The History of Rome

The History of Rome - The origins of its foundation

Many hypotheses have been put forward on the historical origins of Rome based on archaeological and glottological research. Some scholars argue for the existence of Rome even before Etruscan domination; others argue for an Etruscan origin.
Rome, a Latin-Sabian city .
For scholars who support this hypothesis, the first settlements in the Latin area date back to the 10th century B.C. and the city would have arisen, not by association, but by successive expansions of a primitive nucleus during the 9th and 13th centuries B.C.
Rome, an Etruscan city .
For the supporters of this hypothesis, there are traces of pre-Etruscan settlements on the Palatine, but these only represented confederations between villages. It was the Etruscans who first introduced the 'city-state' type in Italy. However, if Rome is not properly of Etruscan origin, the city constitution is certainly Etruscan.

The historical origins of Rome

According to tradition, the city of Rome was founded on 21 April 753 BC. In reality, it arose little by little, one district at a time. The first hill to be occupied was perhaps the Palatine, where a Latin colony settled around the 10th century on that very side overlooking the Tiber. At that point the river is divided by the Tiberina island, an obligatory point of passage not only for the trade that took place between north and south, but also for the trade that developed from the sea towards the interior of Latium and central Italy by river. The oldest archaeological remains found on the Palatine attest to the existence of a village of huts surrounded by an embankment: the square Rome of tradition. Not long afterwards, the gradual development of an economy of exchange urged the creation of trading emporiums, where incoming goods flowed in and those to be exported departed from. Subsequently, thanks to the conformation that nature had given the place, surrounding it with hills far from the sea, it became an ideal place to be safe from danger. It was thus that new Latin populations from the interior were induced to occupy other areas (Esquiline, Caelian, Quirinal and Capitoline) and to give rise between the 10th and 7th centuries BC. C. , to new villages. These, united in a sacred league, founded Rome and began, with a monarchical experience, the millennial history of the eternal city.