ed in working metals.
In Egypt and Syria there were people who had reached quite a high
degree of civilization, and gradually the Europeans learned from them
better ways of living. First the Greeks, then the Etruscans
(E-trus'cans), a people who lived in Italy just north of where
Rome now is, and finally the southern Italians learned that it was
possible to live in cities, without hunting and plundering. Grazing
(the tending of flocks of animals) came to be the occupation of many.
The owners of sheep or cattle drove their flocks from place to place,
as grass and water failed them where they were. There was no separate
ownership of land.

At last came the rise of the city of Rome, which, starting out as the
stronghold of a little gang of robbers, spread its rule gradually over
all the surrounding country. By this time, the barbarians of northern
Europe had gotten past the use of clubs as weapons. They, too, had
learned to make tools and arms of bronze, and those living near
civilized countries had obtained swords of iron. The club, however,
still remained as the sign of authority. The large bludgeon of the
chief was carried before the tribe as a sign of his power over them.
You have all seen pictures of a king sitting on his throne and holding
a wand or stick in his right hand. It is interesting to think that
this scepter, which the present king of England carries on state
occasions to remind his people of his power, is a relic of the old,
old days when his grandfather, many times removed, broke the head of
his rival for leadership in the tribe and set up his mighty club for
his awestruck people to worship.

The city of Rome (at first a republic, afterwards an empire) spread
its rule over all of Italy, over all the shores of the Mediterranean
Sea, and finally over all the countries of Europe south and west of
the rivers Danube and Rhine. One of the emperors planted a colony
north of the Danube near its mouth, and the descendants of these
colonists are living in that same country today. They have not
forgotten their origin, for they still call themselves Romans (Roumani
[Roo-mae'ni]), and talk a language greatly resembling the Latin,
which was the tongue spoken by the Romans of old. With the exception
of this country, which is now Roumania, the part of Europe north and
east of the Danube and Rhine was practically free from the Romans. In
this territory, roving bands wandered around, driving their cattle
with them and c