The early inhabitants of Latium, the region in western central Italy where the city of Rome was established, were known as the Latins. Originating around 1000 BC, Latins emerged during the Iron Age from the merging of Indo-European migrants with pre-existing inhabitants. These people lived in organized agricultural communities and were renowned for their iron working capabilities, rudimentary but expansive understanding of agriculture, and their unique language, Latin, which became the precursor to the Romance languages.
Ancient Latium was characterized by a multitude of small, autonomous communities scattered across the land, each owning a small patch of territory. The Latins worshiped their own unique pantheon of deities, distinguished by their emphasis on familial and agricultural body gods, and held common religious rituals. They were also known for their unique social structure in which power was normally divided amongst leading families. It wasn’t until the rise of Rome, towards the end of the Regal period (753-509 BC), that these individual Latin communities were gradually absorbed into the Roman state.
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