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Summary of the roman empire
Roman republic and early empire
Transition of the roman republic to the imperial republic regime
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The Punic wars in 264 BC - 146 BC against the Carthage impacted Rome in a positive way. The Romans came out of the Punic wars with a greater understanding that having the power of the military belonged to the Senate, that it was the Senate’s responsibility to be aware, guide and advocate. Due to the second war, the population of Rome decreased which provided it the opportunity to grow and become popular to tourists visiting and ultimately became a place where veterans from war wanted to come live in. Rome also became a very profitable city as farmlands were bought at low prices due to the war and then started to develop these lands making them rich in agriculture. Rome became a very strong city throughout the world since the Roman Senate increased …show more content…
their wealth by exploiting Hannibal and further subjugating the poor. By 164 BC, Rome was a very different country then before the Punic Wars that saw immediate and long term effects. Some changes that occurred included a shift in political influence and wealth to the senatorial class, peasant community dynamics were changing with many moving to the cities, while work and food became scarcer.
The wealthy benefited, with their lifestyles becoming more luxurious through the Roman cultural exposure to Greek influence. From this stemmed a new social climate that emerged after the many years of warfare. A result of the first Punic War and the Romans was the decisive naval victory against the Carthaginians at the Aegate Islands. This gave Rome full control of Sicily and Corsica. The end of the First Punic War saw the beginning of the Roman expansion beyond the Italian peninsula. Significantly, Syracuse was granted nominal independence as an ally and it was not incorporated into the Roman province of Sicily until the Second Punic War. Rome benefited greatly from the acquisition of Sicily. By controlling Sicily, the Romans could use its array of natural resources and minerals to gain profits. Sicily would become very important to Rome as a source of grain. The Romans introduced a new system in Sicily, where the people were made neither allies nor citizens, but instead subjects. Their land was generally confiscated and many inhabitants were forced to pay a heavy tribute, especially those who had thrown their support behind the …show more content…
Carthaginians in the First Punic War. The whole island with the exception of the independent Syracuse was governed by a praetor sent from Rome. By this arrangement Sicily became known as a province which became a term for any conquered territory outside mainland Italy. This system allowed Rome to obtain important grain from Sicily as well as profits from the tributes and natural resources they obtained. The pressures that Rome faced during the Second Punic War resulted in significant changes to the Roman political system.
The Senate gained increased prestige, greater wealth, and more influence in Roman government. Rule by Senate was consolidated due to the success with which they conducted the Second Punic War and the economic power they held through the control of huge estates many senators established after the war. As a result of the Second Punic War, Rome gained control of all Carthaginian territory within Spain. With the gain of Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, Rome prospered greatly by being known as the region for its thriving export trade and rich resource base. From Spain Rome gained great quantities of silver, copper and iron besides agricultural products and fish. The Roman economy was stimulated by the increase in profits as a result of its new prosperous land. After the Second Punic War, Rome established itself as the most powerful nation in the Mediterranean. Carthage was reduced to a mere client state of Rome and its navy was reduced to just ten ships and they were forbidden from raising an army without the permission of Rome. Local rivals took advantage of this and when Carthage raised an army to defend itself from these incursions, it was destroyed by Rome in the Third Punic War. Rome, on the other hand, had
taken a key step towards her domination of the Mediterranean. Another impact to Rome was due to unfavorable conditions in Italy and Sicily and the loss of so many men from agricultural occupations, Rome experienced a period of inflation and the possibility of a grain famine. The Romans were able to find another source of grain, from Egypt, at three times the normal price. One significant and lasting change to Rome as a result of the Punic Wars was an increase in the use of slaves. Before the Second Punic War slaves were employed on a relatively small scale. However, by the end of the second century, large numbers of slaves were pouring into Rome, either as prisoners of war or purchased abroad by the new wealthy class of Romans who now employed large staffs of domestic servants or invested as slaves as business ventures. Rome not only survived the period during the Punic Wars, they conquered and prospered. This was due to the way in which Rome conducted its peace arrangements with its defeated states and the strength of its republican institutions. A famous line concerning Rome was that it would usually lose the first battle, but always win the last. In light of this idea, Rome manipulated its post war dominance in order to give as well as take. The system of alliances, treaties, protectorates and provinces forged the basis of a highly successful empire.
