Rome and the Mediterranean

Question 1

how was the Roman Republic governed in 264 BCE?

Answer 1

by an all-male senate composed of wealthy elite individuals with a militaristic focus

Question 2

what was the incentives for Romans to fight during the Roman Republic?

Answer 2

warfare was essential for elite advancement in politics. Roman economy dependant on regular influxes of stolen wealth, land, and slaves

Question 3

who was the main power in the Western Med in the 3rd century BC?

Answer 3

Carthage, a naval power

Question 4

what regions were under Carthaginian influence during the 3rd century BC?

Answer 4

North Africa, Sicily, Sardinia, Southern Spain

Question 5

when was the First Punic War?

Answer 5

264-241 BC

Question 6

what was the cause of the First Punic War?

Answer 6

Rome’s intervention in a conflict between Messana (a Roman ally) and Syracuse (a Carthaginian ally) in Sicily

Question 7

what was significant about how the First Punic War was fought?

Answer 7

it was almost entirely made up of naval battles on the coast of Sicily

Question 8

What were the outcomes of the First Punic War

Answer 8

Rome gained control of Sicily. Carthage freed Roman POWs, and paid 2200 gold talents in reparations

Question 9

when was the Second Punic War?

Answer 9

218-201 BC

Question 10

what triggered the Second Punic War?

Answer 10

Hannibal Barca’s siege of Saguntum and subsequent march to Italy

Question 11

who was Hannibal Barca and what was his major Victory during the Second Punic War?

Answer 11

a Carthaginian general who killed around 70,000 Romans at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC

Question 12

what led to the end of the Second Punic War?

Answer 12

the Roman Army under Scipio Africanus invaded North Africa and defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama

Question 13

what were the terms of peace after the Second Punic War?

Answer 13

Carthage dismantled its fleet, handed over war elephants, paid 10,000 talents over 50 years, and promised not to wage war without Roman permission; Rome is left as the only major power in the Western Mediterranean

Question 14

why did Rome fight Carthage?

Answer 14

defensive/reactive? aggressive/expansionist? Roman militarism (warfare is essential to politics)?

Question 15

what were the major Hellenistic kingdoms in the Eastern Mediterranean during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC?

Answer 15

Macedonia, Seleucid Empire, Ptolemaic Empire, and various Greek city-states

Question 16

what was the nature of the societies in the Eastern Mediterranean?

Answer 16

well established urban societies, lots of wealth; political, cultural, and military competition between states

Question 17

why did Greek cities appeal to Rome for protection in 200 BC?

Answer 17

they sought protection against the Macedonian king Philip V

Question 18

what was the result of Rome’s conflicts with Macedonia?

Answer 18

Rome dismantled the Macedonian kingdom in 168 BC. Aligns themselves with Alexander the Great - declares the Greeks as ‘free’

Question 19

how did Rome exert influence over the Greek cities in Asia Minor?

Answer 19

by siding with them against the Seleucid Empire and installing rulers like the rulers of Pergamon as client-kings

Question 20

what was the significance of Flamininus to the Greek city-states?

Answer 20

Coins were minted with his head on, he was given divine honours - hellenistic trend of ruler worship

Question 21

what was the significance of the destruction of Corinth and Carthage in 146 BC?

Answer 21

it symbolised Rome’s new status and power in the Mediterranean world

Question 22

how did Roman expansion impact Roman society economically and culturally?

Answer 22

it brought massive wealth, artwork, and Greek culture to Rome, and led to a slave-based economy

Question 23

what was the role of the Magna Mater in Roman religion?

Answer 23

introduced to Rome in 204 BC for protection against Hannibal, the Magna Mater (Cybele) became a major goddess despite her ‘foreign’ aspects (self-castrated priests)

Question 24

how did the Romans view their expansion in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC?

Answer 24

it was not seen as the result of a conscious plan but a series of reactions to various circumstances and opportunities

Question 25

what marked the turning point in Roman power in the mid-2nd century BC?

Answer 25

the destruction of Carthage and Corinth in 146 BC

Question 26

what was the impact of Hellenistic Greek culture on Rome

Answer 26

Rome absorbed and was influenced by Greek culture, becoming the last Hellenistic kingdom

Question 27

how did Mediterranean connectivity contribute to the growth of Roman power?

Answer 27

it facilitated the increasing influence and interactions between different regions, contributing to Rome’s expansion