Journal 10-1-04

How did Italy’s location benefit Roman power?

Unlike the location of Greece with many mountains and valleys, the location of Italy is somewhat flat. Even the mountains that run through Italy like a backbone, the Apennine Mountains, are less rugged than the mountains of Greece. Italy is located in a peninsula, which helped them trade with neighboring countries, and gives them an advantage to expanding. In addition to all of this, Italy also has fertile plains. They are located in both the north (under the shadow of the Alps), and also in the west where the Romans settled. Having fertile lands makes a country much wealthier than a country with rugged terrain, and gives the country with fertile land an advantage over all countries without.  Being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea on three sides also gives Italy an advantage over attackers because they can spot them from further away, and can attack first. Italy, compared to Greece, has many more advantages over them, thus making Italy the more powerful and wealthier country.