CC 302: Introduction to Ancient Rome (Unique # 30270)

September 2: The Expansion of Rome through 146 BCE

I: Lingua Latina

• Salvete, Salve
• Quid agitis?, Quid agis? optime, bene, satis bene, male
• Romam a principio reges habuerunt (Tacitus)
• vae victis (Livy)
• Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque (Ennius)

II. Rome gets an empire

A. The Conquest of Italy

• Struggle to maintain independence
• The Gallic Sack: 390
• Conquest of central Italy
• Settlement of 338
• The War with Pyrrhus: 281-272

B. The Wars with Carthage (Punic Wars)

1. 264-241 BCE
2. 218-201 BCE
3. 149-146 BCE

C. The conquest of the Greek world

III. Why? Some possible motives for conquest

• "Defensive imperialism"
• Militarism and aristocratic competitiveness
• Economics: booty, taxes, trade, land, slaves

IV. How? Some possible reasons for Rome's success

• virtutes Romanae: virtus, fides, pietas
• mixed government
• military organization
• adaptation
• "horizontal and vertical permeability"
• alliances
• good luck

V. Some results of empire

• Forces for change

1. War
2. Wealth
3. Greece

• Results

1. Growth of latifundia, pressures on small farmers
2. Growth of cities, especially Rome
3. Pressures on mos maiorum

Images to Accompany Discussion 3

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