Government & Social Order of the Republic of Rome 500 – 60

B.C.Dr. East 1/28

Debate at the “Forum”

Rome’s Armies

“Legions”

• 5000 + strong with foot soldiers and cavalry

Rome Legions Conquer Lands Beyond the City of Rome

• Borrowed military strategy from the Greeks– Hoplites and armor

• Copied Legion battle formations from Etruscans• By 265 BC, Roman legions had conquered most

of Italy• Rome’s central location made it an excellent

seafaring nation• Conflicted with other, older places like Carthage,

across the Mediterranean sea

Punic Wars, 3 of them, 264-146 B.C.

• Battles between Rome and Carthage• 1rst one began 264 B.C.

over control of Sicily and western Mediterranean … Carthage lost

• 2nd one began 218 B.C. Hannibal marched men and elephants up and around Rome but never captured it

• The war ended in 202 BC. When the Roman General Scipio laid siege to Carthage forcing Hannibal to return to defend it.

• 3rd war began in 149 B.C. when Rome again laid siege to Carthage and set the city on fire and forcing all it’s people into slavery…

• Outcome of these wars solidified Rome’s dominance over the Mediterranean.

Battle Elephants… Heck Yes!