The first full account in English of the archaeological material from early Rome and the surrounding region of Latium, from the Late Bronze Age down to the end of the sixth century BC. The book sets for the first time the region of Latium in its proper context as the hinterland of Rome, and as participating in the major developments in central Italy, including Campania and Etruria, and as a witness to the radical transformation of the Mediterranean as a whole in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age. Dr Smith presents the most recent evidence from the whole region as well as Rome itself, and discusses the reliability and usefulness of the literary accounts of early Latium, as well as applying theoretical models of regional economy and archaeological interpretation.