Rome was founded in 753 BC by its first king, Romulus. It grew into a rich and powerful (强大的) city during the next few hundred years.
Roman legend (传说) says that Romulus has a twin (双胞胎) brother. As babies, they were thrown in the area which later became Rome. A she-wolf, a kind of wild animal living in the forest, found and raised them. When Romulus grew up, he became the first ruler of Rome!
By 117 AD, the Roman Empire (帝国) included the whole of Italy, all the lands in the Mediterranean and much of Europe, including England, Wales and parts of Scotland. Thanks to their strong army, the Romans built such a huge empire and conquered (征服) new lands.
However, the Romans didn't spend all the time fighting—they were amazing engineers, too! They built roads and walls—things without which we can't live now. What's more, they were so smart that they even built channels (水道) and bridges to carry water to public baths and toilets in order to bring water to their cities!
The Romans liked to enjoy their food, often lying down on a couch while eating with their hands. They sometimes used a spoon, but they would never use a knife and fork.
