罗马(Rome)
义大利语作Roma
义大利首都。位於国家的中部，台伯河畔。罗马的历史位置在它的七座山丘上，早在青铜时期（西元前1500?年）就有人占据。西元前6世纪初该城市在政治上就统一了。它成为罗马帝国（参阅Roman republic and empire）的首都。罗马人逐渐征服了义大利半岛（参阅Etruscan），将他们的疆土扩展到整个地中海盆地（参阅Punic Wars），并将他们的帝国扩展到了欧洲大陆。在庞培和凯撒的统治下，罗马的影响扩展到了叙利亚、耶路撒冷、塞浦路斯和高卢。亚克兴战役後，所有的罗马土地都被奥古斯都控制，他成为第一位罗马皇帝。作为帝国的首都，罗马城内有许多宏伟的公共建筑，包括宫殿、庙宇、公共浴室、剧院以及体育场等。在1世纪末和2世纪初，它达到了华丽壮观以及古代人口的顶峰。直到西元330年君士坦丁一世建成君士坦丁堡（现在的伊斯坦堡）以前，它一直是罗马帝国的首都。到6世纪末，罗马天主教会（参阅Holy Roman Empire）负责对城市的保护，但只有在15世纪才实现对它的绝对统治。文艺复兴时期城市繁荣起来，是罗马教廷和教廷国的所在地。1870年它成为统一後的义大利首都。1920年代和1930年代转变成一个现代的首都，是义大利的行政、文化和交通中心。人口约2,654,000（1996）。亦请参阅Vatican City。
English version：
Rome
City (metro. area pop., 1996: 2,654,000), capital of Italy. It is situated in the central part of the country, on the Tiber River. The historical site of Rome on its seven hills was occupied as early as the Bronze Age (c. 1500 BC), and the city was politically unified by the early 6th century BC. It became the capital of the Roman empire (see Roman republic and empire). The Romans gradually conquered the Italian peninsula (see Etruscans), extended their dominion over the entire Mediterranean basin (see Punic Wars), and expanded their empire into continental Europe. Under Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar, Rome's influence was extended over Syria, Jerusalem, Cyprus, and Gaul. After the battle of Actium, all Roman lands were controlled by Octavian (Augustus), the first Roman emperor. As the imperial capital, Rome became the site of magnificent public buildings, including palaces, temples, public baths, theaters, and stadiums. It reached the peak of its grandeur and ancient population during the late 1st and early 2nd century AD. It remained the capital of the Roman empire until Emperor Constantine the Great dedicated Constantinople (now Istanbul) in AD 330. By the end of the 6th century, the protection of the city was in the hands of the Roman Catholic church (see Holy Roman Empire), which achieved absolute rule only in the 15th century. The city flourished during the Renaissance and was the seat of the papacy and the Papal States. In 1870 it became the capital of a united Italy. It was transformed into a modern capital in the 1920s and '30s, and is Italy's administrative, cultural, and transportation center. See also Vatican City.
