Caput Mundi facts for kids

Map of Rome, the capital city of the Roman Empire, at its largest point.

Caput Mundi is a Latin phrase that means "Head of the world." The longer phrase, Roma Caput Mundi, means "Rome, capital of the world." This is one of many nicknames given to the city of Rome throughout its long history.

This special phrase shows how powerful Rome was. First, it was the capital of the Roman Republic and then the huge Roman Empire. Later, it became the main center of the Catholic Church. We don't know exactly when the phrase was first used. However, the poet Ovid called Rome this way way back in the 1st century BC.

Along with "Eternal City" and "City of Seven Hills," Caput Mundi is still one of the most common ways to talk about Rome today.

What Does "Caput Mundi" Mean?

Via dei Fori Imperiali, Via della Conciliazione and Via del Corso. The term First Rome refers to the "Rome of the Emperors." Second Rome refers to the "Rome of the Popes." The "Rome of the people" was a dream for a democratic Italy.

Roma Caput Mundi is a Latin phrase. It means "Rome, capital of the world." In Italian, it's "Roma capitale del mondo." This idea came from how Europeans in ancient times saw the "known world." This world included Europe, North Africa, and parts of Southwest Asia.

Rome's power in the ancient world grew a lot around the 2nd century BC. The Roman Republic started to expand across Southern Europe and North Africa. For the next 500 years, Rome ruled over much of this known world. It was also the biggest city in the world during that time.

Rome had a huge impact on culture. Its local language, Latin, spread widely. So did Roman art, buildings, laws, religion, and ways of thinking. The city of Rome, as the center of the Empire, took on the nickname Caput Mundi. This showed its lasting power as Ancient Rome and later as the home of the Catholic Church.

See Also

• Rome
• Catholic Church
• Legacy of the Roman Empire
• Foremost power