It says the woman sits on 7 mountains (Rev 17.9). Rome was built around 7 hills.
Yes, and it should be pointed out that the Greek word used in this verse is ori, the plural for oros, which is most often translated as mountains. In the New Testament of the King James for instance, oros/ori is translated as "mountain(s)" 62 times, and as "hill" only 3 times.
There are a number of passages in both the New and the Old Testament that contain both words "mountain" and "hill".
For example in Luke 3.5: Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
where oros is translated as mountain and bounos as hill. Likewise for Luke 23.30.
In the Greek Septuagint we find similar examples such as:
Psalm 71.3 LXX (Psalm 72 Hebrew)
Psalm 113.3 LXX (Psalm 114 Hebrew)
Psalm 148.9 LXX
Proverbs 8.25 LXX
Isaiah 2.2 LXX
and many more.
For further confirmation of this, we can turn to the Latin Vulgate of the holy presbyter Jerome. In the Apocalypse 17.9 Jerome uses the word "montes", which is of course Latin for mountains.
Notice in the Wikipedia article on the "Seven Hills of Rome"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_hills_of_Rome
The original city was held by tradition to have been founded by Romulus on the Palatine Hill (Collis Palatinus). The other six are now the Aventine (Collis Aventinus), the Capitoline (Capitolinus), the Quirinal (Quirinalis), the Viminal (Viminalis), the Esquiline (Esquilinus) and the Caelian (Caelius).
Note that the Latin word collis is used to denote each of the seven hills of Rome, not montes.
If one checks the Latin Vulgate of Jerome with those passages I cited above from the Old and New Testament, one will find a consistent use of montes for mountains and colles for hills.
But of course the interpretation is spiritual and not literal. The prophecy itself tells us this:
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (Rev 17.9)
The seven mountains upon which the woman sits are also said to be seven heads.
Mountains are often used to represent kingdoms in the Bible, and heads are often used to denote kings which reign over nations.
For example:
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. (Psalm 110.5-6)
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin [king of Syria] (Isaiah 7.8)
And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. (Isaiah 7.9)
Cyprian