Topic 1 - Warfare

Question 1

what did Dionysius of Halicarnassus write? why is this scrutinised?

Answer 1

Dionysius of Halicarnassus wrote sources on the Romans conquering Italy long after the events actually happened and were influenced by the authors perspective. they were also translated many times so later versions could have more mistakes

Question 2

who were the Samnites? what did Livy say?

Answer 2

The Samnites are indigenous to the Italian peninsula described as Livy as ‘mountain people’, they were always under population pressure

Question 3

what happened with their living conditions?

Answer 3

they couldn’t go further up the mountain slopes so there are constant waves of Samnites colonising the landscape around the hill

Question 4

what did they have in battle?

Answer 4

they bore long spears, round shields, specific breast plates - 3 metal discs tied together allowing for quick movement.

Question 5

what kind of warfare did they practice?

Answer 5

they practiced Gorilla warfare - no large groups

Question 6

what other formation did they have?

Answer 6

they also had phalanx formation, although not the Greek version, an older version featuring a rectangular shape with their spears pointed out, ideal for open fields, not so much for mountains - needed to be more flexible.

Question 7

what kind of army did the Romans adopt?

Answer 7

Romans adopted a manipular army which was smaller and more flexible with 120 soldiers (3 lines of 40) with a pilum, throwing spear, that replaced the heavy pike of the earlier phalanx

Question 8

how often were Rome at war? how was this a benefit?

Answer 8

Rome was constantly at war but had massive territorial growth, over 2800% expansion. this also brought economic growth from loot, slaves, gold as spoils of war thus a transformation of the city.

Question 9

how was Rome successful?

Answer 9

Rome was successful due to the manipulation of allies, an aggressive attitude, the need for land and the reinvestment of spoils for further warfare

Question 10

what did Rome do for the first time during the first Punic Wars?

Answer 10

during the first Punic war, the Romans sent troops out across the sea for the first time, they had very little experience of sea-based warfare before this. they also didn’t have a large military fleet, they would lose their fleet to storms, but continue rebuilding again and again.

Question 11

what effect did this have on Rome?

Answer 11

this caused Rome to become a Mediterranean power, it also gave then indemnity as Carthage pays 3200 talents in installments over 10 years, making clear Carthaginian inferiority to Rome.

Question 12

what effect did this have on Carthage?

Answer 12

Carthage had a mercenary army, who would need to be paid, although, they lost and had to pay Rome a great sum of money so this would be extremely difficult and ultimately bankrupt them leading to revolt within their territory.

Question 13

what did Carthage do to regain some power?

Answer 13

Carthage becomes a power in Spain after seeking help.

Question 14

what happened during the second Punic war?

Answer 14

for the second Punic war, the Romans intended to take the battle to Spain and the Carthaginians, but Hannibal crosses the Alps and gets to Italy first. He brings 26000 troops and many elephants, there was a high desertion rate resulting in there being only half of the regular army

Question 15

who does Hannibal gain the support from? does he trust them?

Answer 15

Hannibal gains the support of the Gauls in Northern Italy, although Hannibal is suspicious of the Gauls wearing different clothes and wigs to hide himself from potential assassination attempts

Question 16

what happened at Trebia and Trasimene?what were Hannibals goals?

Answer 16

Trebia and Trasimene were serious defeats for Rome, with Cannae being the worst. Hannibal had the element of surprise over Rome and the goal to break up Rome although Central Italy remained loyal to Rome meaning Hannibal had not achieved his intended goal

Question 17

what did the Romans do with some Greek states after conquering King Phillip and the Macedonians?

Answer 17

After conquering King Phillip and the Macedonians the Romans decided to leave some Greek states free, with their own governments still in action.

Question 18

what did the Greeks vie this at in comparison to the Romans?

Answer 18

The Greeks saw this as freedoms, but the Romans saw it differently, as freedom on Roman terms. the Romans recognise the government in Greek cities and the Greeks eventually may understand the extent of these freedoms

Question 19

what did Antiochus do?

Answer 19

Antiochus moved in on some defeated Greek cities after Philip making war with Rome, to which he lost rather quickly

Question 20

why did he lose so quickly?

Answer 20

there are many reasons why he lost so quickly, the Roman military had different techniques compared to the Greeks such as the use of a legion over a Phalanx

Question 21

why was the Roman legions more effective than the phalanx?

Answer 21

the Macedonian Phalanx is very immobile whereas the legion could resist being bashed around and could take more complex terrain giving them a better advantage. The Roman military technology also more ‘modern’ than the Macedonians who haven’t adapted

Question 22

what was the Roman army made up of? how was this a benefit?

Answer 22

The Roman army was a citizen based army where the Macedonians relied on their mercinaries. a city state projects to its men that losing would lead to vulnerability. If under pressure the Roman know that as a community, their survival depends on resistance.

Question 23

what happened at the battle of Pydna?

Answer 23

The battle of Pydna brought an end to the Macedonian kingdom. Perseus is defeated and is paraded around the streets of Rome to show his defeat in the ‘great triumph’ procession which allegedly took 3 days due to all the stuff they took.