Rome. The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002

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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002.

Rome


Capital of Italy, largest city in the country, and seat of the Roman Catholic Church (see Vatican City State; see also Vatican), located on the Tiber River in west-central Italy. Rome is one of the world’s great centers of history, art, architecture, and religion.	1
‡ Rome was the capital of the Roman Republic (fourth century to first century B.C.) and the Roman Empire (first century B.C. to fifth century A.D.), whose domains, at their height, spread from Great Britain to present-day Iran and included all the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.	2
‡ In A.D. 800, Rome again became associated with imperial power when Charlemagne was crowned there as the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.	3
‡ Rome was proclaimed capital of Italy in 1871, after Italian forces took control of the city from the pope.	4
‡ It is called the “Eternal City.”	5
‡ “All roads lead to Rome” is a well-known proverb.	6
‡ Ancient Rome is often referred to as the “City of Seven Hills” because it was built on seven hills surrounded by a line of fortifications.	7
‡ Its landmarks include the Colosseum, the Appian Way, the Pantheon, the Forum, the Arch of Constantine, and Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.	8

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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