Isolation protected the roman. The Alps where the mountains to the north, the only side of Rome that had no sea.
The Adriatic, Ionian, and Tyrrhenian seas surrounded Rome (in the same order) on the east, south and west sides.
the Tiber river flowed from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian sea Rome was located around 15 miles along the river (from the Tyrrhenian sea), the river supplied them with freshwater.
Credits:
Created with images by Eva Luedin - "Ocean" • DHPersonal - "Mountains" • DieselDemon - "Isolated"