How did Italy's topography and geographic location affect Rome's development?

Some ways that Italy's topography and geography affected Rome:

1. Rome is very central to the Italian peninsula.  Therefore, it was in a good place for benefitting from trade within Italy.  Rome was also able to benefit from trade because it was built at a good place to ford the Tiber River.  That meant lots of trade would come through Rome as well.


2. Italy has a lot of good farmland, unlike Greece, and so Italy could support a large population.  That large population helped Rome become a power.


3. Italy sticks down into the middle of the Mediterrranean.  Once Rome conquered Italy, it was well placed for trading around the Mediterannean and also for controlling other areas on the coasts of that sea.