Discuss the Roman Punic Wars, in terms of their circumstances and overall effect on Rome’s economic and social development Also discuss the ensuing “Gracchan turbulence” from the same perspective.
The circumstance for the Roman Punic Wars towards Rome was a simple human
reaction. If an outsider such as Italy, Carthage, or Greece make threats towards Rome,
Rome will simply fight. The Punic Wars lasted in 3 stages, all resulting to the obsessive
pride and higher standings of Rome. Rome’s initial desire of expansion was only for
farming land. Romans believed like anyone else that victory brought them honor as well
as a strong, political career. Rome strongly had their victory of Italy due to their military
discipline. Cowards were not welcome in the Roman Army. If a Roman fled from his
standings, or left his comrades to die, they would receive severe punishment from the
generals worse than the enemy could give them. The confidence of Roman soldiers grew
because they knew their comrades would assure their well being if anything is to happen.
The opponents were usually barbaric and disorganized. Most often, the opponents would
flee leaving their comrades to die. The discipline of the Roman army was formed
throughout the Punic wars. Poet Virgil Maxim best referred Romans by the quote “Yield
you not to ill fortune, but go against it with more daring.” Rome’s Military form helped
their enemies become allies and eventually citizens dedicated to Rome. The ...
One reason that many avoided Army service was because Roman citizenship was now offered freely, where in prior times military service had been a path to citizenship. The result was less manpower available for Rome. The Roman army was left with no choice but to recruit barbarians, who could in this way both find employment where they had no skills, and hope to obtain Roman citizenship.
In his account of the Punic Wars, Polybius declares “it is my contention that by far the most important part of historical writing lies in the consideration of the consequences of events, their accompanying circumstances, and above all their causes.” Polybius recognized the intricate relationship between circumstances, causes, and their consequences, and in his account of the Punic Wars he seeks to explain the reasons for Rome’s victory over Carthage. For centuries, Rome and Carthage lived at peace with one another, their spheres of influence separate enough to avoid conflict. Rome’s wealth and interests lay in farming and acquiring more land throughout Italy, while Carthage’s economy was naval based, and so keeping trade routes open in the western Mediterranean was most important to them. As late as 279 B.C., Rome and Carthage were allied against Pyrrhus of Epirus, and had signed two other treaties in earlier years. However, as the two powers increased in power and controlled progressively larger geographies, their interests were bound to conflict at some point, and that conflict came in the contest for control of Sicily. The result was a twenty-three year war, the beginning of a series of wars which would last over a century. The end of the first war, and the actions of Rome towards Carthage in the latter’s defeat, laid the foundation for the second war, and it was only after the third and final Punic War that Rome, after coming close to defeat in the second, annihilated Carthage and burned it to the ground, effectively ending the age of Carthaginian power. However, the question must be asked, what were the causes of these wars, and more specifically, which power was more responsible for the conflict? No Punic accounts exist...
In order to discuss the idea of a grand strategy, it is first necessary to admit the inevitable difficulties in finding and interpreting evidence for or against one. It is hard to talk of a Roman ...
The upper echelons belonged to the aristocracy whose positions were granted them by birth and within this group there was a hierarchical system. The king was at the top of the hierarchy and the gentry at the bottom. Wood describes the gentlemen of the gentry as a help to the commoners. These men lent money to those of lower social standing and also purchased goods from them as well as acted as their representatives to the higher social structures. In turn the commoners paid allegiance to the gentlemen through conscription and political support.
Since the beginning of time, man has waged war on his neighbors, his friends and his enemies. In many cases these wars were caused by power-hungry nations that were in the process of expanding their empire and ended up stepping on the toes of another superpower or ally of a superpower. In the case of the first Punic War between Rome and Carthage, Carthage was extending its empire and they stepped on Rome’s toes. During the course of this war the winner was unclear but at times victory seemed eminent for both sides until Rome finally won. The Romans had control in the first part of the war but this would not last. After the Romans first win they decided that they needed a victory over the city of Carthage but this would turn the tides in favor of the Carthaginians. For some 15 years after this defeat of Rome the tides went back and forth between the two but would eventually lead to the Romans victory. After the victory, Rome made some very harsh demands and Carthage filled those demands even though some of them were very extreme.
“We will either find a way, or make one.” (Hannibal Barca) That was a quote from Hannibal, the general of the Carthaginian army during the Punic Wars. There were three Punic Wars. They were fought between Rome and Carthage. The three wars were fought between 264 B.C. and 146 B.C. Many people were scared of Hannibal but that didn’t stop the Romans as they won all three wars. Although Hannibal was a great general and he made a big impact on Carthage as a nation, he was no match for Rome in the Punic Wars.
The Roman republic integrated and assimilated her conquests and therefore knew how to develop loyalties and build trust. When things went bad for the Romans during battles with the Carthaginians and they often did, the Romans were resilient to say the least. The Roman military had support of the Senate and loyalty of the citizens and always found a way to learn from their mistakes and
Marcel Le Glay, Jean-Louis Voisin, Yann Le Bohec. A History of Rome. West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009.
Beginning with Greek hoplite warfare, we will see how the Romans adopted Greek principles of warfare and evolved their strategy in order to confront new and emerging challenges. From improving their tactics, making advancements in weaponry, to creating a standing army staffed by professional soldiers, we will see how Rome’s military evolved in ways the Greeks could not compete with, and would eventually succumb to. We will see the rise of the most lethal institution of Roman society, the Roman Army.
10. "The Punic Wars (264-241, 218-202, 149-146 B.C.)." The Punic Wars (264-241, 218-202, 149-146 B.C.). http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/imperialism/notes/punicwars1.html (accessed March 9, 2014).
Recruits were taught to march and performed parade drill twice a day. They were taught how to build a camp, swim and ride. A Roman was half a soldier from the start, and he could endure discipline which soon produced the other half (Adcock 5).
Ultimately, the Roman Republic’s downfall lay in its lack of major wars or other crises, which led to a void of honor and leadership. War united all of Rome’s people, and provided the challenge to its leaders to develop honor and leadership by their causes and actions. The lack of war allowed the Roman Republic to stagnate and become self-indulgent. By the end of the Punic Wars, which combined these elements, Rome was sure to fail. Without a common thread uniting its society, the Roman Republic unraveled because it had nothing left holding it together.
During the Pax Romana, Rome was not fighting in any wars but when the peaceful period ended, the government fell subjected to uncontrolled spending by the emperors Septimius (r. 193-211 C.E) and his son Caracalla (r. 211-217 C.E.). They depleted the treasury to satisfy the army and their own personal glory which led to inevitable political and financial crisis and more civil war. The fi...
The military system of Rome was once viewed as a fierce and influential force. The late Roman army was much different. It was a ...
Rome, even at its beginnings, proved to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s rapid growth and accumulation of power and repeated victories over powerful neighbors set Rome in a position of great authority and influence. As the leader of early Rome, Romulus’ effective command of his men and governance of his people provided the foundation for the building of a great city. Livy emphasizes Romulus’ possible divine origins and strong ties to deities as a validation and reinforcement of his ability to rule. A nation’s sole defense cannot be just bricks and mortar, it requires an army and a will and Romulus was able to successfully take action against the aggressors when action was needed.