the Apennine Peninsula
The Legend of the Founding of Rome
The city on seven hills and its inhabitants
Management in Ancient Rome
28,5
The stage of initial testing of students' understanding of new material ( carried out in the form of questions and problematic tasks after studying each section of the lesson topic)
Stage of consolidation of new knowledge
Lesson summary stage
Homework Information and Instruction Stage
Lesson equipment
Workbooks
Textbooks
Computer and multimedia presentation
DURING THE CLASSES:
1. Organizational stage
Mutual greeting between teacher and students.
Definition of absentees.
Checking the external condition of the classroom.
Checking students' preparedness for the lesson.
Organization of attention.
Hello. Sit down. Everyone sat down correctly and prepared for the lesson.
A lesson presentation appears on the screen.
2. Stage of preparation for active learning of new educational material
The tasks are displayed on the screen.
- Task No. 1.
Guys, in order to start studying new material, we need to remember the main events of the periods already studied. That's why I've prepared a little quiz for you. The work is simple, objects will appear on the screen that were invented at different times and in different countries, you must remember in which. (see slide1)
- Task No. 2.
And these are the words that we will use in today's and future lessons. You have learned these words in previous lessons, so your task will be to remember them and remember the country where these words were used. (see slide 2)
3. Stage of setting the lesson goal.
Today in the lesson you will find an exciting journey to a country that is little known or not known to you at all before this lesson, but the knowledge gained in this lesson will be necessary for you for a long time - both for studying new topics in history in all subsequent classes and in lessons literature and fine arts, and just in everyday life. Many of the words and terms studied in this lesson you have already heard, as they are used in everyday life, in the media, but you will learn the meaning of these words today.
(see slides 3 and 4)
4. Stage of assimilation of new knowledge.
4.1.Geographical location and natural and climatic conditions
Ancient Rome
(Working with the map on page 203 and on the overhead projector screen.
After demonstrating geographical objects, children find the same objects on the map in the textbook) (see slides 5, 6)
The Apennine Peninsula of ancient times was called Italy. This peninsula looks like an ancient boot, with the island of Sicily located at the toe. In the north, the peninsula is separated from the European mainland by medium-high Alpine mountains. From the south, east and west, the Apennine Peninsula is washed by the seas of the Mediterranean Sea: Adriatic, Ionian, Tyrrhenian, Ligurian.
Which peninsula that you have already studied is connected to the seas of the Mediterranean Sea?
(Balkan)
Which states on this peninsula are you familiar with?
Greek states (Hellas: Athens, Sparta, Olympia, Boeotia, Thessaly, etc.
The low mountain range of the Apennines stretches across the peninsula. At the foot of the Apennines lie valleys, plains, and hilly areas that are convenient for people to live. Most of Italy has a warm, fertile climate and fertile soils. Therefore, the peoples inhabiting this territory were engaged in viticulture, gardening and growing grain crops (wheat, rye).
Remember what types of agriculture were the inhabitants of Ancient Greece engaged in?
(growing olives and viticulture)
Why weren't they growing grain crops there?
(There were no natural opportunities: mountains, little fresh water, few plains)
In the north, in the mountains there were many minerals: building stone, metals.
Conclusion: Try to combine the knowledge gained and draw a conclusion about the living and economic conditions on the Apennine Peninsula. Compare these conditions with the conditions of the Balkan Peninsula.
4.2.Peoples inhabiting the Apennine Peninsula
Work in the notebook: write down in your notebook the names of the tribes inhabiting Apennine Peninsula (Etruscans, Umbrians, Latins, Samnites, Apulians)
Which tribe occupied the largest territory?(Etruscans)
Before the Romans, the Etruscans created a highly developed civilization on the Apennine Peninsula. Until now, scientists have not unraveled the mystery of their origin. It is believed that the Etruscans came from Asia Minor at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. e. Surviving Etruscan inscriptions indicate that they used the Greek alphabet. However, their language has not been fully deciphered.
