Rome, Italy
Rome was the heart of the Ancient Roman empire which was one of the largest in history, spanning across Europe and North Africa. Much of Roman civilisation was inherited from the Ancient Greeks, and Rome became a centre for the development of many fields such as art, architecture, law, literature, technology and religion, with its influence still felt in the Western World today. Rome began life as a small agricultural village, growing over time and changing from a monarchy to an elected republic state. The change in governance came with its controversies, and Rome was outgrowing the amount of food it could grow, leading to its reliance on food imports from its empirical colonies in Siciliy and North Africa. However, supply interruptions due to piracy, poor weather and war often meant a shortage of food and lead to riots.
When Augustus rose to power, he began the transformation of Rome through beautification of the city, and investment in public services. He also set about the creation of innovative and grand architecture and restoring religion into Roman society. The legacy of Augustus was to show that emperors were ultimately responsible for the society upon which they ruled, and the people who lived in the empire.