Conquest of Italy Flashcards
Rome and Latium
start of republic- rome was biggest power in latium, so have general control of region
early 5th C.- latins revolt against rome
battle of kare regillus 449BC?- rme wins through the aid of castor and pollux
cassian treaty 493 BC- puts rome and latium into supposed equal partnership
this relationship becomes a model to copy for other conquered states
Latin rights
338- more riots in latium - results in new system of latin rights
limited type of roman citizenship without voting rights
Latin neighbours
before latin rights, romans in conflict with latin neighbours - sabine, aequi an volsci
490-450 constant campaigning, after this it was sporadic
449- sabines suffer huge defeat, properly conquered 290
aequi almost vanish after annexation
volscian territory gradually annexed at startof 4th C.
Veii
major etruscan city northwest of rome
3 ward in 5th century
finally destroyed in 396 after 10 year-long seige
further conquest in area interrupted by gallic invasions
Gallic invasions
start of 4th C. gallic peoples move beyond the alps and begin to push down through northern italy
380s- gauls reach and sack rome
at least two more waves southwards in the 350s and 340s
source of national trauma - didnt really go away until caesar conquered gaul
Samnite wars
mid 4th C. - romes control of latium consolidated, so looks south
3 main wars
1- rome gains control of northern campania
2- major roman defeat, yet samnites also lose power
3- culminated in victory at senitnum 295
Magna Graecia
284- romans establish garrison at thurii, influence in local politics
282- tarentum marches on thurii to drive out romans
281- rome marches on tarentum - they call to Pyrhhus for help
Pyrrhus
ruler of epirus from 306BC
seen as new alexander in northern greece and macedonia
lands in southern italy 280 with big army and elephants
several wins over romans but no decisive advantage
faiiled attempt in sicily
goesback to italy, defeated again, returns to epirus
tarentum taken by romans 272
conclusions about conquest of italy
not a neat process- revolts etc for 200 years
not straightforward- vaariety of means of conquest- war, treaty etc
different status’ for different people
scholarship around romanisation
early 1900s first used to describe adoption of roman culture etc by people in provinces (not italy already roman)
viewed as passive natives who just accept culture
1990- backlash begins against termdescribing provincial culture
seen to be prioritizing roman culture over indigenous ones rather than a mix
archaeologists/scholars start rejecting the term, instead use it for cultural dynamics
scholarship in conquest of italy
near universal view that easy take over of italian penninsula far too simplistic
scholarship and archaeological evidence complicates further
different part fall in different ways
tension between roman and other cultures
Language
dominance of latin takes a long time
eg Oscan still spoken in Campania until 1st C. AD
also wrote in it
theatre at pompeii predates rome- must have been other plays written in other languages for it to have been there
idea of mass bilingualism
types of colonies
full roman citizenship or latin rights
Cosa
- latin rights colony founded 273
- founded in response to etruscan revolt in 280
- has capitolium (only meant for full roman colonies)- was this an attmept to change status, or did they think they aready had this status
Countryside
were changes because of rome or a wider mediteranean trend
increase in small farm and density of settlements
centuriation (field managment) linked to roman cultural organisation
villas- built by romans and wealthy natives
roads- connectivity and ease of transport
primary sources
cato- on agriculture
livy - sabines
12 tables
latin rights