After the Costly victory of the Civil War, the Union need to reunite. The Union needed to readmit the rebellious southern states back into the country. Some Americans wanted to punish the south because of the war. They wanted to brutally reunify the country. Others, seeking a much more kinder approach, wanted to reunify the nation in a much more generous way. Both sides of the debate, wanted African Americans to have their freedom however. The problem for President Abraham Lincoln was difficult to answer, and had a detrimental impact on the United States that would last an eternity. Should the reconstruction plan be based on punishment or reunification? What are the civil liberties given to the newly emancipated African Americans? What should
Ruthless expansionists- The ruthless expansion of the Romans was evident in the Punic Wars. “The population of Rome itself increased to unheard-of levels: From somewhere around 100,000 before the first Punic Wars to easily five times that figure a little more than a century later.” 1 (pg. 188) Through the Punic Wars, Rome gained Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, and Spain. Expansion was important because more land meant more resources for the Roman
The end of the third and final Punic War in 146 BCE, marked Rome’s successful conquest of the Mediterranean world. Although Rome’s victory expanded the Roman Empire, the victory most certainly came at a cost. The postwar political and social landscape was filled with chaos that required government response to solve. The Gracchi Reforms resulted directly from the unrest of the common people and weakening roman military power, the rise of Julius Caesar correlated with aftermath of Gracchi reforms and distrust with government, and the second triumvirate was a temporary solution to the unrest after Caesars’ assassination. These three revisions to Roman government structure also contributed to cause the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of
The Carthaginians and Romans fought in three different wars over the course of 118 years. Romans fought the Carthaginians to ruin their hold on a chain of islands that would let them control the Western Mediterranean. The Romans wanted to have control. They then fought over land in Italy, particularly Sicily. In the third conflict, Carthaginians tried to save their city and land from being taken over completely by Romans. In these wars, they mainly fought over trade routes in the Mediterranean. Each wanted power and more territorial possession.
The War of 1812 was considered the United States’ second battle for independence from England. Leading up to the war, tensions between America and the Native American Indians, as well as between America and England, increased rapidly. The Native Americans began attacking American settlements in response to being forced out of their native territory. Conflicts like these continued between American citizens and Native Americans throughout the war as the British were supporting the Native Americans. Due to the contentious relationship between England and America, the British decided to form an alliance with the Native Americans to increase their chances of defeating the Americans. America’s anger continued to grow toward the British because Britain refused to recognize America as an independent country, and because the British had no respect for American citizens. The war lasted for four years, ending with the Treaty of Ghent. There were some positive outcomes of the War of 1812 for America, however there were many negative effects for Native Americans. The War of 1812 ended the conflict between America and England, improved American foreign relations, and aided westward expansion; however Native Americans lost their land to westward moving settlers.
If the second Punic war is to be discussed, I think it is very important to discuss the first Punic war and its motivations and outcomes, because there is a significant link between the two. Of course, as we know a second of anything is made possible by the first, and in the case of the Punic wars, the first war not only made way for the second, it also gave birth and motivation to one of the greatest and most influential participants of the second Punic war, Hannibal. As we explore the dusk of the first Punic war to the dawn of the second, we can see how Hannibal as a military commander was destined to wreak havoc on the Roman military.
The war started because of conflicting interests between the two, especially the expanding Roman Republic. At the end of the war, thousands of lives were lost, Rome ascended into power, conquering Carthage and becoming the most powerful state in the Mediterranean. During one point of the Second War, or the Hannibalic War, Carthage nearly brought Rome to her knees. With reinforcement from their Gallic allies, Carthage defeated the Roman army in the Battles of Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae. Had Rome not defeated Carthage, the history Western civilization would be drastically altered, shaping a very different world than the one we live in today. It is said “All roads lead to Rome”. There is a lot of truth to this quote because Rome, with all its power and glory, paved the road for our modern society; it allowed Christianity to spread and flourish, the basis for democracy, and served as melting pot of cultures and customs.Rome can be considered one of the greatest influences on Western civilization, leaving us with priceless gifts that we will always
Rome has impacted modern times through so many ways. This immense empire has changed the way we do things nowadays from how they used to be long before today. Roman people used their intelligent minds to create unbelievable inventions that are still used today. Rome has revolutionized political and economic structures throughout the known world by the creation of roads, their architecture, the use of a senate, and many more.
