Roman Republic Expansion

1
Roman Republic Expansion

• Roman soldiers a hastatus (L front), a triarius
  (R front), and a velite (back)

2
Roman Republic Army

• Who were the soldiers who unified Italy and
  defeated the Carthaginians in the Punic Wars?
• Landowners
• Provided own equipment
• Primarily infantry
• Cavalry played supporting role
• Citizens were on call for up to 20 years of
  service

3
Roman Republic Legion

• 4,200 (up to 6000) infantry fighting in lines
• 1200 velites
• 1200 hastati
• 1200 principes
• 600 triarii
• 300 cavalry
• Every 60 men comprised a CENTURY
• Every 120 men comprised a MANIPLE

4
Velite

• Skirmisher
• Armor was generally leather helmet with animal
  skin sewed to it
• Youngest poorest of landowners
• Very mobile
• Fought with javelins, then
• retired behind battle lines behind them

5
Hastatus

• Least experienced soldiers of main battle line
• Armed with two pilum (throwing spears) and sword
• Armored with scutum (shield), breastplate, helmet
• Generally suffered the most casualties
• Survivors moved on to join principes line

6
Principes

• Wealthier, more experienced soldiers
• Considered the elite of the republican legion
• Weaponry was the same as hastati
• Armor was generally of higher quality
• Held for decisive blow in middle of battle

7
Triarii

• Oldest, most experienced soldiers in legion
• Armored as principes
• Armed with phalanx type spear
• Used as last resort, to avoid catastrophe in
  battle
• Could also be used as shock troops at decisive
  moment if principes engaged

8
Cavalry

• Wealthiest citizens served as cavalry (b/c they
  could afford to supply a horse)
• Armored as hastati
• Generally served as scouts, pursuit of fleeing
  enemies

9
Republic Legion Tactics(Pre-Punic War)

• Troops were citizen-soldiers, not professionals
• Did not use complicated maneuvers
• Fought in three lines hastati in front,
  principes second, and triarii in third line, with
  velites in front to skirmish
• Aim was to tire enemy out with hastati, then use
  principes to strike decisive blow

10
Conquering Central / North Italy (396-282 BC)

• Romans expanded first eastward, to Adriatic Coast
• Romans then expanded north, conquering Etruscan
  city-states
• Genius of Romans rather than enslaving
  conquered populations, Romans turned them into
  allies and tributaries (gave money, soldiers to
  help Rome fight)
• Romans also established colonies to claim land

11
Fighting the Greeks (280-275 BC)

• Greeks had established city states along heel,
  south of Italy and in Sicily
• As Rome grew in power, Italian Greeks became
  alarmed and asked for protection from home
• Pyrrhus, a king, seeking glory, brought an army
  to fight against Romans
• Defeated the Romans twice, but lost so many men
  that he was forced to abandon Italy

12
Punic Wars (264-202 BC)

• A series of wars between Romans and Carthaginians
  for supremacy in Mediterranean
• Who were the people of Carthage?
• Carthage a Phoenician colony in North Africa
• Established colonies throughout North Africa,
  Spain, Corsica and Balearic Islands
• Dominated trade in western Mediterranean
• Link to Territories held by Rome, Carthage

13
Cause of First Punic War (264-241 BC)

• Sicily was divided between Carthage and Greeks
• Carthage invaded Greek side of island
• Greeks asked Romans for help
• Inevitable conflict?

14
First Punic War

• Romans won land battles but had no navy
• Developed navy to fight on sea
• Tactics turn naval battles into land battles
  through corvus

• Corvus

15
Outcome of First Punic War

• Romans lose 1/6 of population to lost fleets,
  military defeats (mostly drownings)
• Carthage suffers strategic defeat
• Forced off Sicily
• Forced to pay reparations
• Forced to free all Roman prisoners captured in
  battles

16
Cause of Second Punic War (218-201 BC)

• Continued struggle for supremacy in Mediterranean
• Rome expanded through north of Italy and cleared
  Adriatic Sea of pirates
• Carthage expanded its holdings in Spain
• Alarmed, a Greek city in Spain allied with Rome
  for protection

17
Second Punic War

• Hannibal, a great Carthaginian general, defeats
  Romans in Spain, then crosses Alps with Army and
  invades Rome
• For ten years, he defeats every Roman army he
  fights but he cant take Rome
• Rome barely survives this period
• Finally Hannibal retreats to Carthage, and is
  beaten at the Battle of Zama (202 BC)

• Hannibal of Carthage

18
Outcome of Second Punic War

• Carthage forced to give up all of Spain, all
  islands in Mediterranean
• Numidia (African kingdom) became ally of Rome
  Rome invades and conquers Macedonia in
  retaliation for allying with Carthage
• Carthage to pay tribute to Rome for 50 years
• Carthage agreed never to wage war without consent
  of Rome

19
Cause of Third Punic War (149-146 BC)

• Carthage recovers from war, trade and commerce
  resumes, and Carthage gets rich again
• Roman Senator Cato ends every speech Carthage
  must be destroyed
• Rome orders Carthage to give up all its weapons
• they agree and do so
• Rome then orders them to move out of Carthage as
  it is fortified Carthaginians refuse, and Rome
  invades

20
Third Punic War

• 146 BC Carthage is besieged
• Citizens fight building by building, block by
  block, defending their city against Romans
• Romans conquer city
• destroy city brick by brick
• enslave entire population
• Sow salt in ground so nothing would grow
• Make North Africa a province

21
Legacy of Punic Wars

• Rome was supreme power in Mediterranean
• Maintained overseas possessions in Spain, North
  Africa, Corsica, Sicily, Balearic Islands