The Etruscans were excellent farmers, but they were even more famous as brave and experienced sailors. Their ships plied the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, they traded with Egypt, Phenicia, Greece, and the cities of the Iberian Peninsula. Etruscan pirates struck fear throughout the Mediterranean. The Greek myth tells that once Tyrrhenian (Etruscan) robbers even risked kidnapping the god Dionysus. Captured people were sold into slavery.
The Etruscans mastered the art of processing iron, bronze, and precious metals. They built many cities surrounded by powerful walls and towers. When laying the foundation of the city, the Etruscans plowed a furrow around the place that was intended for settlement with a plow drawn by a white cow and a white bull. . (See slide 7)
The Etruscan cities were ruled by kings. Etruscan aristocrats, at the head of armed detachments, carried out raids on neighboring lands. Victories over enemies were celebrated with special celebrations - triumphs. (see slide 8)
But already by the 8th century BC. Quite a lot of tribes of different peoples lived on the territory of the Apennine Peninsula.
What tribe inhabited the area near the city of Rome?(Latin)
4.3.The legend of the founding of Rome
Working from the textbook : read aloud “The Legend of the Founding of Rome” (pp. 204 – 206).
After reading, answer the questions: (see slide 9)
1. What was the name of the tribe located on the left bank of the Tiber River?(Latin)
2. What was the name of the king ruling in one of the Latin cities? (Numitor)
3.What can you say about his younger brother Amulya?(He was angry and envious. Amulius took away power from Numitor, and his daughter Rhea Silvia was forcibly made a vestal)
4. Who are the Vestals?(These are the priestesses of the goddess of fire and hearth Vesta)
5. So what was the name of the goddess who patronizes the hearth and family?? (Vesta)
6. What were the names of Rhea Silvia's sons?(Rem and R O mule).
7. Why do you think Amulius decided to get rid of these tiny children?(I was afraid that when they grow up, they will begin to take revenge for their grandfather and mother and begin to lay claim to power)
8. What was the name of the Latin god of war?(Mars)
9. What was the name of the god of war among the ancient Greeks?(Zeus)
10. How did two twin brothers survive?(they were fed by a she-wolf)
11. How did the relationship between the two brothers develop in the future?(they quarreled over the construction of the city and Romulus killed his brother Remus)
12. Have you ever heard of such fratricide in other religions, in other legends?(yes, in Christianity Cain kills his brother Abel).
13. Which brother is the founder of Rome?(Romulus)
14. What does Rome mean in Latin?(Roma - this is exactly what the name of Romulus sounded like)
15. Who were called lictors?(armed guard of the king)
16. Why did the lictors always carry with them a bundle of twigs and an ax?(since the king could at any moment order to flog, or even cut off the head of the guilty)
17. Do you think the people could like such a government? Why?
Work in the notebook: Write down the basic concepts in your notebook: (see slide 11)
Mars is the god of war.
Vesta is the goddess of family and guardian of the hearth.
Vestal Virgin is a priestess of the goddess Vesta.
Lictors were warrior-guards who accompanied the king.
4.4.The city on seven hills and its inhabitants
The legend about the founding of the city of Rome on the left bank of the Tiber dates this event to 753 BC. e.
Work at the board using the timeline:
Guys, we already had the elements of a history lesson, literature and writing too, and now let's spend a minute in mathematics.
Given a task. The conditions of the problem are: (see slide 12)
It's 2009 now.
Rome was founded in 753 BC. e.
Lukoyanov received the status of a district town in 1779.
Using the timeline, you need to answer three questions:
How old is Rome now?
How old is the city of Lukoyanov?
How many years are Lukoyanov younger than Rome?
1) 2010 +753 = 2763 (years) to Rome;
2) 2010 – 1779 = 231 (years) for Mr. Lukoyanov;
3) 2763 – 231 = 2532 (years) Rome is older than Lukoyanov.
