Download Daniel Stephens Lifelong Learning Academy

Daniel Stephens
Lifelong Learning Academy
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Roman
Reorganization
The First Samnite War
The Latins Strike Back
The End of the Latin
League
The Second Samnite
War
The Third Samnite
War
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Conquering Italy
The Greeks
Alexander of Epirus
Fighting on all Fronts
King Pyrrhus of Epirus
The Battle of Heraclea
Pyrrhic Victory
Tarentum Falls
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In the Aftermath of the
Gaulish invasions the
Roman’s reorganized their
fighting force.
No longer would it be
primarily made up of
farmers and craftsmen.
Professional soldiers were
made and trained to defend
Rome and expand it’s
borders.
Military service would bring
with it political aspirations,
citizenship, and
possibilities of riches.
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The normal citizen soldier in the early
republic would be called up to service
basis of their position in the Comitia
Centuriata.
Each infantry soldier would now be
outfitted according to their social status.
Each phalanx of soldiers would consist of:
Hastati, Spearmen equip with long spears
Bronze helmets, light armor, and the Scuta.
Principes, Second line troops wealthier and
equip with bronze helmets, Chain Mail
armor, Pilum, and Scuta.
Triarii, Third line troops made up of the
wealthiest infantry they wore Bronze
helmets with feathers to denote seniority
carried long spears, swords and large
round Clipei shields. The Triarii was the
last line of attack sent in to break the
enemy and win the day. They would be
supported by rorarii and accensi, the
poorest soldiers who would act as
auxiliaries and re-enforcements.
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Equites coming from the first rank of
the Comitia Centuriata would be
picked to serve as cavalry.
These higher ranking citizens would
supply their own horses and be
responsible for their own equipment.
Early in the republic the Cavalry
would be used as bodyguards for
Consuls and Generals, but as Rome
expanded their role would include
scouting, to break up enemy
formations and to counter enemy
cavalry and shock troops..
The typical Cavalry soldier would
receive one drachma a day while on
campaign, triple the rate of an
infantry soldier. Cavalry soldiers
during the republic would also be recompensated by the Senate if their
horse was killed in battle.
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In 343 the Samnite tribe of the Appian
highlands of Central Italy moved into
Campania and threatened the city of
Capua.
Capua appealed to Rome for help, but
Rome had a treaty with the Samnites.
Capua and Campania surrendered to the
Romans who were obliged to send aid.
Rome’s newly organized armies marched
into Campania and engaged the Samnites
and won three decisive battles led by the
Consuls Marcus Valerius Corvus and Aulus
Cornelius Cossus.
Corvus fought the Samnites at Mount
Gaurus near Cumae were in the fading
light of day the Roman routed the Samnites
after and entire day of fighting. Cossus
marched an army into Samnium and was
almost trapped in the mountain passes by
the Samnites and managed to escape
defeat.
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Still determined to defeat Rome the
Samnites moved down and besieged the
Campanian city of Suessula.
Valerius Corvus left his baggage train
behind and marched right for the Samnite
army.
The Samnites underestimating the Romans
spread the army out to forage.
Corvus was able to move his army in and
push the Samnite out of Campania.
The Samnites sought for a treaty mostly
due to the fact they were being attacked by
the Greek colony Tarentum.
The war was nearly a disaster for Rome.
One of Rome’s garrison armies mutinied
and tried to set up their own kingdom in
Campania.
When discovered the rebel army marched
towards Rome. Corvus encountered the
army and was able to negotiate a bloodless
peace and reforms were passed.
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While Rome was occupied
with the Samnites and a
mutiny the Latin League
formed an alliance to
push for equal footing
with Rome.
The Latins allied
themselves with the
Volsci and the
Campanians and tried to
march on Rome.
Rome appealed to the
Samnites and due to the
treaty Rome and the
Samnites defeated the
Latin League.
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Rome now used this
opportunity to dismantle the
league and destroy a threat.
Rome offered Campania
excellent terms and they left
the alliance for good.
They dismantled the League by
making some Latin cities
municipae, who had Roman
citizenship and would supply
Rome with soldiers.
Rome then set up Roman
colonies seeded with poor
Romans, in strategic places
though Latium to guard ports
and defend key cities.
This divide and rule policy
would be used time and again
through Rome’s history.
