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Rome: Ancient Rome
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The original language of Rome was Latin, which evolved during the Middle Ages into Italian. The latter emerged as the confluence of various regional dialects, among which the Tuscan dialect predominated, but the population of Rome ... developed its own dialect, the Romanesco. The ancient romanesco, used during the Middle Ages, was a southern Italian dialect, very close to the Neapolitan. The influence of the Florentine culture during the renaissance, and, above all, the immigration to Rome of many Florentines who were among the two Medici Popes' (Leo X and Clement VII) suite, caused a strong change of the dialect, which resembled more the Tuscan varieties (the immigration of Florentines was mainly due to the Sack of Rome in 1527 and the subsequent demographic decrease). This remained largely confined to Rome until the 19th century, but then expanded other zones of Lazio (Civitavecchia, Latina), from the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the rising population of Rome and to better transportation systems. As a consequence, Romanesco abandoned its traditional forms to mutate into the dialect spoken within the city, which is more similar to standard Italian, although remaining distinct from other Romanesco-influenced local dialects of Lazio.
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Even on the Day of Pentecost, "Roman strangers" (advenœ Romani, Acts 2:10) were present at Jerusalem, and they surely must have carried the good news to their fellow-citizens at Rome. Ancient tradition assigns to the year 42 the first coming of St. Peter to Rome, though, according to the pseudo-Clementine Epistles, St. Barnabas was the first to preach the Gospel in the Eternal City. Under Claudius (c. A.D. 50), the name of Christ had become such an occasion of discord among the Hebrews of Rome that the emperor drove them all out of the city, though they were not long in returning. About ten years later Paul ... arrived, a prisoner, and exercised a vigorous apostolate during his sojourn. The Christians were numerous at that time, even at the imperial Court.
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The center of Rome is surrounded by some large green areas and opulent ancient villas, which are the remains of the crowns of villas which encircled the papal city. Most of them were largely destroyed by real estate speculation at the end of the 19th century. The most important among the surviving ones are:
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History permeates every corner of the magnificent city of Rome, famed as the Eternal City. Situated on seven hills along the Tiber River in central Italy—the site of settlements dating from 1500 BC—ancient Rome arose as a republic and a significant world force in the 6th century BC. The empire reached its zenith during the early 2nd century AD. The urban population swelled, aqueducts brought fresh water to the city, and a succession of emperors built splendid temples, forums, and other landmarks, including the Colosseum. After centuries of decline, the legendary city regained its cultural dominance during the Renaissance. Designated the capital of a united Italy in 1871, Rome has experienced expansion ever since.
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This article tells the myth of Romulus and Remus, the founders of the ancient city of Rome. This entire issue of Calliope deals with the heroes and heroines of early Roman. Some of the other stories included in this issue are: the death of Lucretia, the military exploits of Horatius Cocles and Mucius Scaevola, and the bravery of Cincinnatus.
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These are questions to think about as you read about and explore the history of Ancient Rome. There may not be a single correct answer. For those with concrete answers, you may need to explore further than the linked article on the Eras of Roman History.
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