Expansion and Crisis

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Expansion and Crisis
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• From 500 to 300 BCE, Rome faced threats from many
  neighbors in Italy.

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• To protect the republic, Rome either conquered
  these opponents or forced them to become allies.

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• By 264 BCE, Rome ruled the entire peninsula.

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I. Roman Legions

• Initially Roman armies used the phalanx formation
  of the Greeks.

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I. Roman Legions

• Eventually they realized that these formations
  were too large and slow.

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I. Roman Legions

• They would divide some 6,000 men into small
  mobile units of 60-120 soldiers.

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I. Roman Legions

• These units were mobile and quick enough to
  defeat the larger and slower phalanx formation.

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I. Roman Legions

• Roman soldiers were called legionaries.
• They were well trained and very disciplined.

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I. Roman Legions

• Deserters were punished by death.

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I. Roman Legions

• Rome treated conquered foes very well, compared
  to other historic empires.

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I. Roman Legions

• Rome would set up established permanent military
  settlements called coloniae all throughout Italy.

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I. Roman Legions

• These coloniae would serve as strategic areas and
  would lead to eventual major trade routes.

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Expansion and Crisis

• Rome against Carthage

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I. Carthage

• Carthage became the wealthiest city in the
  Mediterranean region circa 300 BCE. It was
  located on the Northern part of Africa just south
  of Sicily.

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I. Carthage

• By 300 BCE the Carthaginians had conquered the
  coast of Spain and most of Sicily.

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I. Carthage

• The Romans would eventually challenge the
  Carthage expansion as the Carthaginians attempted
  to expand into Italy.

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I. Carthage

• This challenge would lead to a famous series of
  wars known as the Punic Wars.

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I. Carthage

• The Punic Wars derive its name from Punici, which
  is Latin for Phoenicians.

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I. Carthage

• The Punic Wars derive its name from Punici, which
  is Latin for Phoenicians. Romans would call the
  Carthaginians Punici.

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I. Carthage

• The Punic Wars were three wars that lasted a
  total of a 100 years.

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II. The First Punic War

• Lasted 23 years from 264-241 BCE.

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II. The First Punic War

• The Carthaginians threatened to gain control over
  the Strait of Messina.

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II. The First Punic War

• This was a narrow passage between Sicily and
  Italy.

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II. The First Punic War

• The Romans were able to conquer the Carthage
  colonies in Sicily.

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II. The First Punic War

• However, Carthage was known for its large and
  powerful Navy. Rome had no Navy.

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II. The First Punic War

• For a short time this gave Carthage a distinct
  advantage.

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II. The First Punic War

• The Romans would build a larger Navy and use a
  distinct military tactic.

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II. The First Punic War

• The Romans would sail close to the Carthaginian
  ships and use planks and grappling hooks.

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II. The First Punic War

• By doing so the Romans could now board the
  Carthaginian ships and fight hand to hand combat.

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II. The First Punic War

• This military strategy allowed the Romans to make
  the battle like a land battle which they excelled
  at.

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II. The First Punic War

• Carthage was forced to retreat and Rome would now
  control Sicily and other islands off the coast.

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III. The Second Punic War

• In 221 BCE a 25 year-old soldier named Hannibal
  became general of the Carthage Army.

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III. The Second Punic War

• This young new general would provoke a new war
  with Rome.

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III. The Second Punic War

• In 218 BCE, Hannibal seized control of Spain.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Hannibal then planned a bold attack on Rome. He
  would lead an assault on Rome itself.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Hannibal led 40,000 to 60,000 soldiers across
  Spain, over southern Gaul and into the Alps.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Going over the Alps proved to be costly as
  Hannibal lost half his soldiers and most of his
  elephants he was using.

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III. The Second Punic War

• However, this move proved effective as the Romans
  were not prepared for such a military move.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Because the mountains acted like a natural
  barrier, the Romans never thought to fortify
  them.

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III. The Second Punic War

• For about 15 years Hannibal waged war and
  defeated many Roman armies.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Then in 202 BCE, the Romans made a strategic move
  that forced Hannibal to retreat.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Led by their general Publius Scipio, Rome
  attacked Carthage. This forced Hannibal to
  retreat back to Africa.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Because Hannibals Army was already weakened, he
  could not hold off Scipio and Rome.

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III. The Second Punic War

• Scipio defeated Hannibal at Zama near Carthage in
  202 forcing Carthage to give up Spain and destroy
  most of its military.

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IV. The Third Punic War

• After 50 years of peace, Carthage attacked an
  ally of Rome in Africa.

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IV. The Third Punic War

• In 149 BCE after starting a skirmish against a
  Roman ally and losing, Rome invaded Carthage once
  and for all.

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IV. The Third Punic War

• The Romans would burn Carthage down, sold its
  surviving population into slavery, and sowed salt
  in its soil.

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IV. The Third Punic War

• This victory gave the Romans complete control of
  the western Mediterranean.