Rome is easy to start with because, once you have disbanded the ships, you are not running in the minus with speed record.

The only real enemy around is Epeiros down in Taras, but your army is sufficent to deal with this problem. The Gaulls always accept peace in the first turns - and if not, you still have a strong zone of Eleutheroi buffers between them and you.

After some time Carthago might become a problem. There is also the chance of Greek or Epirote landings in southern Italy. But that's all for the first 20 or so years, as long as you do not leave Italy. That is time enough for an EB newbee to get into the game mechanics.