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Their were several ways to become a Roman
citizen.
You were born a citizen.
You gained the right through military service.
You were lucky enough to live in a province
that Rome granted citizenship to its
occupants.
You were a slave and your master granted you
freedom and citizenship.
You won it in successful Gladiatorial combat.
Bought it.
Your rights guaranteed under citizenship were:
Pay Taxes
Serve in the military
The right of suffragium (vote)
Immunity from summary arrest and
imprisonment
A Man could lose citizenship if he deserted the
military, mutilated himself to avoid service, or
dodged the census.
Women had none of these rights.
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All was peaceful along the Samnite frontier
until 326 when Rome made peace with
Greek Tarentum, who was at war with the
Samnites.
After the Samnites made peace with the
Greeks they moved in and took the Greek
port of Neapolis.
The nearby Capuans pleaded with Rome
for aid.
Rome sent a Legion and besieged Neapolis
and the Samnites surrendered.
Over the next few years Samnite and
Roman groups fought to a stalemate in the
Western planes.
Rome trying to force a decision moved into
Samnium and was soundly defeated at
Caudine Forks.
Rome reorganized their army and attacked
again but was defeated and Capua
changed sides.
Again Rome regroups and fights back
Capua and quickly established colonies in
the area.
The Samnites will settle for peace and
Rome accepts.
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Rome quickly learned that the Hoplite
formation had many drawbacks,
Particularly when fighting in Mountainous
regions like Samnium.
The Phalanx holds off frontal attacks very
well, but when your enemy is attacking
from above, or on the flanks the Phalanx is
easily defeated.
The use of the Hoplite shield also does not
protect Roman soldiers very well against
tall attackers with swords.
The Maniple will now adapt the Phalanx
into a line formation usually three to four
deep.
The line can now confront the enemy
without letting them come around and
attack the flanks.
The Romans would now adapt to the
traditional Roman shield the Scuta.
Rome will use the Maniple Legion well into
the Republic.
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In 298 The Samnites would again
make a push to take the western
plains of Italy, but this time they had
allied themselves with the Etruscans
and the Gauls.
Quickly the allied force moved up
and defeated Roman legions at
Camerinum, and nearly at Sentinum.
At Sentinum The Etruscans withdrew
their aid after the Samnite leader
Egnatius Gellus was killed on the
field causing the Samnite army to
collapse.
The Etruscans and Gauls make peace
with Rome leaving the Samnites out
to dry.
Rome moves in and in 290 the
Samnites accept the status of allies
of Rome and were absorbed into the
Roman identity.
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After the defeat of the
Samnites Rome now
controlled most of Central
Italy.
Now it turned its eye
towards Magna Graecia in
the south.
The principle Greek city was
the port colony of Tarentia
with a 15,000 man army
and comparable navy.
In 334 Tarentium hired
Alexander of Epirus, Uncle
to Alexander the Great to
help deal with the Samnites.
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During Rome’s war with the Samnites
Alexander the Great was conquering
half of the known world.
Greek Colonies in Magna Graecia
were leery of the indigenous Italians
moving down and clashing with
them.
Tarentum made pleas to Sparta and
Epirus and Alexander of Epirus
answered the call.
Alexander moved his army of
classical trained hoplites into
southern Italy and began fighting
Roman and Samnite people .
After pacifying the locals Alexander
moved to trying to conquer the local
Lucanians.
Tarentum fearing Roman further
Roman expansion into the region and
Alexander's ambitions abandoned
him and he was killed in battle with
the Lucanians.
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Rome would continue to encroach
into Magna Graecia and pacified the
Greek cities Thurii, Locri, and
Rhegium.
Bound by a treaty to Tarentum Rome
would not encroach into their
territory, but they would move
garrisons into the pacified cities and
a sizeable fleet into Thurii.
Tarentum became paranoid over the
Roman garrisons and fleet so close
by.
They sent envoys to Rome to plead
for their removal.
When ignored Tarentum sinks the
Roman fleet and sends to Greece for
help.
The new King of Epirus responds to
the call.
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After the death of Alexander the
Great his massive empire divides into
war.
Pyrrhus a cousin of Alexander and a
friend of Ptolemy I was restored to
his throne of Epirus in 298 BC with
financial backing by Ptolemy.
For a short time Pyrrhus led an army
and was able to take and rule
Macedon until 284 BC.
