Where was ancient Rome located?

Ancient Rome originated as a city located in the central portion of the Italian peninsula, situated on the Tiber River approximately 15 miles inland from the Tyrrhenian Sea.1

While the city itself remained the heart of the state, the Roman Empire expanded significantly over time. At its greatest extent around 117 CE, the empire encompassed a vast territory that included all of southern Europe, Britain, northern Africa, Egypt, Asia Minor, the northern coast of the Black Sea, Armenia, regions south of the Caucasus, Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and the northwestern corner of Arabia. By the end of the Republic, Roman territory already included Italy, Gaul, parts of Spain, Greece, Syria, and North Africa.23