on some clocks and watches. They
are used to indicate dates on monuments
and buildings. They are also used
to number the front pages of books.
Kings, queens, and popes who have the
same name often put Roman numerals
after their name.
#More to explore
Numbers and Number Systems • Rome,
Ancient
Roman numerals are often used
on clocks.
86 Roman Numerals BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Rome
Population
(2007 estimate)
2,705,603;
urban area,
3,339,000
Rome is the capital of Italy, a country in
southern Europe. In ancient times it was
the capital of the mighty Roman
Empire. Today the city is a center of
culture and tourism. People from all
over the world travel to Rome to see its
historic monuments and art treasures.
Rome lies on the Tiber River. It was
built on seven hills. Rome surrounds
Vatican City, the center of Roman
Catholicism. Vatican City has been an
independent country since 1929.
Places of Interest
Rome is filled with notable palaces,
churches, and public squares called piazzas.
The city also has more than 300
public fountains. Museums such as the
Borghese Gallery display famous works
of art.
The remains of many ancient monuments
still stand in Rome. The Colosseum
was an outdoor arena with rings of
seats. Fighters called gladiators fought
fierce battles there. The buildings of the
Roman Forum were the center of public
life in ancient Rome. Ancient art can
also be seen in the Capitoline Museums.
Economy
The economy of Rome is largely based
on government and tourism. Other
leading industries include construction,
publishing, and services such as banking
and trade. The city also has some manufacturing.
History
People settled in the Rome area more
than 2,700 years ago. In the 500s BC the
city became a state called a republic.
Soon Rome began taking over other
lands. By the 1st century AD the republic
had become a huge and powerful
empire. Rome was the capital of the
Roman Empire until AD 330.
In the 500s the pope—the leader of the
Roman Catholic church—began taking
control of Rome and the surrounding
area. The popes ruled Rome for hundreds
of years.
In the 1400s and 1500s Rome was a
center of the artistic movement called
the Renaissance. Great artists created
Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous
sights in Rome, Italy. A legend says that
visitors who throw a coin into the fountain
will return to Rome one day.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Rome 87
buildings, paintings, and sculptures
throughout the city.
In 1861 the Kingdom of Italy was
created. But the pope still ruled Rome.
In 1870 Italian troops marched into
Rome. The city then became the capital
of Italy.
#More to explore
Gladiator • Italy • Renaissance • Roman
Catholicism • Rome, Ancient • Vatican
City
Rome, Ancient
The ancient city of Rome was the center
of one of the largest and most powerful
empires the world has ever seen. The
Roman Empire was based in what is
now Italy.With its great army, it conquered
other lands and peoples around
the Mediterranean Sea. The empire
spread across Europe and into western
Asia and northern Africa.
Roman Culture
Ancient Rome made many lasting contributions
to world culture. But the
Romans also absorbed the culture of the
peoples they conquered. For instance,
the Romans took many ideas about art
from the ancient Greeks. Romans also
worshipped many Greek gods, which
they gave new names. Later, Rome
adopted Christianity, a religion from the
Middle East.
Painting, sculpture, and other forms of
art were important to the Romans.
Architects built huge buildings that were
central to Roman life, including the
Colosseum.
88 Rome, Ancient BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Roman writers wrote history, comedy,
tragedy, and poetry. From Latin, the
ancient Roman language, many other
languages later developed. These languages,
known as the Romance languages,
include French, Spanish,
Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian.
People today use the Latin alphabet to
write these and otherWestern languages,
including English.
History
Kingdom
According to legend, twin brothers
named Romulus and Remus founded
Rome in 753 BC. Shortly before 600 BC,
warriors from Etruria, a region north of
Rome, attacked the city. The warriors,
called Etruscans, conquered Rome.
Rome grew steadily under Etruscan
kings. In about 509 BC the Romans
forced the last Etruscan king out of the
city. Rome then became a republic. This
meant that the Roman people elected
the government.
Republic
The most important Roman leaders
were called consuls. There were two consuls.
Assemblies, or groups, of adult
male Roman citizens chose both consuls.
At first the consuls had to be patricians,
or members of upper-class families.
An important group called the Senate
gave advice to the consuls. The members,
called senators, were patricians.
They met in a public building called the
Forum. The Senate grew more powerful
over the years.
Most Romans were not patricians but
plebeians, or common people. The plebeians
staged an uprising in 494 BC.
They gradually won more power. By
367 BC one of the two consul positions
was set aside for the plebeians.
Rome suffered some setbacks as it slowly
expanded its territory. In about 390 BC a