When Tarentum sent word Pyrrhus
was looking to expand Epirian
influence to Italy and possibly move
and invade Sicily.
280 BC Pyrrhus would enter Italy with
3,000 cavalry, 2,000 archers, 500
slingers, 20,000 infantry and 20 war
elephants.
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The Romans did not shy away from Pyrrhus.
Eight Roman Legions divided into four armies were
dispatched to deal with Pyrrhus. One army was
sent north to pacify the Etruscans, One army was
sent west to pacify the Samnites, One army stayed
behind to guard Rome and the army led by Consul
Publius Valerius Laevinus was sent to Tarentum
and to plunder Lucania along the way.
Pyrrhus sat and waited for the Roman army to
arrive, as well as his allies.
When his allies did not arrive Pyrrhus moves across
the banks of the Siri River and prepares for battle
on the plains of Heraclea.
He uses the river a natural barrier and sends
envoys to discuss a possible peace with the
Romans.
Publius Valerius Laevinus rejects the plea and the
next morning Roman cavalry and legions begin to
move across the river.
Pyrrhus, learning of the crossing counters with his
cavalry and sends the Greek Phalanx forward.
What follows is the first time the Greek Phalanx
would meet the Roman Maniple Legion.
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The Phalanx Hoplites could not break the
legion, but the legion could not push
through he Greeks.
The battle pushed back and forth seven
times in stalemate.
To break the lock Publius Valerius Laevinus
would send in Cavalry and push back the
Greeks.
It almost succeeds until Pyrrhus dispatches
his 20 war elephants.
The Roman horses had never experienced
elephants and the horses broke and ran.
With the introduction of the elephants the
Roman army retreated from the field and
Pyrrhus would take the Roman camp.
Roman losses were upwards of 17,000
men to Pyrrhus’s 13,000.
Pyrrhus had won a great victory but a
quarter of his army was now gone.
The term Pyrrhic Victory would come to
mean a win at such a high cost.
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After the defeat of Publius Valerius Laevinus,
the Roman army under Publius Decius Mus
moved out of Samnia and attacked Pyrrhus the
next spring at Asculum were again Pyrrhus’s
war elephants won the day but again the
losses were staggering 6,000 Roman to 3,300
Greek.
Pyrrhus would remark "If we are victorious in
one more battle with the Romans, we shall be
utterly ruined".
Pyrrhus would next invade Sicily at their
request and he would make preparations to
leave for Greece.
After a while he returned to Italy and had
found a vastly larger Roman army waiting for
him.
He would again fight the Romans to a draw at
Benventum in 275BC.
He would then leave for Greece to try again to
win the Macedonian throne.
In 272Bc while fighting in Sparta Pyrrhus is
killed in battle.
Upon hearing of his death Tarentum Sues for
peace and takes the status allies of Rome and
was colonized.
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With the fall of the Magna Graecia
Rome would now become masters of
central and southern Italy.
Over 500 years they had subdued the
Voscii, Etruscans, Samnites, The Latin
League, the Lucanians, and the
Greeks.
They had Roman colonies all over
Italy and the Roman system was
becoming the dominant way of life.
The Romans had now arrived.
Carthage an ancient empire in North
Africa now made peace treaties with
Rome, and Ptolemy II of Egypt made
peace and trade agreements with the
new kids.
But peace would not last.
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In 268BC Italian and Sicilian
mercenaries were employed by the
Tyrant of Syracuse to take the rich
city of Messana.
After the death of the tyrant the
mercenaries set up their own
kingdom of Mamertine.
Rome upset over the whole situation
sided with Syracuse and attacked the
Mamertines.
Their reasoning was that if Carthage
came and did it then Carthage would
control all of Sicily.
Over the campaign Rome shifted its
focus and now moved to take all of
Sicily to create a buffer between them
and Carthage.
The only problem was that Carthage
would not just give Rome Western
Sicily and a war would erupt.
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The series of three wars called
the Punic Wars between Rome
and Carthage would take Rome
from the provincial stage to
International status.
Rome would during these wars
perfect its military, create a
navy and start to become the
masters of the Mediterranean.
To do so they would have to
take down a formidable
kingdom and face off against
one of histories most noted
general Hannibal Barca.
In the end will Carthage be
destroyed?