It helped farmers produce a consistent supply of food, which enabled the economy to diversify.

It lengthened the military campaign season, which made rapid conquest easier.

It made it easy to grow spices but hard to grow food crops, which contributed to the need to establish trade.

It fostered tropical diseases, which promoted rapid medical and scientific advancements.

the Euphrates River valley

the middle of Italy

the mountains of central Europe

the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea

annual flooding

advanced farming methods

a mild climate

government-run farms

They funneled European trade routes directly into Rome.

They made travel across the Italian Peninsula difficult.

They provided runoff that ensured Rome an adequate water supply.

The limited Rome's connections with other European peoples.

foreign invaders

farmers and domestic workers

merchants and traders

religious missionaries

Rome was close enough to use the river for access to the sea, but too far to use the river for agricultural purposes.

Rome was close enough to use the river to import grain from nearby civilizations, but far enough away to avoid damage from routine flooding.

Rome was close enough to use the river to irrigate fields, but too far to use it as a reliable source of travel.

Rome was close enough to use the river for agricultural and trade, but far enough away to be protected from foreign invasion.

proximity to important shipping lanes

nearby supplies of gold and silver

production of spices and silk

large agricultural food surpluses

major military victories

emperors and gods

governmental buildings and temples

scenes from faraway places

political turmoil in the provinces

deadly communicable diseases

deepening religious conflict

reliance on foreign grain

Roman ambassadors signed treaties with Indian rulers

Roman trade networks reached all the way to India

the Roman army attempted to invade India at one point

the Roman Empire controlled India for a period of time

Central Asian steppe

European continent

Iberian Peninsula

Southwest Asian desert

trade

shipbuilding

iron-working

fishing

How can we protect borders that are thousands of miles long?

How can we put former soldiers to work so they will not pose a threat?

How can we ensure an adequate food supply for the city?

How can we control trade between our population and foreign peoples?

They produced coins in a way that made them harder to counterfeit.

They minted coins in different denominations with a set value for each.

They made coins heavy enough to make them hard to steal.

They signed trade agreements so that their coins would be used more widely.