Rome and the Mediterranean 290-133 BCE Flashcards
Themes for ancient to medieval history
Connectivity
Imperialism
Methodologies (fragmentary sources and material culture)
Monarchy between
753 - 509 BCE
Republic between
509 - 31 BCE
Republic breakdown
Early republic 509 - early 3rd century BCE.
Middle republic 280/264 - 133 BCE.
Late republic 133 - 31 BCE.
Empire between
31 BCE - 476 CE? Or later??
Polybius (sources)
Wrote in the 2nd century BC - a contemporary.
Originally covered period of 264 - 146 BCE.
Was Greek.
195 - 146 BCE, books 19-49 are very fragmented.
Livy (sources)
Writing in early 1st century AD.
Used earlier sources (e.g Polybius).
219 - 166 BC writings are complete, the rest are only summaries.
Other examples of sources
Plutarch’s Biographies 2nd century AD.
Cassius Dio’s Roman History 3rd century AD.
Archaeology.
Epigraphy.
Numismatic.
The Roman world c. 290 BCE
Heavy militaristic society, controlled by small groups of elite men (senators).
Controls most of the middle of the Italian peninsula, through conquests and alliances.
Conquests had started to bring in wealth, slaves and manpower.
The Pyrrhic war
280 - 275 BCE.
Tarentum (city in southern Italy) requests help from King Pyrrhus of Epirus (region in Greece) against the growing power of Rome.
This is when the Greeks begin to be aware of the Romans - when they began to write about them.
Outbreak of the 1st Punic War
After 289 BCE, Mamertines (mercenaries) seize Messana (located in northern Sicily).
271 BCE, Rhegion (southern Italy) is seized by mercenaries - however Rome restores order with troops.
C. 270 BCE, King Hiero II of Syracuse (southern Sicily) begin to trouble the Mamertines in Messana.
265 BCE, Mamertines appeal to both Carthage and Rome for help.
The 1st Punic war
A naval war between Carthage and Rome, used battering rams attached to their ships to sink their enemies’ ships.
The Treaty of Lutatius 241 BCE stated Carthage must…
Evacuate Sicily (allowing Rome to have a permanent presence there).
Free Roman prisoners.
Pay Rome 3200 talents (roughly 18 tonnes worth) in reparations.
Interlude between 237 - 219 BCE
237 BCE, Carthaginian suppression of mercenaries in Sardinia - declared an act of war by Rome and therefore Carthage had to pay more reparations.
237 BCE, Hamilcar Barca lands in Spain and finds gold/silver mines.
228 BCE, New Carthage founded in Spain.
226 BCE, Treaty between Rome and Carthage - Carthage has to stay south of the Ebro river.
219 BCE, Hannibal Barca (son of Hamilcar) besieges Saguntum, which claims Roman protection despite being south of Ebro.
Second Punic war
218 - 201 BCE.
Hannibal marches his army through Spain and the Alps and into Italy.
Brought his war elephants.
Continually defeated the Romans.
Second Punic war Roman figures
Many lives lost in battle.
In Cannae 216 BCE 70000 fatalities daily.
The Romans didn’t see these death figures again until battles 600 years later.
End of the Second Punic war
Fabius Maximus Verrucosus avoided meeting Hannibal in pitched battles - not meeting the Carthaginians in battle meant there was no casualties.
Cornelius Scipio destroyed the Carthaginian powerbase in Spain as well as attacking North Africa and defeating Hannibal at Zama in 201 BCE.
Effects of the Second Punic war
No major rivals to Rome in the western Mediterranean - Roman presence in Sicily, Sardinia and Spain solidified.
Demonstration of strength of Italian allies.
Massive military mobilisation.
First substantial Roman coinage created.
Second Macedonian war 200 - 196 BCE
King Attalus of Pergamum and some Greek cities appealed to Rome for help against Philip V of Macedon.
Philip defeated by Titus Quinctius Flamininus at Battle of Cynoscephalae, 196 BCE.
Flamininus declares ‘freedom of the Greeks’ at Isthmian Games in 196 BCE.
Further wars in Greek east 192 - 189 BCE
Rome aids Greek cities against Seleucid King Antiochus III.
Treaty of Apamea 183 BCE, Rome strengthens power of Allalids and Rhodians / forces Seleucids to leave Asia Minor.
Further wars in Greek east 172 - 167 BCE
Aemilius Paullus defeats King Perseus of Macedon in Third Macedonian war.
Macedonian monarchy abolished and replaced by four republics.
Royal lands or mines become property of Rome.
Further wars in Greek east 146 BCE
Achaean league defeated.
Corinth raised to the ground.
Third Punic war
King Masinissa of Numidia (an ally of Rome?) power begins to grow in North Africa at the expense of Carthage.
150 BCE, Carthage attack on Masinissa is pretext Rome needs for military intervention.
Carthage was completely destroyed by Scipio Aemilianus after a siege.
As a result of the expansion and conquest
Massive influx of artwork, exposure to Greek literary and artistic culture.
Wealth from wars that made Roman citizens exempt from taxation, 167 BCE.
War captives become foundation for a slave-based economy.
Elite hostages have potential to become friendly client kings to Rome.
Expansion and Conquest of the Hellenistic world
Had massive economic and cultural consequences for Roman society
Cybele / The Magna Mater / The Great Mother
204 BCE, Hannibal rampaging through Italy and the Romans were desperate for help.
Rome consults Sybilline books (prophecies) and the Oracle at Delphi (centre of Greek religion).
Both recommended bringing the goddess Cybele from her home in Asia Minor to Rome to protect the city.
Black stones embodying the goddess brought to Rome and carried through the streets to her new temple.
Mediterranean cultural entanglement
Goddess from Asia Minor (Magna Mater) now ‘Roman’, partly through Greek intervention, and due to Carthaginian threat.
Becomes major goddess in Rome, however Romans were also uncomfortable about ‘foreign’ aspects to their culture.
Expansion of Roman Power 3rd - 2nd c. BCE
Not the result of any other factor, but certainly not the result of a conscious plan by Romans
External factors: Mediterranean power struggles, requests to Rome for help.
Internal factors: Rome’s militaristic culture, increasing opportunities for self-advancement.
Roman power increasingly overt in course of 2nd c. BCE
Effects of Roman expansion not just political
Material wealth (including slaves).
Cultural - Rome essentially becomes a Hellenistic city/empire.
Moral implications?
Final Thoughts
Expansion of Roman power in 3rd - 2nd c. BCE.
Effects of Roman expansion not just political.
Growth of Roman power part of much larger story of increasing Mediterranean connectivity.
