The Romans Are Coming!

Roman Military Expansion & Spread of Culture

By: Meridith McNabb, Murphy Eskridge & Billy Barnard

Italian Unification

Roman Republic created in 509 B.C.E. after expulsion of Etruscans from Rome.

Beginning in 437 B.C.E. Rome gradually expanded by defeating neighboring towns and annexing the territory.

After 235 B.C.E. the southern part of the Italian Peninsula was unified.

Stepping on Carthage’s Toes…

After unification, Rome had considerable power, influence, and man power.

This brought them into direct conflict with their Mediterranean rivals, Carthage.

Rome, who had traditionally only had an army, built up a navy to battle Carthage in the Mediterranean.

CARTHAGE

ROME

The First Punic War

Began in 264 B.C.E. and fighting began in Sicily, which was under the territorial control of Carthage.

The first few naval engagements between Rome & Carthage ended badly for Rome, but eventually they proved they could be a dominant infantry as well as navel force.

After the Romans arrived in North Africa and won a few more military victories, the Carthaginians sued for peace in 241 B.C.E.

The Second Punic War

218-202 B.C.E.

Instigated by Hannibal’s journey through the Alps to Italy.

Had four major battles: Ticino, Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae.

Fighting went on for over a decade until finally Carthaginian forces were forced to retreat back to Spain and eventually back to Africa where Scipio Africanus defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama.

Carthage was reduced to status as a Roman client-state.

The Third Punic War

According to the terms of the peace treaty at the end of the Second Punic War, Carthage had to repay military debts, and in 151 B.C.E. those debts were repaid. The Carthaginians thought that nullified the treaty and they were free, but the Romans wanted to conquer Carthage completely in order to have control over the rich farmlands.

War characterized by one main event, the Battle of Carthage.

The Third Punic War

Rome declared war again in 149 B.C.E.

From 149-146 B.C.E. Rome laid siege to Carthage until eventually most inhabitants were starving to death, and Carthage had to surrender.

The remaining inhabitants were sold into slavery, the city was burned for 10 days, and the remaining territory was absorbed into the Roman Empire.

Rome acquired the countries of Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, Spain and Numidia (modern Tunisia) and extended its dominance to all of the western Mediterranean.

Roman Empire after Punic Wars

Gallic Wars

58-51 B.C.E.

Julius Caesar lead campaigns into Gaul (France) to stop inhabitants from crossing over into Roman territory.

After defeating armies in Gaul, Caesar then crossed into the Low Countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark), the Rhine Valley in Germany, and Britain and conquered the peoples in the area.

Imperial Expansion

40 B.C.E.- 117

Under the guidance of the Emperors Augustus and Trajan, expansion took place with military force

England, Scotland, Germany, Macedonia, Greece, & Armenia came under Roman control.

Culture

Pax Romana

Time of peace throughout the Roman Empire in which civilization was brought to Western Europe. Mainly took place in the United Kingdom, France, and Spain because they weren’t already civilized.

In Eastern Europe, they already had Greek influences, and did not adapt much to the Romanization.

Mainly limited to cities, not the countryside

Roman Legions

Legions were permanently camped throughout the areas of Western Europe, so they were able to settle into the towns and mingle with the inhabitants.

Soldiers became merchants and married local women, making their families Roman citizens.

Towns grew into cities, and the spread of Roman culture was possible. Influences such as: styles of dress, language, architecture, and local government.

Legions focused on building roads, which were originally made to move armies, and prompted trade from Italian merchants

A Few Other Influences

Architectural styles

Highway System

Entertainment Arenas/Stadiums

Wine-making

Festivals (Carnival, Christmas)

Roman Alphabet

Julian Calender

Latin Language

Legal System

Three Course Meal

Movie Assignment

Our assignment for the rest of the week is to form into small groups of 3 or 4, choose a topic of Roman culture or military history that interests you, research the topic, and create a short movie that demonstrates your knowledge.

The assignment sheet with grading rubric will be passed out. Here is an example that we created for you!

INSERT MOVIE HERE

Sourceshttp://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Gallic_Wars.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_history_of_the_Roman_militaryhttp://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/ROME/PUNICWAR.HTM

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?58855-Rise-of-the-Roman-Empirehttp://www.flowofhistory.com/units/birth/4/fc33

http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20285