Rome was originally built upon seven hills, at the bank of Tiber river. Over the years, Rome has had an advantage from where it stands. 23 km east off the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.Rome's location offered several advantages. One of the advantages was the protection of the hills and mountains found in the peninsula. Two major group of mountains found in Italy were very important on the development of ancient Rome. These two groups of mountains helped to protect Rome from outside attacks. Rome sits on the Italian Peninsula, giving good access to trade and send off ships, therefore gaining wealth in the ancient Rome times. SOURCE: CIA Factbook