Unit 01: Origins and Early History of Rome
Contents and layout ©1999 Joseph J. Hughes, Ph.D.
Revised 09 November 2000
Monarchy (753-509 BC) Pyrrhic Wars (282-272 BC)
Republic (509-23 BC) Punic Wars (261-146 BC)
Etruscans full citizenship
Latin League partial citizenship
Samnite Wars (343-290 BC) mos maiorum
I. Review of Rome's Origins
A. Podunk on the Tiber
1. foundation myths
a. Aeneas/Ascanius: April 21, 753 BC
b. Romulus/Remus
2. originally controlled by Etruscans
a. civilized, warlike, fascinating
1). must have had contact with Greeks
2). not sure themselves about their own origins
3). left behind little written documentation about themselves
4). lots of nice arts and monuments and stuff
b. tremendous cultural and military influence on Romans
1). artistic/cultural: vehicle for many Greek ideas
2). especially influential in fortunetelling and religion
3). warfare, art, engineering
B. the Monarchy (721-509 BC)
1. seven kings (L. rex)
a. monarchy actually existed
1). some kings were Etruscans
2). some of the reputed seven must have been historical figures
b. our sources primarily legendary
1). Romulus (753-710)
2). Numa Pompilius (710-670)
3). Tullus Hostilius (670-625)
4). Ancus Marcius (625-600)
5). Tarquinius Priscus (600-570)
6). Servius Tullius (570-530)
7). Tarquinius Superbus (530-509)
2. last king: L. Tarquinius Superbus (reputedly of Corinthian descent)
a. his son Sextus supposedly raped Lucretia
1). wife of Tarquinius Collatinus
2). she was raped and then committed suicide
a). not even her own fault
b). death before dishonor
b. expelled by L. Brutus et alii
1). heroic Roman woman
2). supposed foundation of Republic: 509 BC
C. Recap of divisions
1. Monarchy (753-509 BC)
2. Republic (509-23 BC)
3. Principate (23 BC-284 AD)
4. Dominate (285-476 AD)
II. Roman expansion in Italy (to 272 BC)
A. wars with Etruscans
1. not well documented
a. war with Veii 407 BC crucial
b. will be reading about Coriolanus later
1). now there's a real Roman
2). good example of mos maiorum
2. Etruria conquered by late 3d cent BC
B. wars with the Latin League
1. federation of cities in Latium
a. originally included Rome
1). acted as a unit against Etruscans
2). Rome first among equals
b. later enemies of Rome
1). Rome too big for her britches
2). number of bloody wars
2. eefectively beaten by Rome 338 BC
a. some cities annexed into Roman territory
b. some cities left independent but dependent
1). became standard Roman policy
2). "Latin rights" created
C. Samnite Wars
1. battleground: Campania (south of Latium)
a. good, rich farmland
b. established industry and commerce
2. three Samnite Wars (343-290 BC)
a. bitterly fought
1). Rome gets womped at Caudine Forks 312
2). Rome gets upper hand
b. Rome becomes most important power in Italy
D. other wars with foreigners
1. invasion of Rome by Celts (386 BC)
a. Rome occupied for three months
b. bought off Celts
c. expanded walls after they left
1). would not be invaded by enemies again for almost 800 years
2). siege mentality
2. wars with Senones (290-284 BC)
a. related to Celts
b. resulted in gain of "ager Gallicum" to north
1). what do we do with slave POWs?
2). what do we do with all this land?
3. "Pyrrhic" wars (282-272)
a. Rome's first "sphere of influence" war
b. first direct contact with Italian Greeks
1). Tarentum declares war on Rome 280 BC
2). Hires Pyrrhus of Epirus to fight it
c. two battles:
1). Heraclea 280: Elephants rule, Pyrrhic victory
2). Beneventum 275: stercus porcorum saves the day
3). Lots of Greek prisoners captured
d. Rome becomes Mediterranean power 275
1). Eefectual suzerain of Italy south of the Po River
2). player in the big time
III. Expansion into the Mediterranean (264-63 BC)
A. status quo in Mediterranean 272 BC
1. West: Carthage (Rome's worst enemy)
a. founded by Phoenicians in modern Libya
b. major Mediterranean power
1). particularly strong navy
2). extremely prosperous
3). hired mercenary soldiers
c. control over W. Africa, Spain, Sicily
2. South: Syracuse
a. important E. Sicilian city
b. originally a Corinthian colony
c. strong navy and army
3. East: "Successor states"
a. remnants of Alexander's empire
b. Macedonia, Syria, Pontus
B. Wars with Carthage
1. First Punic War (264-241)
a. caused by Carthaginian expansion in Sicily
b. Rome finally wins out
1). several setbacks
2). forced to become a naval power herself
c. Rome gains territory
1). Corsica
2). Sicily
3). Gaul
2. Second Punic War (219-201 BC)
a. Rome's darkest hour
1). Hannibal comes over the Alps
2). Battle of Lake Trasimene 218
a). 100,000 Romans and allies lost
b). psycholgical: cows climb walls, sweating statues, etc.
