Who were the Romans?

The Romans were an ancient people who came from the Italian city of Rome. According to legend, Rome was founded in 753 B.C. by its first king, Romulus and, between the third and first centuries B.C., grew to become one of the most wealthy and prosperous cities in the world. This was due, primarily, to a number of imperial conquests which placed Rome at the centre of an enormous empire. This vast empire included all of Europe and extended well into North Africa and Asia. 

The Romans not only built a huge empire - they were also great architects and engineers who built roads and developed modern systems, like sewage and drainage. The Romans were also a polytheistic people: they believed in a number of gods and goddesses who each ruled over a different part of life. Neptune, for example, was the god of the ocean and the Romans prayed to him to protect them at sea.