The first Punic War started with a request by the locals in Messana for the Romans to aid them in defeating the Carthaginians. Messana was at the southern tip of Italy and would be a great asset to the already superior naval fleet of Carthage. Rome saw this to be a good opportunity to halt the expansion of the Carthaginian Empire and to stop the possible attack on Italy (which was controlled by Rome). Despite this fact the Roman council debated on whether to attack on these premises or not, but eventually it was decided that they would wage war on the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians were then told that they must halt their invasion or war would be waged. They did not stop and Rome declared war.
The War of 1812 has always been a part of American history not very exiting to learn about for most Americans. It was a tumultuous time for the New Republic and some of the battles of the war shamed the new nation. The War of 1812 did not have the same glorious, honorable, and just cause of the American Revolution. The British made fools of the American people and even burned the Capitol and the White House, the centers of American politics, to the ground. However as shameful as the war was, it also had some good benefits and it demonstrated to Great Britain and the rest of the world that the United States of America was its own sovereign nation, and not some British Sphere of Influence. Although the treaty of Ghent failed to address the important issues that brought the United States to war, the War of 1812 helped the country improve itself internally by way of increased nationalism, greater industrialization and a more stable economy, and an overall safer nation.
The Second Punic War, also called the Second Carthaginian War, took place from 218 to 201 B.C between the Roman Republic and Carthaginian Empire. There were three Punic Wars in all, resulting in Roman dominance over the Mediterranean. Rome saw how large Carthage was getting and how much power it was gaining. This, along with the fact that Carthage controlled three islands off the coast of Italy, was an issue for Rome. Rome insisted that Carthage join the Republic, to which Carthage disagreed. The two groups fought for twenty years, ending the wars when Carthage offered Rome the island of Sicily in exchange for peace. Rome took Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia. Carthage, lead by Hamilcar Barca, took off to fight Spain. Hamilcar’s son, Hannibal, was nine years old at the time. Before they left Carthage, Hamilcar made his son promise that when he was older he would fight Rome for revenge. Hannibal agreed, thus beginning the legend of Hannibal, military genius. (Second)
The Second Punic war, beginning in 218 BC, was the second major war between the Roman Empire and the Carthage. Around the same time, the Roman Empire deployed troops to the Northeastern peninsula of Spain to keep reinforcements, from the Carthaginian South, from getting to Hannibal’s armies in Italy to assist them. In A Histor...
After the conclusion of the Second Punic War in 201 BCE, Rome placed a massive indemnity of 10,000 talents on Carthage that would be paid off over fifty years (Ward 111). This wealth provided Rome the means to continue to grow and funded the state. Realizing that there was fortunes to be won at war, Rome now had an economic incentive to go to war. Once Rome defeated Macedon, Phillip agreed to pay an indemnity of 1000 talents, half immediately and another half over ten years (Ward 117). Since the Second Macedonian War only lasted until 197 BCE, Rome now had two foreign nations filling its treasuries annually. The Romans now could see the economic opportunity that war presented and it encouraged them to continue to wage new wars. For example, after the Spartan War, Sparta owed 500 talents and after the War with Antiochus III, Syria owed 15,000 talents (Ward 119). In total, by 188 BCE, Rome was receiving 1,300 annually from three different nations, passively increasing their wealth and funding new campaigns to further increase their
The War with Veii played a significant role in the expansion of the Roman Empire. The war, which ended in 410 B.C., set in motion an entirely different Roman army. No longer was the army a volunteer militia, instead it became a paying and contractual organization. The “Roman victory brought an end to Rome’s most threatening neighbor and began its rise to prominence in the central Italian peninsula” (www.warandgameinfo.com).
Ultimately, the Roman Republic’s downfall lay in its lack of major wars or other crises, which led to a void of honor and leadership. War united all of Rome’s people, and provided the challenge to its leaders to develop honor and leadership by their causes and actions. The lack of war allowed the Roman Republic to stagnate and become self-indulgent. By the end of the Punic Wars, which combined these elements, Rome was sure to fail. Without a common thread uniting its society, the Roman Republic unraveled because it had nothing left holding it together.