Rome was located near the west coast of Italy on seven hills near the Tiber River. While expansion helped the Roman Empire grow, it also displaced small farmers from their land. Rome had a Mediterranean climate well-suited for farming crops like grains, vegetables, and olives. As Carthage's power grew, Rome began limiting its expansion, leading to the Punic Wars. Christianity became the dominant religion in Rome, spreading among non-Jews with the help of figures like Paul. The Romans established Latin as a written and spoken language and developed an efficient military organization and aqueduct systems to transport water throughout the empire.