How did the location of Italy help launch the Roman empire?

Answer 1

Italy is positioned in the Mediterranean in a spot that gives easy access to the whole of the coast. It has fertile land and a supply of stone to build with. Its only land border with another country is a mountain range, making Italy hard to invade.

Answer 2

The expansion of ancient Rome into a world empire is an almost perfect example of geo-politics and the ensuing warfare that followed. And, Rome's location on the Italian peninsula was ideal for dominating the origin of its empire.The Italian peninsula extends into the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. It "divides" the sea and its surrounding land masses, giving ancient Rome access to the Mediterranean civilizations, such as ancient Greece, via land and sea. The peninsula's extension into Sicily made this large island a stepping stone into North Africa.Once Carthage had been reduced, the Roman roadways and the Roman fleet provided access to every part of what would become its empire.

The Punic Wars were a blessing to expansionist Rome in that prior to its conflict with Carthage, Rome had no military fleet to speak of. Carthage's control and sphere of influence in the Iberian peninsula, now became part of Rome's empire at the end of the Second Punic War.

Gaul, modern day France, bordered on Spain and what could be considered the northern part of the Italian peninsula. From Gaul, the British Isles became accessible to Rome.

These conquests by Rome and the others that followed, such as Egypt, were aided and abetted

by the location of the Italian peninsula.