Ancient Rome was a major civilization that began on the Italian peninsula in the 8th century BC, growing to become one of the largest empires in history with vast territories across Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Its contributions to government, law, architecture, and culture laid the foundations for modern societies, and despite the fall of the Western Empire in the 5th century due to internal instability and external attacks, the Eastern Roman Empire persisted for another thousand years. Today, Rome remains a key tourist destination, renowned for its historical sites and culinary heritage.

2.  Ancient Rome was an Italic civilization that began on the Italian
Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the
Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to
become one of the largest empires in the ancient world with an
estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants (roughly 20% of the world's
population and covering 6.5 million square kilometers
(2.5 million sq mi) during its height between the first and second
centuries AD. In its
approximately 12 centuries of existence, Roman civilization shifted
from a monarchy to a classical republic to an increasingly autocratic
empire. Through conquest and assimilation, it came to dominate
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, parts of
Northern Europe, and parts of Eastern Europe. Rome was
preponderant throughout the Mediterranean region and was one of
the most powerful entities of the ancient world. It is often grouped
into "Classical Antiquity" together with ancient Greece, and their
similar cultures and societies are known as the Greco-Roman world.

3.  The Romans are still remembered today, including
names such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Augustus. Ancient
Roman society contributed greatly to government, law,
politics, engineering, art, literature, architecture, technology,
warfare, religion, language, society and more in the Western
world. A civilization highly developed for its time, Rome
professionalized and greatly expanded its military and
created a system of government called res publica, the
inspiration for modern republics such as the United States
and France. It achieved impressive technological and
architectural feats, such as the construction of an extensive
system of aqueducts and roads, as well as large monuments,
palaces, and public facilities.

4.  By the end of the Republic, Rome had conquered the
lands around the Mediterranean and beyond: its domain
extended from the Atlantic to Arabia and from the mouth of
the Rhine to North Africa. The Roman Empire emerged under
the leadership of Augustus Caesar. Under Trajan, the Empire
reached its territorial peak. Republican mores and traditions
started to decline during the imperial period, with civil wars
becoming a common ritual for a new emperor's rise. States,
such as Palmyra, temporarily divided the Empire in a third-
century crisis. Soldier emperors reunified it, by dividing the
empire between Western and Eastern halves.
 Plagued by internal instability and attacked by various
migrating peoples, the western part of the empire broke up
into independent kingdoms in the 5th century. This
splintering is a landmark historians use to divide the ancient
period of universal history from the pre-mediaeval "Dark
Ages" of Europe.

5.  The Eastern Roman Empire survived this crisis and was
governed from Constantinople after the division of the
Empire. It comprised Greece, the Balkans, Asia Minor, Syria
and Egypt. Despite the later loss of Syria and Egypt to the
Arab-Islamic Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire continued for
another millennium, until its remnants were annexed by the
emerging Turkish Ottoman Empire. This eastern, Christian,
medieval stage of the Empire is usually called the Byzantine
Empire by historians.

6.  Rome is a city and special commune (named "Roma
Capitale") in Italy. Rome is the capital of Italy and also of
the Province of Rome and of the region of Lazio.
 Rome today is one of the most important tourist
destinations of the world, due to the incalculable
immensity of its archaeological and artistic treasures, as
well as for the charm of its unique traditions, the beauty
of its panoramic views, and the majesty of its
magnificent "villas" (parks). Rome is also one of world's
most photogenic cities and that’s because there are
many famous structures like the Vatican, Trevi
Fountain, St Peter's Square, Spanish Steps and the
Colosseum.

7.  There are also some famous attractions like the Roman &
Imperial Forums, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps (Piazza di
Spagna), the Castel Sant'Angelo, the Piazza Navona, the
Piazza del Popolo and the Vittorio Emanuele II monument.
Rome is also known for its cuisine. Some famous dishes are
pizza, spaghetti, Suppli and Filetti di baccala.
Names: George
Stathis
George
Basilis

8. The Trevi Fountain