The Carthaginian general Hannibal leading his troops over the Alps
After the founding of Rome in 753 B.C. (B.C.E.), Rome gradually developed into a political system called a republic. The political principles set forth by the Roman Republic would define governments for thousands of years. During the time of the Roman Republic, Rome came into conflict with Carthage, a powerful trading city on the Mediterranean Sea. Consisting of three wars stretching over more than a hundred years, the Punic Wars culminated with Rome's almost total dominance in the Mediterranean Sea. The Roman Republic’s supremacy, however, was not without cost. The problems that resulted were too many to be fixed, and ultimately the Roman Republic collapsed. In this topic, you will explore the government and society of the Roman Republic, as well as the causes, events, and effects of the Punic Wars.
Essential Questions
- How did Roman society and government function under the republic?
- What were major causes and events of the Punic Wars?
- How did Rome's dominance of the Mediterranean basin after the Punic Wars contribute to the collapse of the Roman Republic?
Warm-Up
Statue of a man from around 20 A.D. (C.E.).
His toga signifies that he was a Roman citizen.
Read the following excerpt taken from a man named Polybius who was born in Greece but raised in Rome. As you read the quotation, think about the characteristics of Rome that made living under Roman rule beneficial. Then, considering what you learned about Greece in the previous module, imagine you are a proud citizen of Greece, and write a three-to-four sentence counter-argument to Polybius' about why your civilization is also beneficial to live under.
"For as the Greeks go, the men of Athens, Sparta, Corinth and the like fight one another until they lack the strength to make war. It is the petty rivalries of Greece that have kept the civilization from reaching true greatness. One city-state will rise until it is ripped back down by its enemies. The Romans have no such conflict. All fight for Rome, and those conquered by Rome become Roman in turn. The actions of the state benefit the citizens, and local rivalries mean nothing in the face of the greater need of the Republic."