Imagine that you are trying to build a huge empire. The first thing that you would have to consider is location. Where would you want your empire to be? The location and surrounding geographical features of a civilization can affect its expansion and power quite a lot. Take, for example, the great Roman Empire, one of the most powerful civilizations of its time. The geographic features of the area where Rome began and where it expanded to, including mountains, rivers, surrounding seas, and even the location of Rome itself, contributed to the creation of a strong empire. The mountains near the Italian Peninsula, the Alps and the Apennines, helped the city of Rome survive and prosper. The Apennine mountains served as a backbone for the Italian peninsula and sheltered Rome from most harsh weather. The mild climate that this protection produced eventually allowed the Romans to grow many crops, including grain, olives, citrus, and grapes. The Alps, on the other hand, protected Rome from other threats. …show more content…
The river’s deposition created lots of rich, fertile farmland for Rome. The Tiber also helped Rome’s farms by providing water for irrigation systems, which were used to bring water to crops farther away from the river. Rich soil and water for irrigation both contributed to great agriculture in Rome, and eventually a surplus of goods to trade. The Tiber River was also prominent in Rome’s system of trade. After all, what’s a better trade route than a river leading directly to the ocean? Goods and crops were able to travel up and down the Tiber to other parts of Italy, as well as out to the Mediterranean Sea and other regions. In pretty much the same way, many Romans could use the river as transportation around Italy and to the sea, increasing trade and spread of important ideas, All in all, the Tiber River was an important factor in the power and extent of the Roman