3). Battle of Cannae 216
4). much of Italy occupied
a). some conquered by Hannibal
b). some hated the Romans enough to defect
b. three great personalities
1). Hannibal
2). Fabius Cunctator
3). Scipio Africanus
c. Rome outlasts Carthage
1). Invasion of Africa successful
2). Carthage sues for peace 201 BC
d. Rome gains territory and influence
1). becomes the power in the Western Med
2). huge financial indemnities
3). lots of prisoners and land taken
e. Carthage destroyed in Third Punic War 146 BC
C. Wars with the "successor states"
1. Illyrian wars (229-219 BC)
2. Macedonian wars (214-148 BC)
3. fall of Corinth (146 BC)
4. defeat and death of Mithradates of Pontus (63 BC)
IV. Governance of the Roman conquests
A. No master plan for conquest and administration
1. everything done on an ad hoc basis
a. war and conquest done on ad hoc basis
b. peace and terms of victory worked out on ad hoc basis
2. success of arrangements
a. in Italy, successful until 1st cent. BC
b. more successful in overseas conquests
B. Italian conquests
1. full citizenship granted on slapdash basis
a. rights
1). Roman justice
2). right to marry Romans
3). right to do business in Rome
4). right to vote
b. obligations
1). obligation to serve in army
2). obligation to pay tax
2. partial citizenship granted on slapdash basis
a. granted to less favored Italian cities
b. some subtractions
1). may not vote or hold office
2). all other rights
c. all obligations
3. allies
a. certain long-established Italian cities
b. greater autonomy
c. difference in status
1). have all rights of half-citizens
2). must participate in Roman foreign policy
4. colonies
a. some with full citizenship
b. some with partial citizenship
5. in general a mish-mosh
a. some subject cities relatively happy
b. some subject cities really pissed
C. generally tolerant Roman attitude toward vanquished
1. again, no master plan for conquest and administration
a. outgrowth of Roman civil administration
b. actually worked beter than administration of Italy
2. system of provinces
a. Sicily, the Spains, Achaea, Africa, Macedonia, etc.
b. overseen by a Roman governor
1). elected official from previous year
2). basically a military governor
3. allow local government to greatest extent
a. retain local kings, assemblies, laws
b. conquests largely autonomous but dependent
c. differing levels of rights within Roman world
D. Signs of the times
1. genius: allow conquered people their customs
2. mulish: nothing wrong with running our empire like we've always run Rome!
V. The Roman People and the mos maiorum
A. Success by design: triumph of the mos maiorum (much more later)
1. strong moral fiber
a. stick to the "ways of our ancestors"
1). plenty of role models
2). do not question authority
b. farmer-soldier ideal--simple and proud of it
1). dignity, piety, seriousness
2). discipline, endurance, practicality
2. leave the fancy stuff to Greeks
a. philosophy, natural science
b. art, literature,
c. trade, business
3. tempered by the school of hard knocks
a. hardscrabble existence in Latium
b. scads of brutal wars
4. conviction in Rome's destiny
a. the gods love Rome
b. the gods love winners
c. let's keep the gods happy with us...or else!
B. changes in the Roman way of life
1. results of Punic Wars
a. lots of wealth
1). slaves
2). riches
3). land
b. "latifundia" plantation system
2. results of war with Greek states
a. lots of wealth
b. introduction to Greek culture
1). art and literature
2). creature comforts
3). beginning of Roman-Greek polarity
C. results of the changes
1. changes in standard of living for the leisure class
2. more at stake in the world of Roman politics
a. political offices become more powerful
b. traditional institutions become insufficient
3. poor live in the same squalor
a. some increase in the level of handouts and entertainments
b. still, pretty much the same old same old
VI. Coriolanus
A. lust for glory
1. battle of Corioli (20-23)
2. wants to exert power over plebeians
3. stands for consulship
B. rocky relations with plebeians
1. believes they want to subvert patricians
2. believes a grain dole would betray weakness
3. relies on his exploits to win him consulship
a. works at first as the people relent
b. soon outrages them with arrogance
c. unable to get along with inferiors (28)
4. induces patricians to strike the aediles (30)
5. sentenced to death by tribunes (32)
6. judged guilty by Tribal Assembly (34)
C. Roman gravity
1. declines 10% of booty after Corioli (23)
a. asks for freedom of Volscian friend
b. accepts only the cognomen Coriolanus (24)
1). greatest possible honor
2). excursus on tria nomina?
2. accepts verdict of Assembly without flinching (34)
3. insists on equal rights for Volsci (43)
D. relationship with women
1. wanted only to please his mother Vergilia (18)
2. allowed her to select his wife (18)
3. leaves his wife and mother at home (35)
4. persuaded by mother to desist (49)
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