the inscriptions upon them. The power of these people was gradually
lessened by the Romans, and after the fall of Veii, in 396, became
practically extinct.

The ITALIANS were of the same origin as the Hellénes, and belonged to
the Aryan race, a people that lived in earliest times possibly in
Scandinavia. While the Hellénes were settling in Greece, the Italians
entered Italy.

At this time the Italians had made considerable progress in
civilization. They understood, in a measure, the art of agriculture;
the building of houses; the use of wagons and of boats; of fire in
preparing food, and of salt in seasoning it. They could make various
weapons and ornaments out of copper and silver; husband and wife were
recognized, and the people were divided into clans (tribes).

That portion of the Italians known as the LATINS settled in a plain
which is bounded on the east and south by mountains, on the west by
the Tyrrhenian Sea, and on the north by the high lands of Etruria.

This plain, called LATIUM (flat country), contains about 700 square
miles (one half the size of Rhode Island), with a coast of only fifty
miles, and no good harbors. It is watered by two rivers, the Tiber,
and its tributary, the Anio. Hills rise here and there; as Soracte in
the northeast, the promontory of Circeium in the southwest, Janiculum
near Rome, and the Alban range farther south. The low lands (modern
_Campagna_) were malarious and unhealthy. Hence the first
settlements were made on the hills, which also could be easily
fortified.