PHYSICAL PAUSE(see slide 13,14)
We decided and wrote,
Together we quietly stood up.
One, two - stretched,
Three, four - smiled,
Five, six - everyone shook themselves,
Seven, eight - turned around.
They sat down, stood up, stood up, sat down,
And they didn’t hurt each other.
Hands up! Wider your shoulders!
One two Three! Breathe more smoothly!
Exercise will make you stronger
You will become stronger and stronger!
(see slide 15)
The Romans, like other ancient peoples, considered the number seven sacred. The city of Rome is located on seven hills. The main ones were the Palatine, Aventine and Capitol. On the Aventine, where, according to legend, Remus was buried, simple people settled.
The screen shows a diagram of Rome and the hills on which it is located are written.
Write down the founding date of Rome and the names of the hills in your notebook.(see slide 16)
Roman hills:
Palatine;
Aventine;
Capitol;
Caelium;
Viminal;
Quirinal;
Esquiline.
Work according to the textbook: read the text on page 207 to point 3 and tell me what the Romans did, what they grew and where they lived? (see slide 17, 18,19)
4.5.Management in Ancient Rome(see slide 20)
The Roman people were also divided into patricians and plebeians. Tradition associates the emergence of the patricians with Romulus. The first Roman king, wanting to rely on the most worthy representatives of the Roman community, singled out one hundred people who had more noble origins and personal merits. Of these, he formed a council of elders - the senate. The Senate became an important governing body, and its members were called senators. Sometimes senators were also called fathers - in Latin "patres", hence the name "patricians", that is, "descendants of the fathers". The patricians made up the Roman aristocracy. They occupied a high position in society, possessed extensive land holdings and wealth.
Write the word in your notebook: patricians - descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of Rome. (see slide 21)
The plebeians were included in the Roman people later than the patricians. Previously, it was believed that plebeians were simple people, mostly poor. A deeper study of Roman history showed that among the plebeians there were very rich families, and there were noble plebeian families. The plebeians were deprived of many rights. They could not participate in the people's assembly, in the Senate, or occupy leadership positions; they depended on the patrician court. The desire of the plebeians to gain civil rights, gain access to power, and establish their property led to their centuries-long struggle with the patricians.
Write the word in your notebook: plebeians - immigrants from different parts of Italy. (see slide 21)
Only patricians could rule Rome. The oldest representatives of the clans sat in the Senate.
The highest power belonged to the People's Assembly, consisting of male patricians. The People's Assembly was also sometimes called the Assembly of the Patricians.
The People's Assembly performed the most important functions in the state:
Chose a king who would rule for life;
Declared war;
Peace was made;
In charge of the state treasury and tax collection.
According to legend, Rome was ruled by seven kings. The first was Romulus, and the last king was called Tarquinius, nicknamed the Proud. This king was not elected, he himself seized power by killing the sixth king Servius Tullius (he is called the Roman Solon, since he carried out reforms in Rome similar to those of Solon in Athens).
Having seized power in Rome, Tarquin the Proud got rid of prominent patricians, seizing their property.
Many did not like the power of the tyrant king, so the Romans rebelled and expelled Tarquin from the city along with his family. They decided not to choose any more kings. This happened in 509 BC. But you will learn about this event in the next lesson.
5. Stage of consolidation of students' knowledge.
Chainward (see presentation) (see slides 22,23)
Chainword questions:
1.God of war among the Romans (Mars);
2. Council, in which the elders of the clans sat (Senate);
3. The river on the banks of which Rome arose (Tiber);
4.Legendary founder of Rome (Romulus);
5. A warrior from the king’s guard (lictor).
Quiz (see presentation) (see slides 25, 26)
6. Conclusion on the lesson.
Grading.
Student reflection (traffic light method).
7.The stage of informing students about homework.
Homework: (see slide 24)
Study the material in paragraph 44.
To learn new words.
Answer the questions after the paragraph.
