Rome’s Conquest of Italy

1 Rome’s Conquest of Italy: I. Disaster - 18 July 390, Battle Allia and Gallic Sack: Vae victis! Italian neighbors attack after defeat: - Aequi, Volscians, and Etruscans - but 115 yrs later: 275 BC, Rome is mistress of Italy - 800 years (410 AD) before another foreigner enters Rome in arms - HOW? Recovery - refortification - army reform: abandon hoplite phalanx - instead use throwing spears; short swords; long shields - New tactical units: 1 Legion = 30 maniples 1 Maniple = 2 centuries 1 Century = 60 men 2 II. Expansion 390-275: Three main areas 1) Latins - 493: Treaty w. Latin League (30 communities) Foedus Cassianum - 360  340-338 Latin War - 338 supremacy in Italy - divide & rule: each state has sep. agreement now with Rome 2) Samnites: Italian mountain tribes Three Samnite Wars - Capua appeals to Rome: 1st Samnite War 343-341 - Greeks in Naples appeal to Rome: 2nd Samnite War 326-304 - Lucanians appeal to Rome: 3rd Samnite War 298-290 - Battle of Sentinum 295 - surround and absorb 3) Greeks from mainland: - Tarentum & King Pyrrhus of Epirus 280-276 - Pyrrhic victories: Heraclea 280, Ausculum 279, Beneventum 276 III. Attitude toward Enemies - Hostis = both stranger and enemy - Domestic and foreign affairs: domi militiaeque = “at home and at war” -Aggressive attitude: –Neutrals not respected. Either with or against... –But loyal friends rewarded –Always clear distinction between enemy and ally Starting a War: a religious event Rules: 1. Rome injured party 2. Fetiales (fetial priests): demand reparation 3. Centuriate assembly declares a “just war” iustum piumque bellum 4. Boundaries and bloody spear (Temple of Bellona) 3 Defensive Imperialism: Cicero On the Republic • “Those wars are unjust which are undertaken without provocation. For only a war waged for revenge or defense can actually be just.” • “No war is considered just unless it has been proclaimed and declared, or unless reparation has been demanded.” • “But our people by defending their allies have gained dominion over the whole world.” The defeated -Unconditional surrender: deditio in fidem: “surrender to good faith of Romans” -Romans usually demanded: $ compensation; treaty of alliance; and some land. -But keep your own government How Rome was different: -Unjustified war is immoral -Negotiation and neutrality incomprehensible •Example 168 BC: Antiochus IV (Syria), Ptolemy VI (Egypt) and Popilius Laenas (Rome) IV. Citizens Different levels of citizenship and allies possible - Civic status used as weapon of control - Two principles of Roman Citizenship 1) extendable to worthy outsiders 2) divisible collection of individual rights Citizenship Rights - public rights - vote, hold office - private rights - conubium, marriage - commercium, commerce - provocatio, appeal + duties - taxes and fighting - Citizens lived in either ager Romanus (Roman territory in & right around Rome) OR 4 Roman colonies OR unurbanized areas in Italy - pagi, rural districts & vici, hamlets Secondary type of citizenship: civitas sine suffragio -all duties of cit., all private rights, but no VOTE -Lived in more autonomous townships called municipia -carrot and stick V. Socius (pl. socii) – ally (fight but no taxes) Three standard feature of treaties with allies: - no foreign policy - internal autonomy - auxiliaries - Types of allies: 1) socii nominis Latini, allies of the Latin name -mix of Romans and Latins - live in Latin colonies, founded from 338-180 - internal autonomy - private Roman rights - fight but no taxes - right of migration to Rome 2) ordinary allies: civitates foederatae, federated states - foedus, treaty -different levels of treaties: unfavored and favored VI. Effects ? 1. Security - Italy is patchwork of different statuses - Divide and rule = no neighbors with unified goals 2. Colonial strategy - Find land for landless  more soldiers - Colonies = outposts of Rome - Incentives: Rome uses range of possible alliances and treaties with Rome as 5 system of reward and punishment to help maintain empire. Enter Hannibal: 218 BC…