ABSTRACT
The social and economic history of any area is conditioned by that area’s basic physical geography.1 The Italian peninsula is predominantly characterised by mountains and high rugged hills; and few plains or rolling fertile downs (Map 1). No easy terrain for farming, or internal communication, the mountainous areas produced few profitable mineral resources in the period. The peninsula’s long coastline is not that beneficial, with comparatively few natural harbours; rivers connecting mountains and the coast have hindered rather than helped the profitable use of the coastal plains. Much intervention by man has been needed to derive economic benefit from the rivers and coasts.