General characteristics of ancient Italy. If the Mediterranean is rightfully considered one of the most fertile places in the world, then Italy can be called the pearl of the Mediterranean. The story of this country by all ancient and many modern writers resembles an enthusiastic panegyric. Addressing her, Virgil, the most brilliant of the Roman poets, wrote:
“Hello, Saturn’s earth, great mother of harvests!
Mother and husbands."
An excellent geographical location, a wealth of natural resources necessary for farming, a wonderful climate - all this, even in ancient times, made Italy the most prosperous and populous country in the Mediterranean, and even today it surpasses all other Mediterranean countries in population, including those , which is much wider in territory.
While in Balkan Greece only a fifth of the entire country could be used for agriculture, which is quite typical for the Mediterranean, in Italy it was more than half. It is not surprising, therefore, that many ancient writers called Italy a country of abundance and likened it to “a continuous orchard.” And even in our time, Italy is called the main garden of Europe. It ranks second in the world in olive harvesting (after Spain), and in grape harvesting and wine production it shares first and second places with France.
Italy consists of two parts: the mainland, located in the valley of the Po River (ancient Pad) at the foot of the highest Alpine mountains in Europe, and the Apennine Peninsula, narrow and long, shaped like a boot. To the south lies the vast island of Sicily, separated from Italy by the narrow Strait of Messina. In fact, it is a continuation and part of the Apennine Peninsula.
Geographical location of Italy. If you look at the map, you will immediately notice that the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily occupy a central position in the Mediterranean, separating its western part from the eastern, therefore it is equally easy to reach any area of this region from Italy. Over time, this strategically advantageous position of the country provided the Romans with the best conditions for their conquests in the Mediterranean and for the control of the captured areas.
The Alps, protecting Italy from the cold northern winds, were not an insurmountable obstacle either to the movements of peoples and armies, or to trade. Through mountain passes in the northwest and northeast, Italy was connected by a whole network of trade routes with vast areas located in the Rhine and Danube basins.
At the same time, through Sicily, which was only 160 kilometers from the African coast, Italy was closely connected with Africa. The Apennine Peninsula, stretching for a thousand kilometers from northwest to southeast, is only 70 kilometers away from the western coast of the Balkan Peninsula. Since ancient sailors preferred not to lose sight of the land, the most convenient routes for trade and military ships sailing from Europe to Africa or from Greece to Spain passed along Italy and Sicily.
Thus, the geographical position of Italy was very advantageous, since it was located at the intersection of the most important trade and strategic routes, representing, as it were, a colossal bridge connecting Europe with Africa, the Western Mediterranean with the Eastern.
However, these advantages could only be used by the inhabitants of Italy over time. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. the country, located far from the centers of the ancient civilizations of the East, was a remote corner of the Mediterranean. And subsequently it tended towards isolation and conservatism, since it was abundantly provided with natural resources, but due to the lack of convenient harbors and a developed system of islands, it was poorly connected with the sea. Italy had long remained a relatively backward peasant country, located on the periphery of the prosperous advanced Greek and Hellenistic world.
The main regions of ancient Italy. Italy was located not only at the junction of the most important sea and land routes, but also at the junction of two different worlds: the world of Western Europe and the world of the Mediterranean. In terms of natural and climatic conditions and the appearance of its inhabitants, the Po River valley was more like Western Europe than Southern Europe, and the Apennine Peninsula was part of the Mediterranean world. Italy, thus, was like a miniature copy of the entire Roman Empire.
The Po is a large, full-flowing navigable river, the largest in Italy, along with numerous tributaries flowing through the most extensive fertile plain in the Mediterranean, which in ancient times was covered with dense oak forests. Large herds of cattle and horses grazed on the vast pastures and water meadows, and herds of pigs fed on acorns on the forest edges.
By the beginning of our era, when fields, gardens and vineyards appeared in place of many forests, this area became the breadbasket of all of Italy, supplying it with wheat and meat, and remains so to this day.
