Final answer:
The Latins settled on the Apennines Peninsula and built Rome, whereas Rome fought against the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars for control of the Mediterranean.
Step-by-step explanation:
The group that settled on the Apennines Peninsula and ultimately founded Rome were the Latins. The Latins were originally farmers and pastoralists living in the Alban Hills since the second millennium BCE. By the end of the first millennium BCE, they moved into the valleys and along the Tiber River, utilizing the better land for agriculture. Rome was built on this strategic location along the Tiber. The Etruscans, another influential group in early Roman history, had control over much of north and central Italy, including the early Latin town that would become Rome. They formed a highly organized society and impacted Roman culture, including government and religion. Although eventually the Romans assimilated the Etruscans, it was the Latins who shared a similar material culture and played a central role in the formation of Roman society.
Regarding the war for control of the Mediterranean, Rome fought against the Carthaginians in a series of conflicts known as the Punic Wars. These wars established Roman dominance over the Mediterranean basin and marked a pivotal moment in ancient world history.