From 753 to 476 BC, a large, prosperous empire spanned the Italian peninsula nestled in the Mediterranean Sea. The name of this wonderful empire was Rome. Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, they were the twin sons of the god Mars and a Latin princess. Eventually, Rome would come to conquer lands in Europe, Africa and Asia. Rome is remembered for its innovations, language, architecture, government, lifestyle, religion and warfare. Rome encountered many conflicts during its rise to power and finally reached its peak during the Pax Romana. The Pax Romana Rome was a period of peace and prosperity. This wealth continued from 27 BC until 180 AD, during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Despite periods of extreme defeat and dazzling glory, Rome managed to create a lasting legacy. Rome had several advantages and achievements that allowed it to become prolific. One of the forces that helped Rome rise to power was a centralized political authority. The Romans were one of the first people to use a republican system of government. They began using it in 509 BC, when the Romans expelled the Estrucans from Rome. It took the best characteristics of monarchies, aristocracies and democracies. This new type of government prevented people from gaining too much power. It was run by elected officials and had both a senate and two consuls. Consuls were like kings. The Senate was extraordinarily important. It was made up of three hundred patricians. The tasks of the Senate consisted of appointing consuls and commanding the armies. Additionally, Rome established that in times of total emergency it could have a dictator to make hasty decisions. This type of authority was very elitist for the time and helped them enormously in organizing paper inflation and draining all their financial assets. By the end of Rome's reign, they were left with an unforgettable legend behind. They made many notable achievements which later influenced other civilizations. Their codified laws, like the Twelve Tables, became a prototype for European laws. Other cities began to recognize the idea that all citizens should be protected except by the law, and that laws should be publicly displayed. The Latin language has also left an impact on current literature and has helped unify many other languages. Another thing that influenced people later was their architecture. For example, arches are still used today and many of their sturdy buildings and works remain (aqueducts, roads, temples). Various other things they did included: preserving Christianity and Hellenistic customs. All of these things affected how other lands were