The climate in Northern Italy is not Mediterranean, but moderate, like in the countries of Western Europe, although in a milder version: winters are not as cold as beyond the Alps, and summers are not very hot due to the proximity of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Gauls inhabited the Po River valley from the end of the 5th century. BC, in appearance and way of life they were very different from the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula and, until the Roman conquest, were more closely connected with their brothers beyond the Alps than with their neighbors in Central and Southern Italy. The difference in the appearance and way of life of the inhabitants of the north and south of the country continues to this day. Northern Italy was called the Romans after the people who inhabited it. Gallia Cisalpine, that is, “Gaul on this side of the Alps.” And the country located on the other side of the Alps, on the site of modern France, was called Transalpine Gaul
Along the entire Apennine Peninsula, closer to its eastern coast, stretch the low Apennine Mountains. Together with the spurs extending from the main ridge, the Apennines occupy most of the peninsula. They are not as steep and rocky as the mountains of the Balkan Peninsula, and have never been an obstacle for merchants and shepherds, and in the mountain valleys and hilly foothills, farmers reaped rich harvests.
The eastern arid coast stretches in a narrow strip between the Apennines and the sea. There is almost no bay on it that is convenient for seafarers, and besides, there are a lot of sandbanks near the shore, which are very dangerous for seafarers. Small non-navigable rivers flowing into the sea south of the Po often dried up completely in the summer and could be used instead of roads. This poor, backward area, poorly connected with the outside world, was the outskirts of Italy.
Balkan Greece faces east and Italy faces west. The most fertile, densely populated areas of the Apennine Peninsula are located on its western coast. As elsewhere in the Mediterranean, they suffer less from drought than areas on the east coast, since clouds carrying rain usually come from the west from the Atlantic Ocean and hit the mountain ranges and rain down.
On the west coast there are several bays convenient for ships, and the sea here is quieter and more welcoming. Several large rivers flow into it, which in ancient times were deep and navigable. The largest of them is the Tiber, which flows in the central part of the Apennine Peninsula.
The most fertile regions of Italy were the three vast hilly plains of the Western coast with very fertile volcanic soil: to the north and west of the Tiber lay Etruria(modern Tuscany), to the south - Latius, and even further south, in the Bay of Naples area, Campaign.
Etruria was famous for its abundance of fertile land and water: due to its numerous rivers, streams and swamps, its inhabitants had to worry not so much about irrigation as about draining the soil. It was also considered a storehouse of metals for the whole country: the best iron in Italy was mined there, as well as copper and such a rare metal as tin.
The campaign was called the Happy Campaign (lit. Happy Land of Fields). It was the most fertile place in the entire Mediterranean. The amazing combination of the most fertile soil and a wonderful mild climate made it possible to harvest from its fields not one or two, as in other places, but three or four rich harvests throughout the year. The best varieties of wheat, grapes and olives in Italy grew in Campania, the richest and most prosperous cities of the country, such as Capua, famous for its luxury, were located on its territory.
On the coast of Campania there were many bays and bays convenient for sailors, and further from the coast there were a lot of warm thermal springs that were good for health. It is not surprising that for a long time Campania was a bone of contention for many local and foreign tribes and peoples who wanted to establish themselves on its fertile land, and when it came under the rule of the Romans, it turned into an area where fashionable resorts and villas of the most influential and powerful aristocrats and even emperors.
Fertile Latium, located in the very center of the Apennine Peninsula, did not have deposits of metals like Etruria, nor such a fertile climate as Campania, but it was located at the intersection of the most important land, river and sea routes connecting the northern and southern, coastal and inland regions of the country . Latium occupied the same position in relation to Italy as she did in relation to the entire Mediterranean. In Latsia itself the most advantageous location was at Rome, which quickly became one of the largest cities in Italy.
The southern coast of Italy was called Magna Graecia, since the fertile coastal plains were home to Greek city-states founded during the Great Greek Colonization. The largest and most powerful of them was Tarentum, famous for its craft and trade, the large number and prosperity of its citizens.
