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Cause and Effect:
The growth of the Roman Republic and the changes that followed
The Punic Wars
-Carthage was an immensely powerful city in North Africa that controlled the Western
Mediterranean.
-Carthage boasted that the Mediterranean was a “Carthaginian lake,” in which people had to ask permission before washing their
hands.
The Punic Wars
-After the Romans occupied Southern Italy, Carthage feared that they would try to capture Sicily, which contained several
Carthaginian colonies and markets.
-The Romans feared that the Carthaginian navy would close the Adriatic Sea and the
Strait of Messina.
What was the effect?
The Punic Wars
-The First Punic War--264 B.C. – 241 B.C.-
-The Romans created a naval fleet based on the wreckage of a Carthaginian ship.
-They “board” the Carthaginian ships, fighting a land battle at sea.
-Carthage pays an indemnity and gives up its claim to Sicily.
The Punic Wars-The Second Punic War-
219 B.C. – 202 B.C.
-Beginning in Spain, Hannibal marches through the Alps and into Italy, defeating the
Roman army.-Hannibal had no siege equipment, so he
could not attack the cities – Hannibal spent 15 years attacking the Italian countryside.
The Punic Wars-The Second Punic War-
-Hannibal tried to win away some of the allies of the Roman Republic, but the policy of
sharing citizenship with their allies kept them loyal to the republic – the Macedonian
empire was one group that helped Carthage.
-The Romans turned the tables by invading Africa and threatening Carthage.
The Punic Wars-The Second Punic War-
-Rome defeats Carthage.
-Carthage is forced to pay another large indemnity and cede control of their Spanish
colonies to the Romans.
What was the effect?
Effects of the Second Punic War-Out of revenge for helping the
Carthaginians, Rome starts a war with the Macedonians and defeats them in 197 B.C. –
The Greek cities were now under Roman “protection.”
-This leads to Rome’s conquest of the Seleucid empire. They have now gained
supremacy in the east.-Carthage is no longer a threat.
The Punic Wars
Why the Third Punic War?
-Some veterans of the Punic Wars and other important members of Roman society hated the Carthaginians, who they felt caused the
previous Punic Wars.-Carthage was weaker, and Rome could crush
them easily…
The Punic Wars
-The Third Punic War--149 B.C. – 146 B.C.-
-Using a flimsy excuse, the Romans attack the city of Carthage.
-After their victory, the Romans destroyed what was left of the city, sold the population
into slavery, and according to legends, covered the soil with salt.
What was the effect of all of the Roman
expansion?
Government-Rome itself retained a republican form of
government.-How did it change to accommodate the
problems that come with governing a large territory?
-The Senate controlled the army, finances, foreign affairs, and the new territories – the
Senate was made up of Patricians…
The aristocracy gains more power!
Did this work well?
Government
-No-
-They did not grant citizenship to the people in these new territories (provinces) and they
did not try to make them allies.
-Instead, the Romans taxed the people of the provinces unmercifully.
Government
-Each province had a governor called a proconsul who was appointed by the senate
and supported by the Roman army in the area.
-The proconsul only served for one year and had no salary…
What does this cause?
Government
-Corruption-
-The proconsuls collected bribes and ignored the needs of the people.
-The censors would work with publicans, who would collect the taxes and give a fixed
amount to the Roman empire…
What would they do?
Government
-The publicans would tax higher rates than required and keep any money that they
collected over the amount that they owed the Romans.
Agriculture
Rome has a lot of new territory…
What does that mean for the small farmer back in Rome?
-They play less of a role… why?
Agriculture-The Roman government leased large estates
made up of their new land (latifundia) to anyone that could afford their price.
-Only wealthy people could afford the land.
-Rome begins to depend on the provinces for grain.
Agriculture-The hidden cost of the Punic Wars-
-Soldiers return home to their farms to discover their livestock is dead, their land is in ruins, and they don’t have enough money
to bring it back to cultivation.
What do they do?
-They sell their land to the wealthy.
Agriculture-The hidden cost of the Punic Wars-
-Where do the landless soldiers now go?
-The city…the problem is there are not many jobs. They must now rely on the government
for their food to stay alive.
-Why not go back and serve in the army?
Agriculture-The hidden cost of the Punic Wars-
-The republic only allowed landowners to fight.
-The only thing that these veterans could do was sell their vote to the highest bidder.
Social Change
-The ideals of discipline and strength and loyalty to Rome have weakened among many of the now
jobless masses.
-Romans were now judged by wealth instead of by character.
-Slave revolts became common – Spartacus led 70,000 slaves from 73 B.C.-71 B.C. in a brutal revolt
that ended with his crucifixion.
The Roman Empire is in need of reform…
