Roman Expansion

Roman Military

• Legion: Roman military unit
• Rome had the largest army in the Mediterranean; it was also highly organized
• The Roman soldiers were divided into groups of 5000 men called legions

Roman Military

• Roman soldiers were “citizen-soldiers”- fought without pay, supplied their own weapons
• They were loyal and well-trained
• The Romans army had many legions (groups of 5,000) which were broken down into centuries (groups of 80)
• Soldiers were rewarded for good service. However, if the troops lost a battle, then one in every ten would be killed. �

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RRcbWtt21E

​

Expansion

• Under the Republic, Rome became a military power
• Rome quickly expanded, and by 270 BCE they controlled all of Italy
• Rome treated conquered lands with justice:
• Lands had to submit to Roman leadership
• pay taxes, and supply men for the army
• But they could keep own customs and local �government
• Soldiers were posted across Italy, and roads were built to connect far-away places

​

The Punic Wars

• The Punic Wars – Three Wars between Carthage and Rome took place for nearly a century
• Beginning in 264 B.C. and ending in Roman victory with the destruction of Carthage in 146 B.C

Carthage

• Carthage was a major trading city in North Africa.
• Carthage was the strongest naval power at the time with a huge reserve of warships
• Over time, the Carthaginians and Romans began to clash over trading rights.
• Carthage controlled most of North and West Africa, most of Spain, some islands off the coast of Italy, and half of Sicily.

Causes of the War

• The Romans felt threatened by the Carthaginians and they wanted Sicily
• At this time, there were Internal dispute between two kingdoms of Sicily
• One of the side (Messina) asked Rome for help, the other (Syracuse) asked Carthage for help
• Developed into a full-blown war for the control of Sicily

Map Before the War

First Punic War

• Carthage was a naval power
• Rome was a land power
• Rome knew that it could not compete with naval ships of Carthage because Carthaginian ships were so fast and maneuverable
• Solutions?
• Brainstorm and give your best military advice for Rome

The First Punic War

• In order to control Sicily, Rome would have to win battles at sea
• The Romans quickly built a fleet of ships equipped with bridges to aid in defeating the Carthaginians.
• These ships allowed soldiers to fight at sea.
• Rome managed to gain supremacy of the seas
• The Carthaginian leader, Hamilcar Barca, was cornered in Sicily and surrendered in 241 B.C.

​

​

​

​

Rome 1 - Carthage 0

Hannibal Baraca of Carthage

• Hannibal was just a young boy when he was with his father (Hamilcar Barca) in Sicily during the First Punic War.
• When Carthage lost, Hannibal swore revenge on Rome

​

​

​

“I swear that so soon as age will permit… I will use fire and steel to arrest the destiny of Rome”

The Second Punic War

• In 221 B.C., at the age of 26, Hannibal became commander-in-chief of Carthage’s army.
• The Carthaginians, attacked the Roman army by land from the north.
• Hannibal used elephants to cross the Alps
• In just 15 days he crossed the Alps, but lost half his military and most of the elephants.

​

​

​

Hannibal’s route

The Second Punic War

• Hannibal fights his way through Italy until he reaches Rome’s gates but does not have the equipment and supplies to break down the city walls
• Hannibal remained in Italy for 15 years raiding smaller towns, winning battle after battle, but failing to take Rome.

​

​

​

The Second Punic War

• Eventually, the Romans attacked the city of Carthage, forcing Hannibal to leave and defend his home. At Carthage, Hannibal will lose.
• Carthage loses all its land outside of Africa and has to pay a huge tribute (tax) to Rome
• Rome becomes the dominant power in the Mediterranean

​

​

Rome 2 - Carthage 0

Third Punic War - The Destruction of Carthage

​

​

• Rome, still fearful of their rival, completely destroys Carthage.
• Any survivors are killed or sold into slavery.
• Romans salt ground so nothing can ever grow there again
• Carthage becomes a province of Rome.

Roman Expansion

• Rome continues expanding in the Mediterranean, and soon conquered Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia.
• By 133 BCE, Rome’s power spanned from Spain to Egypt.

​

Effects of Roman Expansion

• Expansion caused a strain on the government and led to corruption
• Problems between social classes:
• New class of super-rich emerged (generals, official, traders who gained wealth from trade/looting)
• Created huge farming estates called latifundia that were worked by slaves, and were able to produce large quantities of food cheaply, putting farmers into debt and forcing them to sell their lands

Julius Caesar partnered with two other Roman politicians to take control of Rome (they formed a triumvirate)

Julius was extremely popular with the Roman people, due to his great military victories