Biblical Reference and Rome’s Geography
Revelation 13:11–17 describes a beast rising from the earth, speaking like a dragon, and enforcing worship through miracles and persecution.
Rome arose “from the earth,” meaning it originated from within the Italian peninsula. This is why Rome remains the capital of Italy today, geographically and historically.
According to Daniel 2:41-43
Rome was built on seven hills or mountains, serving as a counterfeit of Jerusalem, which was also built on seven hills.
The Seven Hills of Jerusalem
Jerusalem’s seven hills are:
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Mount Scopus
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Mount Olivet
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Mount of Corruption
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Mount Ophel
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Mount Zion (the original)
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The middle summit hill (Nob Hill)
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The hill to the north of that rock, where the Antonia Fortress was built
The Seven Hills of Rome
Rome, known as the City of Seven Hills, is considered a counterfeit of Jerusalem. The hills are:
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Aventine
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Caelian
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Capitoline
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Esquiline
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Palatine
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Quirinal
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Viminal
Historical Context
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Rome gave power to the beast—the Papacy—when Emperor Justinian elevated the Pope to head of all churches in 538 AD.
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Rome suffered a deadly wound when the Roman Empire was destroyed in 476 AD.
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The two legs of Nebuchadnezzar’s image in Daniel 2 represent the divided Roman Empire: the Western and Eastern Empires. Both were defeated but not completely destroyed. This is the wound Rome received.
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Today, a revival of these empires exists as Europe, which has not yet regained full power but will eventually.
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The ten toes of the statue, which Jesus destroyed, represent the Roman Empire’s weakened state—partly strong and partly fragile, like iron mixed with clay.
Biblical Symbolism from Daniel and Revelation
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The sea symbolizes a multitude of people.
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Revelation 17:12-13 speaks of ten kings who have no kingdoms yet but receive power alongside the beast.
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The beast has seven heads, which are seven mountains (or hills) on which the woman sits. These mountains represent seven kings.
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Five kings have fallen, one is, and one has not yet come. The beast is the eighth and comes from the seven.
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The ten horns represent ten kings who give their power to the beast.
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Daniel 2:41-43 describes the feet and toes as part iron, part clay—signifying a divided kingdom, partly strong and partly weak, unable to fully unite.
The Character of Rome
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Rome was fiercer in character than earlier empires like Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. It had iron teeth and destructive nails.
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From a small town, Rome grew into an empire with ten divisions—represented by the ten toes—and continues to influence the world today through its revival in Europe.
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Roman emperors persecuted Christians, and Rome is seen as a false prophet in biblical prophecy.
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The Italian painter Giotto di Bondone (1267–1377) described Rome as “the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.”
Kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image: The Roman Empire
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The two legs symbolize the Western and Eastern Roman Empires (Rome and Constantinople).
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The ten toes represent ten divisions or kingdoms of Rome, including Alemanni (modern Germany).
Chronological List of Roman Emperors
1st Century CE
Augustus (27 BCE–14 CE)
Tiberius (14–37 CE)
Caligula (37–41 CE)
Claudius (41–54 CE)
Nero (54–68 CE)
…
2nd Century CE
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
3rd Century CE
Caracalla (198–217 CE)
Elagabalus (218–222 CE)
Severus Alexander (222–235 CE)
Diocletian (East 284–305 CE; divided empire)
Maximian (West 286–305 CE)
4th Century CE
Constantine I (306–337 CE; reunified empire)
Constantius II (337–361 CE)
Theodosius I (379–395 CE; last to rule united empire)
5th Century CE
Romulus Augustulus (475–476 CE; last Western Roman emperor)
Leo I (East 457–474 CE)
Zeno (East 474–491 CE)
