Summary
Geography and Early History of Ancient Rome

a Gallo-Roman harvesting machine

A Gallo-Roman harvesting machine

The geography of the Italian Peninsula played an important role in the development of Rome. The peninsula is centrally located in the Mediterranean Sea, and the city of Rome is in the center of Italy. Its central location helped the Romans expand into lands around the Mediterranean and become prosperous through trade. Additionally, the Mediterranean Sea and Alps Mountains served to protect the peninsula from invasions by outside forces.