Download ROMAN EXPANSION & THE PUNIC WARS

ROMAN EXPANSION &
THE PUNIC WARS
“Expansion & Crisis”
ROMAN EXPANSION
• Once the Romans set up the Republic,
they worked to protect & expand it.
• By 275 B.C., the Romans ruled the
entire Italian peninsula.
• By 146 B.C., Rome ruled most of the
Mediterranean region.
ROMAN EXPANSION
• The Romans had a strong army & were
able to gain territory.
• The army was divided into LEGIONS.
Each Legion contained between 5,000
to 6,000 men.
• The Legion was further divided into
mobile units of 60 to 120 men.
• The Roman soldiers were called
LEGIONARIES.
ROMAN EXPANSION
• The legionaries were well
trained, and deserters were
punished by death.
• The Romans also set up
permanent military settlements
called COLONIAE to defend
strategic locations.
LEGION VS. PHALANX
• The legion had several advantages over
the phalanx.
1.) The legion was smaller & could move
faster.
2.) Phalanx could attack from only one
direction while the legion could split and
attack from many angles.
3.) Each legionary depended on their
own fighting ability.
ROMAN EXPANSION
• The Romans were mild rulers, much
like the Persians.
• They let conquered people keep their
own government, take care of their own
affairs, & even become citizens.
• Conquered people were expected to
serve in the army
• As a result, many enemies became loyal
Roman citizens.
THE PUNIC WARS
• By 264 B.C. the Romans came into
contact with the CARTHAGINIANS.
• The Carthaginian city of
CARTHAGE was perhaps the
Mediterranean region’s wealthiest
city.
• The Carthaginians were expanding
their territory and came into direct
conflict with the Romans.
CARTHAGE
THE FIRST PUNIC WAR
• THE FIRST PUNIC WAR began in 264
B.C. and ended 23 years later in 241 B.C.
• The Romans were not happy with
Carthaginians occupation of Sicily.
• The Romans had a strong army, & the
Carthaginians had a strong navy.
• To counter their powerful navy the Romans
created the CORVUS, or a kind of movable
bridge which enabled the Romans to board
Carthaginians ships.
THE FIRST PUNIC WARS
• The First Punic War ended
in a Roman victory.
• The Carthaginians agreed to
hand the Romans a huge
INDEMNITY, or payment
for damages.
• The Carthaginians agreed to
peace and left Sicily.
THE SECOND PUNIC WAR
• In 218 B.C., the Second Punic War
began.
• The Carthaginians this time were lead by
HANNIBAL BARCA.
• Hannibal decided to attack the Romans by
land from the north.
• He started by taking a city in Spain and
then moving through present-day France
(GAUL).
THE SECOND PUNIC WAR
• Hannibal then decided to take the
war into Italy and straight to Rome.
• Hannibal had to lead 46,000 troops
and 40 elephants over the Alps
• However, this was a difficult
journey & Hannibal emerged from
the Alps with only 26,000 troops,
almost no elephants, & many sick
& tired soldiers.
THE SECOND PUNIC WAR
• Hannibal could never penetrate the city
of Rome itself but he won many
victories throughout Italy.
• Eventually, Hannibal was called back to
defend Carthage from attacking Romans.
• He was defeated at the Battle of Zama,
the only battle he lost.
• By 201 B.C. Rome had won another
war.
THE THIRD PUNIC WAR
• Following the Second Punic War
there was 50 years of peace.
• Eventually, Carthage began to show
signs of regaining strength, so in
149 B.C. the Romans attacked
Carthage.
• They burned the city to the ground
& plowed salt into their fields.
• The Romans now completely
controlled the Mediterranean world!