Geography
Cities
Alexandria
Alexandria was once one of the most prosperous cities in the ancient world. It was a port city in North Egypt, leading out to the Mediterranean Sea. It had a large green lighthouse called the Pharos of Alexandria, which was considered the 7th wonder of the ancient world. It also had a huge library with over 700,000 papyrus scrolls. When Rome took it over, it was made into a province. This city was a major area of conflict between Pagans and Christians.
Naples
Naples is a major Italian city. It is located in the southern half of Italia. Naples is located on the coast in the Campania region. It is just north of Mt. Vesuvius and Pompeii. It shares borders on the gulf of Naples.
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees mountains are between modern day France and Spain. This range separates the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of the Roman world. Because of this there are many trading routes from ancient times still in the mountains. The Gallic side is quite barren while the Spanish side is lush and vibrant.
Mountains
Mt. Etna
Mt. Etna is located near the northeast tip of Sicily, just south of Italy. It is an active volcano with eruptions dating back to 123 BCE and is still active even to this day. It is a stratovolcano that is very steep. In the time of ancient Rome, it was believed that the God, Vulcan, had a forge inside of the mountain. Romans used this theory to explain the eruptions from the mountaion. It was also believed that cyclopes lived in caves in the mountain.
Bodies of Water
Nile
The Nile River is referred to as the Nilus. It is located in Egypt. The river annually floods, depositing sediment. This allows for the the area around the Nile to be great for agriculture, feeding the Egyptian civilization. It also allows for trade up and down the the river. Unlike most rivers, it flows from the south to the north.
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea is located north of the Mediterranean Sea and borders greece and Asia minor. Its major intake is from the Black Sea. The Aegean Sea is home to many islands, most significantly it is the location of Crete. The Aegean Sea quite large and is about 83,000 sq. miles.
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