Ancient Roman Empire Rome had a war god in its lineage and wolf milk in its
             belly, implying that its citizens had a knack for warfare, which they would prove again
             and again. Early in Rome's history, the city was conquered by the Etruscans, the most
             notable civilization in Italy before Rome's rise to power. The Etruscans, who would
             influence Roman civilization, had migrated to Italy from Asia Minor, probably in the 12th
             century BC. Their distant past is a mystery, because their language has no relationship to
             any other group of languages. Their Italian homeland, Etruria, consisted of a loose
             confederation of city-states. They were noted for their metalworking and their fine
             pottery. The Etruscans were at the height of their power during the 6th century BC. By
             500 BC their civilization was in decline, and at about that time the Romans rose up and
             claimed power in their city, establishing a republic.
             A patrician class initially ruled Rome, but over time the Plebs, or common people,
             gained influence. As late as 390 BC, when Greece and Persia were great powers in the
             world, Rome was still so weak that it was sacked by the Gauls. However, during the 4th
             and 3rd centuries BC, the Romans became masters of central and southern Italy. Roman
             armies entered Greece, where they were both conquerors and conquered. They defeated
             the Greek armies, but they were overawed by Greek culture and brought back to Rome a
             Rome's most powerful rival was now the distant city of Carthage, ruler of north
             Africa and the western Mediterranean. During the Punic Wars, Rome suffered the
             humiliation of seeing a Carthaginian army on its soil for more than a decade. Neither
             Rome nor Carthage, led by the great general Hannibal, could prevail. Finally, the
             Carthaginians were forced to withdraw, and Rome chased them home to Africa. In 202
             BC at the Battle of Zama, Rome defeated Carthage. The two nations lived in...