ANCIENT ROME. 

CHAPTER I. 

GEOGRAPHY OF ITALY. 

Italy is a long, narrow peninsula in the southern part of Europe,
between the 38th and 46th parallels of north latitude.  It is 720 miles
long from the Alps to its southern extremity, and 330 miles broad in
its widest part, i.e.  from the Little St.  Bernard to the hills north
of Trieste.  It has an area of nearly 110,000 square miles, about that
of the State of Nevada. 

The Alps separate Italy on the north and northwest from the rest of
Europe.  The pass over these mountains which presents the least
difficulties is through the Julian Alps on the east.  It was over this
pass that the Barbarians swept down in their invasions of the country.
The Apennines, which are a continuation of the Alps, extend through
the whole of the peninsula.  Starting in the Maritime Alps, they extend
easterly towards the Adriatic coast, and turn southeasterly hugging