.Geography and Climate of Italian Peninsula

          Italy is a long, narrow peninsula what is in a distinctive shape; that of resembling a high-heeled boot with it's heel towards Greece and it's toe as if it was "kicking" Sicily. Across the very top of this peninsula, are the Alps, these are the mountains which makes Italy cut off from the other European lands. This is not the only mountain range though, there are the Apennines which run on the east of the peninsula from north to south.
In some ways the Italian peninsula has similarities to Greece yet the Apennines mountain range is not as rugged.
Since Italy's mountains can be crossed more easily the result is the peninsula not being divided into many small, separate communities such as Greece. Also the farmland was better for Italy since there was flat land, and could support crops. With the farming, the population of Italy could be more. The climate of Italy was quite mild and throughout the peninsula there is mostly what is called a Mediterranean climate, yet where the mountainous regions are located the climate tends to be quite a bit cooler. The climate and the rich soil which is good for crops is what most probably attracted the first people to come to settle within Italy. These newcomers settled upon the hills and the plains. Within these people were Latins who would then develop Rome. Rome was developed on the Latium plain which is located in central Italy. This is around 24 kilometers up the Tiber River starting from the Mediterranean Sea. This was good for the Romans because it allowed them a close source of water plus a simple enough way to the rest of the world located within the Mediterranean. Yet this was all far so that Rome would not have to deal with the dangers of raids from pirates. This was substantial enough protection but Rome was also created on seven hills which were steep, so they would protect against any enemy attackers. Due to the fact that you could also cross the Tiber River quite easily, Rome became a place in which people who traveled north and south  within western Italy and merchants upon the west Mediterranean sea could stop.