Roman Italy

ROMAN ITALY

Development of Rome, a city located between the Etruscans and the Latins, gained momentum around 600 r. BC. through a coalition with Latin and Sabine societies. The early period of expansion was led by the Etruscan Tarquinn dynasty, but in 509 r. BC. The Romans removed the Etruscan royal family and adopted a republican form of government., with power shared between two consuls, elected for a period of one year. Further changes occurred half a century later, after prolonged class struggles, which led to the development of the Law of the Twelve Tablets, equating patricians and commoners in rights. The stabilized Roman republic began a systematic conquest of the northern part of the peninsula, and after the fall of the Veins in 396 r. BC. they took Sutrium and Nepeti, cities, which Livy considered "the gateways of Etruria”. Numerous wars with other cities brought Rome high tributes.

W 390 r. Rome was conquered by the Gauls, leaving the city only after the imposition of a huge ransom, but it was only a temporary crisis. After defeating SamnitAw in the dragging by 35 During the years of war, the Romans seized Campania and the fertile lands of Apulia. Then their military expansion turned to the rich Greek colonies in the south, including Taranto, whose inhabitants turned to the Greek king Pyrrus of Epirus for military support. Initially, he repelled the Roman invaders, but soon lost the advantage and in 275 r. BC. he was defeated at Beneventum. The Romans had already established their power over much of southern Italy and had become a threat to Carthage. W 266 r. p.n.e.. when the Mamertines - mercenaries from Campania - who took Messina turned to them for help against Carthage, gained the opportunity to conquer Sicily as well as Sardinia and Corsica. It also started the First Punic War. After the victory over the Gauls in 22 r. BC. in the Po valley. The Romans ruled the entire territory of Italy.

During the Second Punic War, they managed to turn the military threat to their own advantage. The Carthaginians were observing with some anxiety the spread of Rome's power in the Mediterranean Basin, and at the end of the third century. BC. they sent Hannibal across the Alps with an army of infantry, riders and elephants. Hannibal crushed the Roman legions at Lake Trasimeno and at Cannae (216 r. p.n.e.), and then stopped in Capua. With admirable calculation, given the proximity of Hannibal's troops. Cornelius Scipio set off on a retaliatory expedition, conquering the Carthaginian territories in Spain and Carthage itself. The Carthaginians called for Hannibal to return, but in 202 r. BC. Roman troops defeated him at Zama. Another fifty years passed before Carthage was destroyed, and all of Spain is conquered, because the Romans were also busy with the wars in Greek Macedon.

These victories ensured a tax-free existence for Roman citizens, for they have been replaced by acquired treasures, but society was clearly divided into these. who had unlimited access to all privileges and others. The former belonged mainly to the optimists party. which ignored reform demands from the popular opposition party. The radical reforms proposed by the tribune Gaius Grakch for the party of optimists smelled too much of democracy., therefore, the Senate gave the consul special powers of attorney. They made it possible to suppress the supporters of the Gracchs, the leader of the movement himself, Gaius Gracchus, was killed. Most of the people realized, that the only hope of gaining influence is to use an army, but Gaius Marius, chosen consul, proved unable to face the Senate clique., which was constantly plotting against the new regime.

W I w. BC. internal conflicts reached unprecedented intensity. Although Mariusz was still in power, the influence of another consul grew, Sulli, who waged victorious campaigns against invaders from the north and rebellious subjects in the south. Eventually, Sulla took power and turned it into a dictatorship, breaking up the people's government, which was formed during his campaign in the east. Political killings and banishment have become common practice, and the cities, who sided with Mariusz during the struggle for power, they were punished with massacres and devastation. Thousands of veterans of Sulla's army were given back the confiscated lands, but much of it lay fallow. W 73 r. BC. A gladiator named Spartacus led the uprising 70000 dispossessed farmers and runaway slaves, which lasted for two years. until it was broken by the legions.

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