Population of Italy in Antiquity Italy, with a population of 7-8 million people, was the most populous country in the Mediterranean, home to many different tribes and peoples.
By the beginning of the 1st millennium, most of the Apennine Peninsula was occupied by Italians, those who moved there, as is believed, from their ancestral homeland in the Danube region. They were divided into many tribes that spoke languages close to each other. These included the Latins, who settled in the hilly Latium, the Sabines, who lived to the north of them in the rocky foothills of the Apennines, and the Osci, who established themselves in Campania.
In the mountains of the central part of the Apennines, opposite Latium and Campania, lived tribes of cattle breeders and farmers, united in alliances. The strongest of them was Samnite, which is why this entire region was called Samnium.In the mountains of southern Italy opposite Magna Graecia lived the Lucans and Bruttians.
These related tribes belonged to different worlds: by the middle of the 1st millennium BC. The settled farmers, the Latins and the Osci, already had cities - states, writing and laws, and the highlanders, the Samnites, the Lucans and the Bruttians, lived in the old fashioned harsh tribal way of life. The warlike mountaineers had neither cities nor a state. They spent most of their time with herds that were always moving from place to place. They often supplemented their meager income through robbery, attacking wealthy neighbors who lived on the fertile plains.
The most advanced and cultured people of Italy were Greeks, lived in Magna Graecia and Campania. Their city-states by the middle of the 1st millennium BC. achieved the highest prosperity and prosperity and even eclipsed their own metropolises in wealth, beauty and luxury. Greek legislators, philosophers and orators originally from Italy were the adornment and glory of the entire Hellenic world.
The mysterious Etruscans, settled around the 8th century. BC. on the vast plain of Etruria. It is still unknown where they came from. Many modern scientists associate their origin with Asia Minor. Since the Etruscan writing system has not yet been deciphered, it remains unclear to which language family the Etruscan language belongs.
12 wealthy Etruscan city-states formed a single religious union. Etruscan aristocrats, the Lucumoni, owned large estates in which dependent peasants, in fact serfs, worked. Etruria was famous throughout Italy for its artisans (especially metalworkers), artists and sculptors, priest-soothsayers, merchants and pirates.
The Etruscans sought to subjugate and colonize the richest regions of Italy. By the 5th century BC. they founded many colonies in the Po Valley and Campania, and established control over many city-states of Latium. In alliance with the powerful Carthage, they waged a successful fight against the Greeks, who also sought to expand their possessions in Italy and on the nearby islands - Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.
But from the 5th century. BC. Etruscan successes are replaced by failures. They lose influence on Latium and Campania, and at the beginning of the next century they are forced to leave Northern Italy, which was captured by tribes Celts (Gauls).
The Gauls, who for a long time retained the harsh tribal life and passion for wars and robberies, in the 4th century. BC. begin to carry out devastating raids on Etruria and other regions of Italy. At the same time, the Samnites, Lucans and Bruttians sharply became active, plundering and ruining Campania and Magna Graecia. The world of ancient civilization was under threat.
However, by the middle of the 3rd century. BC. this threat disappeared thanks to the conquest of the entire Apennine Peninsula by Rome. At the beginning of the 2nd century. BC. The Romans finally conquered Cisalpine Gaul. Civilization has defeated barbarism.
Peace, tranquility and prosperity are gradually being established throughout this vast country. But the price of this was the disappearance of many peoples, languages and cultures by the beginning of our era. All the inhabitants of Italy become Romans, speak Latin and differ little from each other.
The only exception to the general rule were the Greeks who lived in Campania and Southern Italy. All of them are in the 1st century. BC. became Roman citizens, but retained their native language, customs and traditions in their cities. Until the 18th century. Greek remained the spoken language in some areas of southern Italy.
