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Rome History, Italy

The Eternal City, the Cradle of the Republic, the Pinnacle of Western Civilization… these and many others are the aliases of Rome. The beginning of this city played a vital role in the coursing and mapping of world history and has been the subject of both myths and facts alike. Poets and patrons made and told stories about this magnificent city of the gods. In hearing so, one may recall the tale of Prince Aeneas when he started the founding of a city that was later to be named Rome, after the fall of Troy from the Greeks; or the tale of the founder twins Romulus and Remus who were raised by a she-wolf as infants.

The city of Rome is one of the oldest and the most preserved to date. There are speculations that set the proximate era of its establishment. Despite the claims of the Romans that they were able to establish the eternal city in 753 B.C., views and analyses of modern historians suggest that the recognition of Rome as a city was not proven until over a century later in 625 B.C.

Rome started as a small settlement in Latin-speaking vicinity on the Western side of the Italian Peninsula. This group of people where the first Roman predecessors came about is called the Latiums. During the early development of Rome, its type of rule is actually monarchic in nature. This political arrangement continued even after the takeover of the Etruscans. However, after the last three Etruscan monarchs that ruled Rome, the concept of a “Republic” came to being, following the ouster of the last monarch in the year 510 B.C.

The onset of this new political era in the timeline of Rome brought about neo-political and neo-social structures. Some of these include the senate- political body composed of nobles that serve as advisors to the consul and the imperium- the entity that embodies the civil and executive power of the consul. One of the most notable changes in the newly formed structure is the classification or stratification of citizenship. During this period, there are four categories of citizenship based on political and social functions. These groups are the slaves, the plebeians (free people or the working class), the equestrians   (members of the Roman Army) and the patricians (nobles). From 625 B.C. until the middle of the third century A.D., Rome had assessed its presence as the greatest empire that was ever built.

The rich history of Rome was largely fueled by political undertakings, in 69 A.D. there were even four emperors at the same time. The changes in the social system from monarchic to republic to the time of emperors are but fragments of a very colorful and larger than life historical ‘facts and figures’ that is Rome.

The fall of the Roman Empire to the Visigoths in 476 A.D., last roman emperor was Romulus Augustulus, has not been extravagantly portrayed in the chronicles of the Roman existence for it is plainly dwarfed by the beauty and grandeur that was Rome.

 
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  • MadSuhMy first visit in Rome
    review by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    I guess most tourists are doing the same thing when they first visit Rome. It's a pain, but then Rome is so amazing that you just don't mind. The first day, we started out by taking the bus to downtown. I guess the best location to start out is Piazza Venezia from where you can get to all...
  • MadSuhPublic transportation in Rome
    review by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    After a little fight with the police lady that caught us on the bus without a ticket, we were a bit agitated but still in good shape. And no, we did not go to the world's most important church because we wanted to wash ourselves clean from our terrible sin that morning :) Seriously, I was so mad...
  • cipristbSt. Peter Basilica in Rome is a must see
    review by cipristb posted more then 30 days ago
    Basilica of St. Peter is one of the main attractions for tourists visiting Rome. It is located in Vatican City in the famous "Piazza San Pietro. The building today is the result of work across several centuries. Originally it was the monument where St. Peter was martyred and buried. Between...
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Read our members' travel tips about Rome


  • MadSuhFonatana di Trevi
    travel tip by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    Fontana di Trevi is one of the most beautiful fountains in the world. It must be! Obviously quite different from spectacular modern fountains this is a place of history and beauty. The fountain stands 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and is...
  • dpassThe living museum
    travel tip by dpass posted more then 30 days ago
    The Eternal City...a living museum that one must see and experience.
  • MadSuhColosseum
    travel tip by MadSuh posted more then 30 days ago
    Colosseum: While most guides will tell you to visit the Colosseum, I would recommend a nice stroll around it. The impressive part is the outside. If you really want to go inside, you should go early in the morning so you don't have to...
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Rome City Ratings

  • Rating91%
    City Rank68
     
  • History & Culture: rated for 100%
  • Night Life & Entertainment: rated for 93%
  • Family & Fun: rated for 68%
  • Outdoors Activities: rated for 65%
  • Food: rated for 100%
  • Sightseeing: rated for 100%
  • Shopping: rated for 94%
  • Public Transportation: rated for 88%
  • Must visit this place: rated for 100%
  
 
 
 
  
Rome is one of the "must visit" tourist destinations in the world. This rank is based on what other travelers shared about their experiences in Rome
 
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