Rome before it was the Superpower we know it as a town built around seven hills for defense surrounded by swamps in the town was built near a fjord and an intersection point for traders and allowed for easy access to wealth for expansion. The legend of the founding of Rome involves two brothers, sons of a king kidnapped and thrown into the Tiber River by their uncle, and they survived by feeding off the milk of a she wolfs and after becoming men they killed their uncle and then Romulus killed Remus. This legend was created because the Romans wanted to be seen as a fierce and proud warrior people who Like their ancestor took what they wanted.  The Romans were a war like people to begin with fighting with both their neighbor and invaders The Romans were allied with and ruled over by the empire of The Etruscan who had brisk trades with Greece and other cultures. This is how the Romans learned about the Greeks and their gods, but the Names were changed in translation.

Link to image: https://www.walksinsiderome.com/blog/about-rome/7-hills-of-rome/

Romes's expansion eventually ended the Celtic civilizations massive reign on Europe.  The Celts were not a united empire, but massive tribes with similar cultures and beliefs to one another, and that helped them get along. The Celts were a warrior people with harsh laws and punishments for crimes against each other, while not specified it could be believed that they are referring to the blood debt. The Celts had plenty of contact with the Mediterranean and were ready to trade just as they were eager and ready to raid.  The Celts eventually began to gain an expansionist Ideology and spread across Europe becoming warlike. When the Romans first captured the Celts, they believed them to be slightly more intelligent savages who were capable of becoming civilized like them. Eventually descendants of the first conquered Celts considered themselves fully Roman and enjoyed the privileges of being one and the Romans appeared to accept it.

Link to image: https://thehistorygirlhousewife.blogspot.com/2015/12/ancestry-roman-empire-line.html

The Republic (Probably where they got the name for Star Wars from.) was the main governing body of Rome, and Rome never had a king after they overthrew their first king. The Republic was responsible for voting and making all of the important decisions for the economy and Passing laws and collecting taxes.  It was called The Centuriate Assembly, and it was elected citizens. The Assembly voted for two executives, to oversee that laws were being followed and they had almost unlimited power second to the Assembly themselves. They also had the right to sentence someone to death for breaking the law.  Though the Assembly did have its fair share of nobles trying to gain power and make laws in their favor. 

Link to Image: https://xlife-universal.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-centuriate-assembly-in-ancient-rome.html

The Nobles of Rome had nearly limitless political power and could even demand or sell debtors into labor. The poor also known as plebians were tired of not having any power or representation. It got to the point that the nobles allowed the plebians two elected officials to represent them and they had the power to veto certain decisions made by the Senate and Consuls. Eventually They created a plebian council that would eventually be just as powerful as the nobles and eventually debtors could no longer be sold into slavery and new marriage laws were put in place allowing plebians to marry patricians.  Eventually the councils passed a law that allowed a soldier to claim land after a victory as way to be fairer to plebian soldiers, this is probably where the saying "to the Victor goes the Spoils comes from". 

Link to Image: https://brewminate.com/plebeian-victory-for-rule-of-law-in-ancient-rome-494-449-bce/

The First emperor of Rome was Agustus, originally known as Octavian.  He was the adopted son of Julius Ceaser and caused Mark Anthony to lose more than half his men in battle.  Agustus Became the First in a long line of emperors and I think that is a rather large achievement in that era.  He also surprisingly had no intentions of conquering the east and signed a peace treaty with Parthia.  The Treaty made Armenia a neutral zone between Roman and Parthian and in return the Parthians returned the Claimed Eagles and the Roman prisoners they had. 

Citation: Nardo, Don. "Romans." In The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Mesopotamia, edited by Robert B. Kebric, 235-237. Detroit, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Gale In Context: World History (accessed October 25, 2024). https://link-gale-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/apps/doc/CX3205100319/WHIC?u=viva2_nvcc&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=17e69228. 

Link to Article: https://blogs.nvcc.edu/westernciv/history-of-western-civilization/western-civilizations-his-101/volume-1-chapter-8-the-roman-republic/

Link to Image: https://www.learnreligions.com/caesar-augustus-first-roman-emperor-701063