The natural conditions of the Apennine Peninsula are more favorable for the development of human society than many of the neighboring areas of the Mediterranean. Even in ancient times, the Greeks began to call it Italy. Initially, Italy meant only the south of the peninsula, abounding in rich pastures. This name comes from the word “Vitulus” - calf, bull. Hence the name Vitalia, or Italia, literally “Country of Calves”. In the 3rd century. BC e. this early name was extended to the entire Apennine Peninsula, and in the 1st century. BC e. The concept of “Italy” also included the northern part of modern Italy up to the Alps.
Italy's natural northern border is the Alps. From the east, Italy is washed by the Adriatic, from the south by the Ionian, and from the west by the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian seas.
In the first half of the 1st millennium BC. e. Italy's climate was wetter and cooler than it is today. The northern regions were in the temperate climate zone. The rest of Italy, lying in the subtropics, had a warm, mild climate. Rainfall fell in the now arid south. Bad weather was rare, the sky was almost always blue and clear, and the sea was warm.
The vegetation in ancient Italy was varied and rich. The steep Alpine mountains at an altitude of up to 1700 m were covered with coniferous trees - pine, fir, spruce. Below them were replaced by broad-leaved species - beech, oak, chestnut. In Central Italy they mixed with evergreen cypresses, pine trees, oleanders, and myrtles and laurels grew on the slopes of the Apennines.
Southern Italy is characterized by evergreen vegetation. Since ancient times, apple trees, pear trees, and grapes grew in Italy; in the middle and southern parts of the peninsula, olive and pomegranate trees and almonds bore fruit generously. The cereals cultivated were barley, wheat, spelt, and millet. The ancient Romans sowed flax and grew legumes and garden crops.
Rome (Italian: Roma [ˈroːma]) is the capital of Italy, the administrative center of the province of Rome and the region of Lazio. Located on the Tiber River.
Rome is one of the oldest cities in the world, the ancient capital of the Roman Empire. Even in antiquity (III century AD), Rome was often called the Eternal (lat. Roma Aeterna). One of the first to call Rome this way was the Roman poet Albius Tibullus (1st century BC) in his second elegy. Ideas about the “eternity” of Rome were largely preserved even after the fall of ancient Roman civilization, bringing the corresponding epithet into modern languages. Rome is also called the “city on seven hills”. Initially, the settlements were located on the Palatine Hill, later the neighboring hills were inhabited: the Capitol and the Quirinal. Somewhat later, settlements appeared on the last four hills (Caelius, Aventine, Esquiline and Viminal).
The climate of Rome is subtropical Mediterranean. Maximum precipitation is observed in winter; in summer precipitation is relatively rare. There is no climatic winter (that is, a period when the average daily temperature is steadily below zero); During the winter months, temperatures usually range between 5 -10 degrees. In general, the climate is characterized by very long and hot summers and mild, rainy winters. In winter, frosts and snowfalls are rare, and in summer temperatures can exceed 40 degrees.
Climate of Rome Indicator Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Absolute maximum, °C 20, 8 21, 6 26, 6 27, 2 33, 1 37, 8 39, 4 40, 6 38, 4 30, 7 26, 5 20, 3 40, 6 Average maximum, °C 12, 0 12, 8 15, 4 18, 1 23, 1 27, 0 30, 2 30, 4 26, 4 21, 9 16, 5 12, 8 20, 6 Average temperature, °C 8, 1 8, 5 10, 8 13, 6 17, 7 21, 4 24, 2 24, 5 21, 1 17, 4 12, 7 9, 3 15, 8 Average minimum , °C 3, 3 3, 4 5, 5 8, 0 12, 0 15, 8 18, 5 18, 8 15, 7 12, 2 7, 8 4, 9 10, 5 Absolute minimum, °C − 11 − 6, 9 − 6, 5 − 2, 4 1, 8 5, 6 9, 1 9, 3 4, 3 0, 8 − 5, 2 − 5, 6 − 11 Precipitation rate, mm 55 59 53 63 32 20 13 18 63 105 94 89 663
Loading...