Roman Expansion Between 264-121 BC Flashcards
the Punic wars
Carthage and Italy had had contact since the end of 6th century BC. up until around 270 BC nothing was to be feared from Italy. When Rome gained hegemony over the peninsula and started to influence Carthage sphere of influence and trade were the relations to become hostile.
Sicilian issue
in 264 BC Rome became involved in this problem. Since 289 BC Campanian mercenaries were acting as pirates in southern Sicily and they enlisted Carthaginian and Roman help for themselves against Syracuse. because they both invaded in each other’s spheres of influence this set a flame the first Punic War
First Punic War
264-241 BC. both sides were well-versed in military tactics and neither wanted to give in. most battles were fought on land and at sea on and off Sicily. because of Roman strong fleets and superior land power they won. Romans achieved supremacy over the seas around Italy. Greeks helped Romans majorly with building their fleet.in 241 BC, Sicily became Rome’s first province. it went under a praetor’s authority but local autonomy was retained.
intermediate period of Punic wars
between 238-218 BC. Rome took Sardinia and Corsica (238 BC), restored order on the Adriatic Sea (229 BC), subjected the Gauls and Po Valley (222 BC).
Carthage reinforced her position in Spain and their Spanish army became one of the best-trained professional armies of the time.
Second Punic War
218-201 BC. this evolved into a coalition war. Hannibal (a Carthaginian general, marched to Italy and won the support of the Gauls in the Po Valley. between 218-216 Hannibal gained major victories over Rome and her allies (Cannae, 216 BC). his success was guaranteed due to his brilliant tactical movements and troops’ experience. he also received support from several southern Italian states and from Philip V (221-179 BC). Syracuse also allied with Carthage.
However, Romans still took the win as they mobilized all of their manpower and they attacked one base in Spain which undermined Hannibal’s success. provision by sea was hard as Romans had control there. they waged a war of attrition. they ultimately benefitted from Hannibal’s weakness: logistics. around 205 BC first signs of Roman victory became apparent (Scipio in Numidia, Zama). In 201 Carthage made peace. this war established Rome as the greatest power in the Mediterranean.
wars in Spain, the Po Valley, and the Hellenistic East
between 197-190 BC the Gauls in the Po Valley were brought under Roman control again. the tribes in interior Spain were subjected in two protracted wars (197-178 BC, 154-133 BC). the Iberian peninsula was eventually split into two provinces. between 125-121 Rome captured the coastal strip between Italy and Spain and it too became a province.
between 200-146 BC Rome also established her hegemony over the southern Balkans. Hellenistic kingdoms never joined forces against Rome which made them easier to conquer.
two forms of Roman expansion
there was a difference in policy made in the west and in the east and North Africa.
in the east (first half of the 2nd century): tributes and admittance of Rome’s hegemony. later she ersued a divide-and-rule policy. Ptolemaic Egypt played no part in international politics after 170 BC. Rome made easy work of the Asia Minor and Greek states.
in the west: every conquered areas immediately became a Roman province as Romans wanted permanent control over the areas. people in Spain especially did not easily submit to Rome and many wars ensued.
Third Punic War
between 149-146 BC. Rome liquidated the last of Carthaginian power in North Africa after she had come into conflict with her neighbor Numidia, one of Rome’s allies. Carthage was destroyed and made a province of Africa.
administrative difficulties revealed by the prolonged wars
shifts in command was a great disadvantage. the Senate created a pro-magistracy. this was led by a proconsul and involved control over the consul’s army and battlefield. proconsulship ended when the Senate called the man back or when his command came to an end.
administration of a province.
Roman’s left the local administrative systems as they were but placed a governor above it. at first those governors were all praetors but later also ex-consuls and ex-praetors (as proconsuls and pro-praetors). the provincia of their imperium was limited to the district they were appointed to rule. term of office was usually 1-2 years.
main jobs: defence, administration of justice, judicial duties shared with the local rulers.
in effect, the councillors preserved the continuity of the province as they remained but governors were replaced.
most daily administration was done by local rulers. in Greece an oligarchic government was encouraged, elsewhere well-organized noble council were effective.
disadvantages of Roman control
the governors and their staff of the provinces took advantage of their situation and enriched themselves. Rome had very little direct control over their provinces. the provincial population also suffered ruthless practices of the Roman veterans, Italian merchants and slave traders.
in 149 BC, Rome took measures to curb the free reign of the governors. a permanent jury court was established in Rome. the jury consisted of Senators and complaints were to be lodged by Roman patrons of provinces.
